Luigi's heart raced at the sight of her. He flung himself back, taking Peasley along with him. He clutched the prince close to his chest. Struggling to maintain his breathing, he threw both of his open palms over Peasley's mouth.
"Mrreow...?"
He attempted to still.
His heart thumped hard, drumming loud enough in his chest to catch Peasley's gaze and draw it away from the intruder. At the sight of Peasley's confused stare, he could only shake his head, slowly. Peasley caught on, refusing to make the slightest peep at Luigi's silent yet frantic insistence. He lowered his hands, nudging Peasley further into the corner and out of the feline's sight. He peeked at her behind the barrier of the open door.
She sniffed the air, strutting about the storage closet with an uptight sashay in her hind legs. Her tiny white collar jingled with each step.
Like blurry photographs spinning wildly off a reel, Luigi's brain flashed back to the hotel. He was there again: standing in the elevator, navigating the floors, rushing, searching. Exhausted. Those were some of his worst memories. Every time, tricked into a lovely conclusion, some progress, only for it to get snatched away from him. To think he was finally getting somewhere, only for his journey to become halted—over, and over, and over. It's all that cat represented.
Standing still for a moment, she licked at her paws, batting her ears when they twitched. The ghost continued to sniff around the room, pawing the ground. She was looking for something. Or, someone, no doubt, Luigi couldn't help thinking with a grimace.
Peasley and Luigi relied on their gazes toward one another in the silence of their hiding spot. Peasley looked to Luigi, tilting his head back slightly. Luigi turned in the gestured direction, realizing Peasley's weapon was laying out in the middle of the room, unguarded. Polterkitty noticed the saber as well. She perched above it, batting at the handle with both paws, playing with the light switch. She jumped around as the sword lit up, pawing at the stream of light.
Luigi dreaded the idea of reaching to grab it. The cat wouldn't give them a chance. She would attack before they could, and mince them to ribbons. As far as he was concerned, the pair couldn't even muster a whisper past their lips. If they dared to make a sound, their demise would come in seconds. Luigi stood still, continuing to shake his head as he considered every variable. He kept one hand on Peasley, holding him back. Keeping Peasley defenseless was the probably the worst idea he had at the moment, but it would keep him safe for just a few minutes more. What he needed was more time to come up with a logical plan.
He looked around, considering a few things: how the door moved, where Polterkitty was, and how quickly the two men could rise to their feet and dart down the hallway. In no words, Luigi indicated toward the door, pressing one finger gently against it. The hinges squealed. Polterkitty's ears twitched, but she didn't move.
Peasley nodded in understanding. He scooted slightly to the side, bending his knees. With Polterkitty preoccupied playing with the sword, Luigi made his move.
He shoved back on the door, forcing it to swing. He grabbed it in one hand, reaching and grabbing Peasley by the wrist with the other, hoisting him up to his feet. With a thrust, he first threw Peasley out into the hallway, slamming the door shut behind them. Peasley clutched tight to Luigi's hand.
They gathered their bearings upon their exit. The afternoon was melting away, the hallway darkening with each moment that passed. The sun was setting, and any natural light they had left from the open windows was fading fast. The only landmarks they had to go off of were the busted Poltergust on the ground, and the scratches along the carpet, which thankfully led back toward the main entrance.
"We need to find Gadd," Luigi said. "Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"
"He fled in the other direction when I hid..." Peasley thought aloud. "I have to assume he was running from whatever made that dreadful growling noise. As to where he went, I have no—"
Past their eardrums, a screechy yowling broke out, rattling their heads.
In a flash, Polterkitty phased through the closet, blocking the two from continuing down the hallway and cutting off their attempts to flee. She began howling as her body mutated, transforming before their eyes. She groaned as her limbs elongated and her body grew larger, resembling a feral panther rather than a tame house-cat. Her meows turned to blood-curdling growling noises, screeching and yowling.
Peasley covered his ears, Luigi doing the same. "Well!" he shouted, "that's the noise!"
"Run!"
Luigi turned, but tripped as soon as he went to run. He tumbled over the broken Poltergust, hitting the ground hard, landing with an audible yelp and crashing to a stop. Upon recovering, he reached for his leg. A sharp pain sent a wince through him, forcing him back down to the ground. He sucked in air through his teeth: sprained ankle. Peasley immediately collapsed to Luigi's side, helping him stand.
Unluckily, Polterkitty had sharper reflexes than the two combined. A soft growl drew Peasley's attention away from his boyfriend. He gasped, raising an arm at the sight of her, stalking closer. The beast rose on her back, raising both forelegs to the air.
Peasley threw his body in front of Luigi's. "Begone, you foul creature!"
The feral cat looked taken aback for a moment, but it didn't stop her. She swung, swiping a paw against Peasley's chest and swatting him away. It sent him careening into the nearest wall. He hit the plaster, landing in a heap against it. Polterkitty hissed.
"Peasley!" Luigi screamed, moving to hobble over to his side.
But his assailant had other plans for him. The cat pounced. Harshly, his head slammed to the ground, skull rattling in his cranium. Dizzy, he squinted above, helpless as he watched Polterkitty raise one paw. With Luigi pinned to the floor, she bared, the murderous intent from her eyes reflected in her sharp, shiny claws.
A sudden flash from the other side of the hallway made Luigi's vision go blurry.
He rubbed at his eyes, catching the faded image of Polterkitty wailing and pressing her paws into her face as she fell back. Luigi followed the direction of the flash. Peasley's hand was gripped tight around the Strobulb, aimed upwards in the direction of the cat's face. At the sight of the Poltergust "operating" again, Polterkitty's angered expression dropped, cowering back.
"Oh, thank the Stars that worked." Peasley huffed, dropping his face to the ground. He spoke partially to the carpet.
The prince strained, wincing as he managed to stand.
He leaned down and lifted the broken Poltergust into his arms, clutching it tight. He brought it over to Luigi, shoving the machine into his shaky hold. He helped him fix the straps over his shoulders. "Here. You're better off with this... even if not everything is working right," he gestured to the ruptured G-00 tank. "It seems like those ghosts show you more respect with it on."
Seeming to acknowledge this, Polterkitty hissed, hairs standing upright as she arched her spine. She stalked closer, breathing against Luigi's back, preparing to pounce once more.
But Luigi moved fast, using the flickering Strobulb best he could to buy them time. Deep down, he knew his attempts were limited. The more he used the device, the more likely it would run out of battery, and it couldn't charge itself. The rest of the Poltergust's functions were faded, judging by his rapid pressing of the many buttons. Any hopes he had of capturing ghosts were dashed as he tried the nozzle; the internals were busted.
Judging from Polterkitty's glare directed solely at him, Luigi had to make a shot in the dark. He grabbed hold of Peasley.
"She… she's only interested in attacking me!" Luigi shouted.
"How do you know that?" Peasley furrowed his eyebrows, holding both hands to his scratched and bruised chest.
"She'll go through anything to get to me." Luigi didn't know if what he was saying was accurate, but he did know he could get her attention. If that meant she would leave Peasley alone, he would do it. Even with his heroic tendencies, Luigi knew Peasley needed a weapon. He placed a hand on Peasley's shoulder. "So... you go get your sword, and then we'll... we'll meet at the gymnasium! There's an exit there!"
"But..."
"I'll-a go that way." He pointed behind his back. "And you go that way. She'll become disoriented, and she won't go after you."
Peasley frowned. "But I'm not worried about me."
The glowing mass of purple behind them rose to her feet again. Polterkitty's massive paws dug into the carpet. She growled at the pair.
"You have to go. P-Please."
Peasley stood still. He held out a hand, grabbing onto Luigi's.
"Promise me. You'll be alright?"
"Y-Yes, I promise. I'm-a gonna go get help. I'll get Polterpup, and we'll find Gadd, and then we'll figure out what to do. Okay? Until then, please... please stay out of her sight, okay?"
"The cat's?"
Luigi hesitated. "Y-Yes. Please."
Peasley stepped back, putting pressure on his heel. He looked back wistfully at Luigi.
Not fond of waiting for their tearful goodbye, Polterkitty stood to her full height, shaking herself off. She shooed away the aftermath of the Strobulb's flash in her eyes.
"Go!"
Peasley nodded, dashing back toward the storage closet. Polterkitty followed his movements with her eyes. And though her gaze followed, the feline herself did not. She did exactly as Luigi predicted, chasing after him and yowling. He turned quick and sprinted down the hallway.
He passed the corner, nearly slipping on the carpet. As Polterkitty attempted the same corner, she missed the turn completely, the smooth carpet rising slightly and dragging her along with it. With a confused mewl, she was sent sliding down the other hallway. Luigi couldn't help an instinctual laugh.
Rushing down the hall, he made it to the entrance doors. Both were closed and (with a strained pull on the handles) evidently locked.
He huffed, banging one fist on the metal doors and calling out to whoever might be on the outside. His request for aid turned fruitful as a faint barking began. His pleas reached an excitable pup's ears. It didn't take long before his spectral pet was phasing through the wall, landing next to Luigi and barking excitedly. He wagged his tail.
"Polterpup! Puppy!" Luigi bent down, petting the canine all over. "There you are, boy..."
Polterpup's excited yapping turned to aggressive growling almost instantly, teeth bared and back arching. Luigi turned, shrinking as he caught sight of the cat approaching, stalking toward the two of them.
Before she had the chance to pounce, Polterpup jumped on her instead, pushing the cat backwards and slamming her to the floor. They rolled around. Polterpup tugged on her many tails with his teeth. Polterkitty scratched at Polterpup's side. Polterpup used the side of his skull to headbutt Polterkitty across the floor, sending her skidding away.
Luigi gasped in alarm, rushing to Polterpup's side. "Polterpup!"
His attempts at rescuing his faithful companion were rejected. He was met with an angry bark, and when he persisted, a faint nip to the skin. He fell back, exclaiming and holding his small wound. He made eye contact with hollow eyes: the same, knowing ones that belonged to his loyal pet. A deep sadness brewed within.
In Polterkitty's moment of dizzied recovery, Polterpup tugged on Luigi's sleeves, scooting him toward safety. He nudged and barked, gesturing his head at the very clearly cat-free hallway and exit route.
"Bu-but, Polterpuppy," Luigi whispered sadly.
Polterpup looked up, staring at his owner with wide eyes. He delivered the faintest kiss to Luigi's hand before pushing against his legs. Luigi's eyes welled with tears. He nodded slowly. But he still crouched before he went, hugging his pet tight.
"Please be safe," he whispered. "Peasley and I are going to be in the gym. Okay? You meet us there."
Polterpup barked, understanding. He gently nudged his head against Luigi's legs again, ushering him along.
Polterkitty lunged for Luigi again. He dodged out of the way, narrowly ducking. He fumbled for a moment, soon back on his feet, running the other way. Despite desperately wanting to stay, with every heartstring echoing that sentiment, he knew he couldn't.
As Polterpup scuffled with Polterkitty, he ran ahead. He winced, trying to block out the horrible sounds of barking, yowling, and whimpering that echoed through the halls.
The sun passed the horizon line outside the windows.
Luigi's only light source diminished with each frantic footstep he took. His ankle stung to put pressure on, but he forced himself to trudge forward. He attempted to visualize Gadd's maps of the Hooniversity in his mind's eye. The idea of getting lost right now sounded like the worse possible outcome.
He turned one corner, then another, and soon found himself in front of two double doors, just as he had before. He threw them open, closed them fast, and rushed inside—only to be met with silence.
"Peasley?"
A gust from the faulty air conditioning made him shiver. He held his arms, hugging himself tight as he spun around on his heel. A tingling dread crept through his body as he looked around the room. He licked his chapped lips.
Empty chairs on the sidelines sat motionless as floorboards creaked beneath Luigi's shoes. The vents above squealed. Sunset dripped through the gaping windows of the gymnasium, hues of purple and yellow coating the floor. The anxious thrums of expectancy made his chest tighten.
In the corner of his eye, he swore he saw a faintly glowing silhouette, but whenever he turned, it was gone. He held tight to the Poltergust with both hands, keeping one held down on the Strobulb's button. His fingers flexed, drumming along the nozzle.
"Peasley...?"
He thought, most certainly, he'd taken enough time for Peasley to get here in time before him. He'd even been stopped on his way getting here. So, where was—
"There you are."
A cold voice addressed him.
Gasping in fear, he inadvertently released the Strobulb's flash in the other direction. The device fizzled as he tried to charge it again. No such luck. He'd run out of chances. His shoulder blades tightened, closing in as his chest caved, dipping.
A hesitant gulp bulged in his throat as he turned slowly to face the speaker in the room with him.
"Well well well. I thought you'd never arrive. But it's so wonderful to see you again, Luigi..." the voice continued. Each utterance of his name dripped like poison off the tongue, spat from the throat. Malice drenched each word.
Feminine in nature, the tone was falsely kind.
"It really has been too long. I never thought that captivity could drive the best of us mad, but I suppose it's only fate. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? Time after another, you evade defeat and imminent capture, freeing yourself from lifelong suffering. How charming, for you."
In an instant, Hellen Gravely, in all her glory, materialized in front of Luigi.
A smug conniving smile graced her slender features. Her glowing outline was emphasized in the festering evening. Luigi felt every nerve in his body scream for him to jump and run away, but he was frozen: paralyzed.
"Hah!" A genuine laugh left her. Luigi stiffened. "The same coward as ever, I suppose."
She checked her nails idly, one arm to her face, applying a generous dusting of GheistPaint as she smoothed out her dress. Once satisfied with her appearance, she approached. Luigi stepped back, clutching tight to his Poltergust. He wouldn't allow himself to run the other direction. Instead, he kept eyes on his foe. He ensured he had every possible move she could enact accounted for. Hellen only offered a smile, stopping in place.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you look disappointed to see me." She floated toward Luigi, looming over him. She grinned. "What? Were you expecting someone else?"
Luigi stammered to speak. He didn't even know what he'd say.
"I only wish to have a chat... to catch up!" she insisted.
Luigi shook his head. Whether that was a conscious, voluntary movement, he didn't know. But his pinpoint pupils gave away his terror. He shook his head again: uttering a silent mantra of disbelief.
"Funny. I thought you might have grown a spine while I was locked away," she said, "but you are quite the enigma, aren't you? A cowardly hero," she scoffed. "With traits like those, you're not much of a hero at all.
"But... there is something about you, Luigi. Something that eludes me." She pressed both hands together. "The very minute I met you, I thought: how could this bumbling fool have possibly troubled and bested my beloved for so long? But then, the more I watched you, it clicked. You have this inexplicable need... a craving for others' attention. You demonstrate such adoration for their wellbeing. It seems to override all your other feelings. You consistently return home to your royal friends and those mindless little parasites you call Toads... and, of course, that idiotic brother of yours." She spat at the mention of Mario.
She hovered near the doors.
"And even with all that, your love could never hold a candle to what I feel for him," she emphasized.
She began to fiddle with her necklace, lost in a trance.
"So when you released me, when you grabbed my capsule, I could only wonder why. You're smart, Luigi. You're crafty, as much as I hate to admit it. The question stood: why would you go and do something so reckless?"
Luigi stepped back. His eyes darted around the room; Hellen's words were white noise, ringing.
"But then, everything made sense. When I sat there, forced to watch you on that infernal professor's computer in his lab, forced to watch you perform your little ghost-hunting routine... I noticed something. How you interacted with that… companion of yours. That kind of devotion, that passion. It was something I recognized," she laughed her remark. She raised a hand to her chest. "Something I recognized in my own heart."
A faint gasp escaped Luigi's lips. He flinched. He didn't want to say a word, lest it give Hellen any more ideas.
Pleased by his telling reaction, Hellen continued. "So you see. We aren't so different, you and I. We've both done extraordinary things for the objects of our affection!" She threw her arms into the air, chuckling darkly. "Isn't that right, Luigi?"
""No!" Luigi shook his head. "No, we- I- I- we aren't- I'm not like you at all-!"
"Ah, so he does speak!" Hellen laughed. "You had me thinking I'd scared the vocal cords right out of you."
Nervousness racked his form, making him shiver.
"W-Whatever you're planning..." He found his words, gulping down building saliva in his mouth. "I-I know that... y-you won't be happy... and, h-h-he won't..." Luigi gulped. "He doesn't..."
Hellen frowned.
Even though Luigi couldn't choke out his last remark, she knew full-well what he was insinuating.
"Everything will be perfect," she spoke with a grave tone. Her fingernails dug into her arms like claws. "I've had so long to fantasize about this. All those nights, imprisoned next to the one I loved, but still having him so far from my reach. The day the professor separated us... that was his greatest mistake. All I needed was one thing, one tiny slip-up, and I would have everything I've ever dreamed of. And who would have ever thought that that opportunity would have been handed to me by the dreadful man who ruined our plans to begin with?"
Luigi went cold at the thought. Guilt harassed his brain, raw panic ravaging his core.
"Oh. And speaking of which," she reached into her pocket, revealing a set of keys jingling off her finger. "You really should keep better track of your things, Luigi..."
His face paled.
"Don't worry. Once I deal with you"—she clutched one of the keys on the ring—"we'll finally have our second chance. So allow me to end you in a fitting manner, Luigi." She hovered closer. "You'll make the perfect housewarming gift, once I bring you to him… dead or alive."
"Nonono- you can't!" Luigi shouted. He found the strength to protest somewhere inside him even as his words strangled in his throat. He stood rigid. "He... he'll destroy everything! T-This kingdom!"
"And why would I care what happens to this kingdom? Everything here is much too stuffy. We've been dragged around by that professor for long enough..." Hellen mused, "in fact, I rather think my darling will like this new playground to bend to his every whim..."
"You... n-no... you...!"
The doors behind Hellen creaked, commanding both of their attentions.
In a single leap, Polterkitty phased through the doors. She was back to her normal size, looking proud despite missing one of her three tails. Luigi watched as she floated off the ground, hovering by her owner's side. She dropped a tattered red collar in Hellen's hand.
The tag jingled as Hellen curled a fist around it.
"Ah, good girl," she scratched Polterkitty's chin, the cat purring in delight. Her glare fixated on Luigi. "I've always hated dogs."
Polterkitty settled in her arms.
Hellen's smile grew as tears began to slip down Luigi's face. She dropped the collar to the floor, approaching Luigi once again. His knees wavered, quivering. The streaming tears blurred his vision. He stood focused on the faint vision of red lying in front of him, discarded like it was nothing.
"Well! Now that that's out of the way. What say you we get this over with, hm?" Hellen grinned.
"N-No..."
A crackling sounded.
The lights overhead flickered. Hellen flew back from Luigi, holding up an arm and shielding her face. With a heavy thud, the fluorescent lights abruptly returned to the gymnasium and university, flooding the expanse with brightness. The overhead lights buzzed loudly. They near-blinded Luigi, who covered his eyes for a moment. When he rubbed away the initial shock, he realized Hellen was in a stunned state. Polterkitty fell from her arms, circling her, meowing loudly in agitation.
"What did you do?" she screamed.
Luigi held up his hands in false surrender, shaking his head.
As she went to curse him again, the doors behind her trembled with movement.
Hellen recovered enough to raise a fist in the air, looming over Luigi, just as the doors swung open. Her attack was short-lived, the raging woman met with a sharp slice straight through her middle. With a single slash of a sword, Hellen was bisected in two, her upper half sliding from her lower half and hitting the ground with an ectoplasmic splat. The keys she was previously holding fell to the ground, slipping away from her grasp.
From behind Hellen, Luigi's savior came into view. The dashing prince gripped his sword in one hand.
"Luigi, are you okay?"
"Peasley?" Luigi struggled to straighten himself out. He wiped at his face, but his limbs felt like gelatin. "W-What are you...? How did you-?"
"Well, it appears as though I'm rescuing you!" He hopped directly over Hellen and reached Luigi in an instant, grasping his hands. "Let's get out of here," he commanded.
"B-But, Gadd...?"
"I wouldn't worry about dear Elvin, my love," Peasley spoke knowingly, touching a hand to his chest. "Let us be on our way."
"YOU! You rotten little interloper—!" Hellen hissed. "You horrible boy!"
Peasley glanced down at her, stepping back. Polterkitty hovered around her owner, mewling loudly, wailing in alarm.
Hellen's upper half clutched at her face with one hand, hiding her features from view. Luigi followed her gaze, one of her glowing red eyes positioned across the floor. He rushed, attending to her stare, crouching to the ground and scooping up the keyring she'd dropped along with Polterpup's collar. He pocketed both fast, despite her growing cries of alarm.
"FACE ME, YOU COWARD!"
She shouted as Peasley and Luigi escaped, running from the gymnasium and out of harm's way. Peasley shut the doors behind them, panting as he cut off Hellen's screaming.
"Hurry, greenie." Peasley gestured, grabbing Luigi by the wrist and dragging him along, far away from Hellen.
Luigi followed, but they didn't move in the direction of the entrance hall like he expected. Instead, they made a detour to another much smaller room, one with flickering devices lining the walls. Toward the back, there was one large switch.
And standing underneath that switch was Professor Elvin Gadd himself, standing tall and looking proud. He brushed his hands off on his lab-coat as Peasley and Luigi entered.
"You made it!" he laughed. "I thought you were a goner, surely. I'm impressed!"
Luigi ignored the backhanded concern and compliment. "Gadd... what's going on? I thought, we thought, that you..."
"That I was in trouble? Ha! These ghosts will need to try a little harder than cheap scares to catch me this time around. That annoying feline ran off the second she saw the nozzle of the Poltergust." Gadd paced. "At that point though, she'd already scratched the Poltergust up pretty good. I knew at some point she'd be back, so I abandoned the machine and hoped for the best. I realized I needed to get the lights back on. That would make things much easier for us mortals, right?" He elbowed Luigi in the side. "It helped, didn't it?"
"Sure, b-but..."
"Shall we be on our way then?" Peasley asked.
"On our way?" Luigi glanced between the two. He flailed his arms. "But- what? Hellen is still here!"
"I know, I know, son. But there's not much I can do about her if the Poltergust isn't working right," Gadd said. "And as long as we have everything locked up, we'll be alright."
"She won't have anywhere to go. And if she DOES decide to go somewhere, we'll have the whole kingdom looking for her."
Luigi hesitantly spoke. "Uhm, G-Gadd? Do we have everything locked up?"
"Ohoho! Yes, indeed. All the doors that need to be locked," he winked toward Luigi, "are locked up tight. Nothing seems amiss. So long as- ah, you still have those spare keys, don't you Luigi?"
"Y-Yeah," Luigi removed the keyring from his pocket. He didn't mention his brief stint losing them.
"And I have mine!" Gadd proudly announced, revealing them to the duo. "Not much damage she can do, if you know what I mean..." He elbowed Luigi again, this time causing the exhausted man to release a quiet 'owie'. "Now. I suggest we retreat to Castle Town for the time being. It will be a fine place to take up residency while I work on repairing the Poltergust."
"And I'm sure that the citizens will want to see us again," Peasley added.
"But... but..."
Luigi inhaled. He tried to forget about Hellen's ominous monologue, but it wouldn't go away. He shrunk backwards.
"What's the matter?"
"Well, I... Hellen... she... she told me..."
Luigi stopped. His head shot up.
"P-Polterpup!"
"What?"
Luigi ran as fast as his legs could carry him out of the room. Peasley and Gadd followed close behind, completely unaware of what Luigi was talking about. They each went toward the entrance.
When they arrived, it didn't take long before they discovered Polterpup. The poor pooch was unconscious, laying out on his side. Peasley gasped in horror.
Luigi's legs gave out before he comprehended the sight. He landed by his pet, running a shaking hand along his dog's fur. Scratch marks faintly gleamed in his translucent body. He wiped away tears slipping down his face as he felt his loyal companion's chest rise and fall beneath his pale hand. Polterpup's labored breathing made his chest ache. He crouched, gently scooping him up into his arms.
"What happened?" Gadd asked quietly, airing on the side of concerned sympathy and genuine fascination.
"Mm..." Luigi gripped his loyal pet close. He didn't speak, hugging Polterpup tight.
"We'll get him proper care back at the castle," Peasley spoke quickly. He ran one hand over Polterpup's back, with the other comforting Luigi. "Let's hurry."
E. Gadd walked past them, unlocking the front doors and shoving them open. The trio exited the Hooniversity, entering into the darkened evening. The sun had fully set.
As Gadd shut the doors and locked them, Peasley's winged steed greeted them, flapping her wings anxiously at the frazzled state of her owner and his traveling party. Peasley soothed her with a gentle petting. They hopped aboard their mode of transit, the mount steadying under the weight of four passengers, heaving to get off the ground.
Flapping her wings hard, she was airborne. Peasley sat toward the front, legs hanging off the edge so as to allow more room for his guests. Luigi sat to the back. He glanced down at the keys in his hand, comparing them to Gadd's own, which were held tightly in the professor's grasp.
"These are the only two keys, r-right?"
"Quite so. And we have both of them! Whatever Hellen was planning, I imagine she'll be in a tad of a pickle when she discovers it's too late to commit any dastardly deeds. I checked the room containing Boo several times. The door didn't budge. And last I saw on the monitor, the containment pod was sealed." Gadd noted. "You saw her back at the Last Resort. Hellen's not much of a physical attacker. She's more... calculated, crafty." Gadd swung the keyring around his finger. "Luckily, we had the draw on her this time!"
"R-Right."
He fidgeted with the keys, frowning. She'd sounded so confident. As though she'd thought through everything. How could she not have seen this coming?
He sat thinking until the three landed outside of Beanbean Castle. As the massive structure came into view, they looked down, surveying the land. Light from street-lamps lined the streets, illuminating the hustle and bustle. Several of Castle Town's citizens were moving back and forth, clamoring to help repair the damaged structure of the castle.
Just outside the gates, a tent had been set up, several Beans taking refuge in what appeared to be a makeshift infirmary. Luigi clutched tight to Polterpup as it came into view; perhaps one of the professionals down there had supernatural veterinary skills. Polterpup whimpered in his arms, making soft noises at Luigi's gentle touch.
They came in for a landing. Peasley slid off first, guiding Luigi second, carefully clutching his hand.
Gadd hopped off last. He marveled at the area, placing both hands on his hips. "It's been awhile since I've been in Castle Town! Things haven't changed. Still a little chaotic, but always full of life!"
"That's our town," Peasley chuckled as he spoke. "Perhaps we should make it our motto."
Noticing Luigi's silence, Peasley turned. He caught his musing expression as he held Polterpup close. He leaned against him.
"We'll find him the help he needs. I swear."
"I've never seen him this hurt before. He gets scuffed up here and there but I've never," he sniffled, "I've never seen him get in such a bad fight with another ghost..."
"Well. I'm no expert in ghosts... but I am well-acquainted with Polterpup," he patted Luigi on the shoulder. "He'll bounce back. He always does."
The three walked into the clamor.
Dizzying amounts of people were pitching in to help the royal family in their time of need. A set of burly Beans ran past them, holding planks of wood and concrete slabs. Peasley and Luigi took in some of the other sights, like the Pea servant who had first investigated Potter's plant infestation earlier that day. He was now being tended to in the infirmary tent, tons of ice packs covering his bandaged body.
Peasley nodded toward the tent.
"I think I'm going to go see if they have a first-aid kit." He gestured to his stomach and chest, which still had blossomings of dark blue and purple all over. Thin scratches rested atop the wounds, having been partially absorbed by his white tunic. "Would you like me to take Polterpup? I'll see what they can do."
Luigi nodded.
"B-Be careful," he said, passing Polterpup to Peasley's arms. Peasley held the pooch tightly over one shoulder, going past Luigi to the infirmary tent. Upon the prince's entrance, several Beans jumped up and shouted excitedly.
Luigi exhaled, turning, set on making his way back to Gadd.
After searching for what felt like hours, he found the professor crouched over one of the cracks in the bridge off the castle's main entrance. The sparkling water in the moat reflected the moon's glow.
"Fascinating..."
"What is?"
"I just never imagined," Gadd scoffed, "that these ghosts would have been so hostile! I thought, surely, with enough rehabilitation and captivity, they'd turn to good..."
"I guess captivity can also make people... a little angry," Luigi squeezed two fingers together. "Just a smidge."
After uttering that comment, a brief moment of panic shocked his nerves. He checked for the lump of keys in his pocket. He relaxed when he felt the weight underneath his hand. He sat down next to Gadd as the professor took samples of the ghost-produced vines and roots left behind. Evening crickets chirped nearby.
"Hmph. Dr. Potter made this mess, did he?"
"How did you know?"
"Prince Peasley recounted what he could. I got the gist in layman's terms. He said he fought a smug, tiny, yet very angry king, and then the two of you battled an elderly gardener ghost. And the third?"
"Clem. He flooded the sewers..." Luigi admitted as a pair of what looked to be beanish plumbers passed by, talking back and forth. "I-I probably should have fixed it myself..."
"Ah. There you go again. Making so many things your responsibility," Gadd chided, wagging a finger. "You had plenty else to worry about at the time, sonny."
"I-I know, but..."
"No 'buts' about it. One of these days, you're going to drive yourself to a breaking point." Gadd shook his head, chuckling. Luigi tried to ignore Gadd's nonchalance about that kind of future. "So. What else happened?"
"Uhm," Luigi stammered, "they were in my bag, and I, uh, got a little upset... so I slammed it shut. I think that's what released them. Then, while I was out having breakfast, they messed up my bedroom... then went to their respective zones. Like the gardens, and throne room and stuff..."
"That so?" Gadd made a humming sound. "Seems old habits die hard with these ghosts... ha. Pun not entirely intended."
Luigi's face instinctively curled, partly from fleeting joy and partly from disgust at such a cheap joke. After humoring Gadd with a faint chuckle, his laughter faded. He looked over his shoulder, watching the infirmary with glossy, sad eyes.
"Worried about Polterpup, hm?"
"Worried about both of them." Luigi huffed. "Hellen... she was saying stuff about Peasley..."
"Stuff like what?" Gadd turned, interest piqued.
"Just that... t-that I did something stupid because I'm-a in love with him. B-but I... I just did it to make him happy," Luigi glanced down at his hands. "I am not like her. I'm not. A-At least Peasley likes me... no, l-loves me... right?"
Gadd shook his head. "I don't know how many times you have to hear it before you start to believe it, boy."
Luigi pressed his head into his legs. "But he got hurt because of me," he sniffled. "I never should have told him anything in the first place. Maybe he'd be safe right now. Maybe everything... it all would have been different..."
"Luigi. You needed someone to help you with those ghosts. You can't always do everything on your own," Gadd held out both hands. "I mean, it's not a problem for me, doing things on my own, but that's beside the point. Peasley has helped to build you up! Made you smarter, more confident. And you don't think that's a good thing?"
"No, you don't get it, it's just... the ghosts... h-he doesn't even know how deep all this goes." Luigi looked away. "I wanted to keep it light, and fun, and now—"
He couldn't get Hellen's words out of his head.
"Then why don't you go talk to him?"
"What?"
"Tell him about Hellen Gravely, the Last Resort, Polterkitty, all those mansions you've cleared free of ghosts... and, honestly, you really should tell him about... you-know-who." Gadd nodded along with his words, subconsciously agreeing with himself.
"But..."
"Again, no 'buts', remember?" Gadd raised an eyebrow, lowering his glasses.
Luigi shut up and sat back upon making contact with Gadd's beady eyes.
"Now. While you two go and have that healthy moment of relationship communication, I need to repair the Poltergust." He stood up, picking up the busted device and heading in the other direction. "I'll see you inside."
Luigi sat still for a long time.
His eyes wandered, focusing his gaze on a buzzing moth fluttering beneath a street-lamp. Alone with his thoughts, he considered what he wanted to say. He knew that wouldn't do him any good though, judging from his previous moments of confession rehearsal. He stood up.
He paced in front of the infirmary tent.
He didn't want to barge in, but he also couldn't stand the wait any longer. He pushed back the tent flaps, scanning the space. Most of the doctors and nurses had turned in for the evening, the tent mostly empty of staff and patients.
He heard Peasley before he saw him. He was sitting in the back, chatting with one of the castle servants. Peasley laughed, snorting loudly enough to grab Luigi's attention. Luigi's chest fluttered. The most wonderful sound in the world.
"Oh! Luigi!"
Peasley waved. Luigi waved back sheepishly.
The servant stood up, excusing themself and wishing Luigi well on their way out.
"Look! Look, Luigi, come sit."
"What is it?"
"I'm all patched up." Peasley pulled on his tunic slightly, revealing the many layers of bandages wrapped up around his chest and torso. Luigi gave him a thumbs-up before glancing down at the cot. Polterpup was resting by Peasley's side on a pillow, with a matching set of bandages like Peasley's own.
"He's been a trooper. They said he just needs some rest. Seeing as he's a ghost, there's not much else they could do aside from the bandage. Any other breed would have been a far more challenging conundrum!"
"Hehe... hey, Peasley?"
"Yes, my love?"
"I think I'm ready to tell you the truth. The whole, whole, entire truth. About why I'm here, about what I've done in the past..." He bit his lip. "I didn't tell you before, because I was worried. I was so scared you'd be upset, or-or worse, you'd do something and get in trouble."
"What is it?" Peasley's expression changed.
"So... there's... there's this.. this one ghost. He's the king of all Boos. You know, those little round ghosts?"
"Indeed."
"Those, yeah. So. That's King Boo and he's, uh. I-I guess you could call him, my, uhmmm... greatest enemy...?" He shrugged. "I-I don't know, but he's not very nice. He tricked Mario and I a long, long time ago... and he kidnapped Mario and trapped him inside a painting... see, that's, uh, kind of his shtick." He took note of Peasley's wide-eyed expression before continuing. "And then, he did the same thing again, but this time, he was set on world conquest too. He learned how to brainwash the nicest of ghosts and turn them evil. That's actually how I met Polterpup..."
He patted his companion on the head. Polterpup weakly stirred, licking Luigi's hand.
"And most recently, he tricked Mario, Peach, the Toads, and I. W-We thought it was a going to be a nice, stress-free vacation to this luxury hotel. But then, it also turned out to be a trap," he chuckled in a hollow manner, sounding somewhere between sad and impressed. "I don't know how I get tricked so much.
"B-But, you know that tall ghost you sliced through earlier? Who called you names? Her name is Hellen Gravely. She owned the hotel, the Last Resort. She was... is... madly obsessed with King Boo. She wanted to prove herself to him by trapping us all in painting frames. And she failed."
With a slow nod, Peasley gathered the information. He started putting together puzzle pieces in his head.
"So... each time you've gone on these ghost-hunting adventures, it's been because of...?"
"King Boo."
Peasley folded his hands together. "And this 'King Boo' character. I take it Gadd has him locked up back at the Hooniversity?" He tried to connect the dots. "It seems like that was what the pair of you were insinuating earlier."
"Mm-hmm."
"And besides world conquest, and enjoying the frequent activity of tricking you and your brother, what else does this villain desire?" Peasley leaned close, whispering. "Not the Beanstar, I hope."
"I-I don't think so. Uhh... power?" Luigi lifted his head. "Maybe r-revenge... against me? T-That's partly why I didn't tell you. I was scared that, if King Boo WAS around, he'd- he'd- do something bad to you."
Peasley titled his head.
"I don't know. He's done it to my family, my friends... I didn't want to be in a world where I had told you what he'd done, and then it was all my fault you'd gotten captured or hurt." Luigi exhaled. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you all this sooner."
"Huh!"
Peasley nodded, taking everything in. Luigi fidgeted with his hands.
"Are you... upset?"
"Let me get this straight. You have a nemesis?"
"O-Oh-! Heh. Not by choice..." Luigi exhaled, laughing delicately. "I kind of wish I didn't... it was sheer dumb luck that I've beat him so many times..."
"Ha! Now I know that's a lie. I wasn't even there, but you are much stronger than you give yourself credit for, my dearest greenie." Peasley smiled. "I know you persevered, because you love your friends and family. Why, that's where all your inner strength stems from!"
"Really...?"
"You haven't noticed? You always rise to the challenge when your loved ones need it most!" Peasley raised his arms, flexing slightly. "Think about it. When Mario was poisoned and almost succumbed to Bean Fever, I seem to recall a very brave hero who went out to go and find the cure to save him..."
"I was hypnotized during that..." Luigi blushed. "Doesn't count."
"Or when I was attacked by Fawful. You sent him flying right out of Bowletta's airship!" Peasley laughed. "You didn't even hesitate!"
"Y-Yeah, I guess so." He folded his arms, dustings of fluster settling on his features.
"And when we were out with the ghosts. Time and time again, you have kept me safe. Even though you're terrified of those specters, and things that go bump in the night, and villains aplenty... you still always find it in you to fight back." Peasley leaned close to Luigi, kissing him on the cheek. "That's why you're so special, Luigi. You keep going, even when you're afraid."
Luigi's face lit up, turning red as a tomato. He looked away, trying to hide his rosy blush before Peasley could tease him about it.
"Besides. I wouldn't let those ghastly ruffians lay their wispy mitts on me," Peasley struck a pose for emphasis, laughing. "You see. I'm not much of a painting or portrait kind of a guy."
Luigi raised an eyebrow, incredulous.
"What? I don't like sitting in one spot for too long! Is that so hard to believe?"
Luigi laughed. He sighed, leaning in close to Peasley's touch.
"After we catch Hellen, I wanna do something with you... something boring with you. No more ghosts. No more craziness."
"Hm. How about getting our portraits painted?"
"Peasleyyyy!"
The evening hours slipped away from them.
Halfway through a long conversation about the wild exchange rate in the Beanbean Kingdom versus the Mushroom Kingdom, Luigi found himself dozing off. Exhaustion hadn't really set in for him yet, until this very moment; he'd been on autopilot most of this trip. He'd hardly had any sleep last night, or the night before, so he desperately wanted to plop down in bed. He had nothing to do until E. Gadd finished up repairs on the Poltergust anyway. He finally had a chance to relax.
He and Peasley retired to the castle just as the clock struck the hour, chiming eleven times.
Upon entering, they were met with Queen Bean and E. Gadd, who were chattering loudly back and forth as they repaired a few of the broken suits of armor. They caught Luigi's sleepy gaze as he approached, Peasley holding him steady. The two older guardians glanced at one another, chuckling gently to themselves.
"They sure are great for each other, aren't they?"
"Quite so."
"Hey! What have you two been talking about?"
Queen Bean spoke with a smile. "Nothing at all, Peasley. Why don't you two head to bed? You've had a long day."
"And I have great news!"
Luigi perked up, wiping sleep from his eyes.
"The Poltergust is nearly repaired. I just have to fix up a few of the internal parts.. mostly the G-00 tank."
"What's the matter with it?"
To demonstrate, Gadd pressed a button on the back of the ghost-hunting pack. Bits and pieces of Gooigi spilled out. When he came together in his general Luigi shape, he only partially formed, having all-too-long limbs in some places and all-too-short ones in the other. He wobbled more than usual as he attempted to walk, holding out his hand to Queen Bean and Peasley. He attempted to be polite despite having a rather strange body composition at the moment, warbling an incoherent greeting.
The two beanish royals, though at first a bit perturbed, ultimately chuckled at the sight. They humored the gooey figure with a handshake.
Gadd recalled him back into the Poltergust. "See? It doesn't support Gooigi's structural integrity."
"Indeed." Peasley leaned toward Luigi, whispering into his ear. "Remind me again, is the goo clone part of the King Boo story... or did E. Gadd just make that for fun?"
"Eeeh..." Luigi shrugged his shoulders. "Mm-mm."
Gadd leaned down, gathering the rest of the Poltergust up in his arms. He slung it over his shoulders, grabbing his toolbox as well. "By morning, I'll have this machine up and running, all ready for ghost-hunting! I won't rest until it's complete."
"Oh, dearest professor, you really must get some sleep," Queen Bean insisted. "Luigi told us how hard you work."
"Did he? My. Thank you, my boy." Gadd nodded his head toward Luigi. "But genius never sleeps! Not until a project is done, that is."
He turned, but stopped on the way out.
"Luigi, I hope you don't mind if I take up residency in your ransacked room for the evening. It will be the perfect opportunity to study the supernatural activity that occurred earlier today, and also give me enough space for running tests with Gooigi... those will more than likely get messy."
Luigi shook his head. "I-I don't mind, no."
"Then where would Luigi sleep?" Peasley asked.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure that part out." Queen Bean's smile widened. She pushed along her son and his boyfriend with one hand. "Get some sleep, you two! We'll see you in the morning."
"Bright and early for breakfast, right?" Gadd laughed. "I'll be needing plenty of coffee to start the day..."
Whilst rambling about his unhealthy caffeine addiction, Gadd retired to the guest room.
That left both Luigi and Peasley standing out in the hallway. They looked amongst one another.
"It's getting awfully late. We can have someone prepare another guest room for you," Peasley said. "Or..." he cleared his throat, "we could always share my bedroom, if that would be more convenient."
"W-What?"
"Oh! I mean. If you don't want to, we can most definitely find you more suitable quarters!" Peasley turned away, clearing his throat. "I just thought, uhm, we-well, we were already here, and it might be nice to..." Peasley held up both hands, blushing fiercely. The blue glow in his cheeks made his skin a vivid turquoise.
"N-No! It's okay! That sounds perfetto," Luigi said. "I-I'll sleep on the floor."
"Nonsense! My bed is plenty big enough." Peasley froze. "B-But I don't mind sleeping on the floor either! You're our guest, not the other way around. I want to ensure you have the best night's sleep possible! Stars above, both they and I know you need it."
"Nononono!" Luigi held up both hands, frantically waving them back and forth. "I mean. It's not like I wouldn't not, not, want to. I mean. I wouldn't m-mind... s-sharing..." he trailed off.
"Yes," Peasley stammered, drawing one of his hands up to his face. He buried his mouth behind his gloved hand, speaking into the velvet-lined fabric. "Yes. Indeed."
Luigi couldn't believe it. They'd been dating for months, and the thought of sharing a bed was what sent them spiraling? The imminent thought of cuddling-?!
They stared at each other, eyes wide. They stood silent for a moment, taking in each other's blushing faces.
"...we'll each sleep on one side?"
"I-I... y-yeah."
"Yeah."
The morning breeze blew past Luigi's face, mustache hairs ruffling in the wind. He and Peasley sat out on a picnic blanket in Beanbean Fields. They were in a far-out, secluded spot, right alongside the outskirts of Beanbean Castle Town. The grassland, home to many exotic plants and animals, was as lively as ever. Luigi fidgeted with the soft grass as Peasley set up.
Luigi leaned down, plucking one of the flowery blossoms from the earth, offering it to Peasley. "For you, mio principe."
Peasley smiled as Luigi leaned closer, putting the flower in his hair.
The sun's rays caught the translucent glass of Luigi's cup. He set down his drink on the blanket, reclining back and staring at the clouds. Peasley did the same, gently kissing his boyfriend on the nose when he turned to look at him.
"Thank you for coming out here with me, sweetheart." Peasley murmured, playfully running a hand through Luigi's hair. He scooted closer, enveloping Luigi in his arms, pressing into his stomach while cuddling him close.
"Of course..."
Luigi sighed. He leaned back, staring at the sky. The clouds were perfectly symmetrical, rounded on the ends, fluffy, going on for miles. The weather was pleasantly temperate, not at all sticky or humid. He allowed himself to relax, muscles loosening as he rubbed his hand against Peasley's back. He felt like everything was alright, for once.
Only, the clouds started to mingle. Luigi squinted curiously as they began to intertwine, a great whiteness quickly moving, dashing, blotting out the perfect morning sky. Like a flashbang, the entirely white sky consumed Luigi's vision.
He went blind, for a moment. When his eyes opened again, he was gasping for air. He stood in the middle of a hallway. It never ended, no matter how far he walked, jogged, sprinted. Potted, dying plants decorated the hallways amongst luggage trolleys and abandoned suitcase. Doors with placards lined the walls, leading to nowhere.
The only sight, for what felt like miles, was a throbbing, festering purple. It ate away at the walls, getting closer. Thumping. Pounding. Drumming.
The familiar weight of his boyfriend had long since disappeared from his senses. The weight was replaced with squirming tendrils. As though they were emerging from the deepest, blackest sea, they sought at Luigi's limbs, trying to hold his shivering and quaking form still, grabbing and clutching him tight.
Suffocating, trembling: he felt his chest tighten. The coolest of colors outlined his vision, everything bathed in that sickly purple glow. A drumming blue battered against his body, ice picks into his vertebrae, making him shiver. A familiar yet cold, hard gaze shocked him into freezing up, the sensation shooting through him like a blast of icicles. A mewling purple circled around his legs, tripping him, making him thrash with vigor.
Luigi fell back, crying out, screaming for help.
A tendril snaked around his chest, squeezing the life from him. It was black, then purple, then green, covered in thorns and sharp edges. He choked, coughing up neon green ectoplasmic goop from his throat. Though he fought, he couldn't break free. Two familiar figures came into view, reaching out to help him. They called his name distantly: far. He watched through bloodshot eyes as the glowing purple pulsated, like a throbbing heartbeat, harder and faster.
They succumbed to the drumming heart.
Throbbing, pulsing, pounding, thumping—the floorboards cracked with each pulse. When the boards fully shattered and gave way, the two figures fell through. Their screams echoed in Luigi's ringing ears. He tried to call out for them, or beg to his unseen torturer, but his vocal cords were gone.
He was left on a single tile in that hallway, the only one left behind. He remained trapped on his own, slowly suffocating. The only sight left for him was at the far-end of the hallway: a singular door. A deadbolt chained the outside of it.
Luigi's vision went blurry, tears welling.
A cackling laughter woke him from his sleep.
Luigi gasped and rolled over, breathing heavy. He was still in bed, enveloped by a comfortable warmth. Peasley and him had apparently ended up snuggling anyway, even though they'd started the night on opposite sides of the bed. He gently shimmied out of Peasley's hold, tossing the heavy blankets off. He pushed back the bed's canopy overhang, sitting up.
The imagery from his nightmare wouldn't let him go back to bed anytime soon, so he decided to occupy himself best he could. He sat over the edge of the bed, trying to avoid letting his feet dangle too much. If something was waiting to attack, reaching out from under the bed would be the perfect opportunity.
He stood, releasing a yawn. He wiped at his eyes, looking around.
To combat the nightmarish memories of his dream, he made a mental list of all the good in the room. Polterpup was sleeping soundly on the floor, surrounded by more toys than he could ever play with and possibly all the golden bones in the Beanbean Kingdom. Peasley had spared no expense for his favorite pup, which Luigi found extremely cute. The prince himself had one arm wrapped around a pillow. The other was free, having been previously clutching onto Luigi.
Luigi fixed his tee and ran his fingers through his hair, yawning again. The moon shined brightly through Peasley's windows, reflecting the glittering golds and silvers of Peasley's expensive furniture.
It was late. Luigi could deduce that much.
And if it was late, that meant Gadd was still awake.
He exited the room, shutting the doors gently behind him so as to not disturb his two sleeping companions inside. He crept on his tiptoes one door down. Luigi pressed his ear to the door, unable to hear any snoring. As long as he wasn't disturbing the old man's slumber, he saw no reason he couldn't hang out for a bit.
He quietly rapped his knuckles on the wood. He tapped his bare foot on the ground, waiting patiently. It took a moment, but the lights in the room finally came on.
An illuminating glow appeared faintly beneath the door, peeking through the crack at the bottom.
"Gadd...? Can I come in...?"
No answer.
"Gaa-aad?" he whispered, a bit louder. "Can I come in? It's-a Luigi."
Nothing.
"...Gadd?"
He knocked again. This time, the door creaked open slightly.
Luigi drew back his hand. Cautious as the door eerily squealed, he entered.
Weirdly enough, the room was pitch-black. Dark, even though it was bright seconds ago. The only "light" came from the open window, the full moon large on the horizon. Curtains swayed in the wind, the balcony doors wide open. Luigi glanced back at the doorframe, squinting. He didn't know how that worked as an optical illusion, but he could have sworn—
He shook his head, going back to observing the room and looking for E. Gadd. If the professor was pulling some kind of elaborate, rather mean-spirited, joke on him, he supposed he would humor him long enough.
The room itself had been slightly redecorated since last he'd resided here, the vanity shut off and the "bed" now a lump of sheets and covers on the floor. Gadd's toolbox laid on its side next to the lump of pillows.
A gust of wind blew past the balcony doors, making him shiver.
"Professor?"
Professor or no professor, there was no need to let in a draft. Luigi huffed, marching toward the balcony.
Before he had the chance to get far, a piercing sting racked his body, shooting through him like a bullet. The pain went through his spine, immediately sending him falling to the floor. He held back a sob; the same leg he'd sprained now sported a bleeding cut—just his luck, he supposed.
He looked, realizing the ground was littered with jagged pieces of metal, hard plastic, and steel. His eyes widened as he investigated, lifting up one of the pieces, red and grey in color. He kept collecting the pieces, until his touch met something sticky. He ran the tips of his fingers through the gunk lining the floor, bringing it up to the sliver of moonlight filtering past the curtains. It was a green residue, smelling faintly of coffee.
A further inspection revealed chunks and bits of metal were lining the floor entirely, torn off the main part of a machine, which was now lying in pieces. His heart was sap, sinking from a dying branch. His whole chest plummeted as he realized what he'd stumbled across.
The remains of the Poltergust were sprawled in front of him, obliterated. What was left of the G-00 tank and Gooigi was a puddle of goo, unable to be recalled into the broken containment tank, which lay in shattered pieces across the ground. Buttons and gears were smashed to indescribable bits.
He stood, shaking as he did. His breathing turned shallow.
He stepped back, away, throwing up both hands as the color drained from his face. Stomach churning, he kept stepping away from the wreck. He gripped at nothing, holding both hands behind him so he could throw open the doors once he reached them.
The ground in front of him illuminated in a suffocating white. The glowing light was only blotted out by his quavering shadow. Directly above him, a whitish figure loomed.
He turned and for a fleeting moment, his heart stopped.
A wide, toothy grin greeted him. Wild, purple eyes twitched, vengeful gaze cascaded in shadow.
"Boo."