It was impossible.
Luigi flinched backwards, moving his weight from one foot to the other. He attempted to remain upright but balance seemed nigh impossible as his legs trembled beneath him. With a sharp inhale and exhale, his innermost thoughts spun. About how this couldn't be real, about how this was a continuation of his nightmare. Yet as he pinched his skin and felt the cool breeze of the deepening eve against his neck, his logic conceded to the fated encounter. After all, the supernatural didn't respond rationally to the common conventions of the living world. He knew that enough.
King Boo, even without his crown, looked imposing, albeit disheveled. His eyes were as close to bloodshot as they could be. Pinpricks of faded, blurry purple stared Luigi down. Remnants of past encounters lived in those eyes, shining impossibly like amethyst. The deep-set, haunting shadow in his gaze implied restlessness: exhaustion. And the knowing, predator-to-prey stare made him look larger than he actually was. He fully covered the doorway leading out to the hallway, blocking Luigi's main escape route. The vindictive leer on his face only stretched as he floated closer, drinking in Luigi's clear terror.
"Ah, Luigi. Why the face? Aren't you happy to see me again?" he laughed. "'Cause I've been DYING to see you."
Luigi sputtered, continuing to retreat.
"Wha-hu." He wasn't sure that counted as talking; any noises he made were involuntary.
"Easy, really." Boo seemed to understand Luigi's babbling. "You really think Hellen wouldn't release me the first chance she got? She's obsessed with me!"
He cackled, the familiar laugh rattling Luigi's already-shaken head. He nearly slipped on the goo smeared across the ground as he continued to step back. Narrowly, he maintained his rigid focus, stepping carefully around the shattered, macabre display. Staying somewhat perpendicular, he managed long enough to make his way back, toward the open balcony doors. The hinges and curtains swayed in the evening wind, blowing strewn blueprints and notepads around in its wake.
"E. Gadd," Luigi breathed. "What did you do with him?" He managed his first sentence.
At first, Boo stood silent, shocked at Luigi's sudden speaking. Then the King laughed, and laughed hard, at the mention of E. Gadd. His smile lit up, as though he were in on some sort of twisted, childhood secret. Diabolical and deranged, his sickly grin widened, "Oh, that old kook? Hahahaaa... Hellen is having a little chat with him." He caught Luigi's worried expression, the rest of his knowing smile tugging at his lips. "He's fine. Just so long as he tells us what we need to know..."
The way he trailed off sent a shiver down Luigi's spine.
"Euh-?" Another example of Luigi's not-so-much talking: more involuntary, frightened noises.
"Mmmm... you see, Luigi." Boo shut his eyes as he began his villainous monologue. "We devised a plan when we were locked away in those pods. Hellen figured out the details. In all honesty, I hardly listened. As if we'd ever get the chance, I thought!" he exclaimed with a curt laugh. "But then, you came along. Desperate, idiotic, Luigi, looking for ghosts, so you could live out some heroic fantasy. So when Hellen came to release me, she told me everything: we would slowly strip you of everyone, and everything. We'd live our very own fantasy, from your one, stupid, mistake."
Luigi shrunk back at that comment, shoulders dropping. His eyes, glossy and welling with fresh tears, reflected in Boo's.
"We'd make you weak. We'd take away that dreaded ghost-hunting pack of yours, and neutralize every ally you have. And look at you, already doing some of the work for us! You left your brother and the freaks you call your friends back at home..." The King laughed with his whole body. He continued after leaving a substantial enough pause to let grave reality really sink in, "See, I like to take advantage of any position I find myself in. I know this might not be the Mushroom Kingdom, but this place must house things I could use. Resources, magic..." he raved, "after all, it has ghosts... wild, untamed ghosts in need of a ruler. Everything I need to begin a most glorious conquest!
"And if he complies, the old man will help me with finding everything I need." His voice lowered a dangerous octave. "After we destroyed that disgusting machine of his, he was utterly defenseless... just like you."
Luigi blanched upon fully comprehending Boo's threatening words.
"But it seems we're missing someone, aren't we? Hm? Someone new."
At that comment, his heart skipped a beat; he had to do something, and he had to do something now. He looked behind, close to the outside, freedom lying just beyond the balcony doors. But the drop from the balcony would shatter his legs at worst, leave him bruised and injured at best. If he wanted to pull off an impossible move, he had to act impossibly.
"Is—" Luigi gulped. "Is t-that so?" he desperately spoke against his better judgement, in a last-ditch effort to lengthen Boo's speech. If he stroked his ego, he might talk for another five minutes, giving Luigi just enough time to search around the room for any points of leverage. But there were no weapons in sight, and there was no way out. No time in the world could help him with that cruel, very real fact. He tried to envision an escape route to the door, but there was no way past Boo's all-encompassing frame.
Boo paused, squinting at Luigi and tilting his head. "You're awfully chatty tonight, aren't you? You're normally quivering in your boots, with all the banter frozen in your throat! But, on this fateful eve, I've actually heard some choice words from the 'famed' Luigi," he gagged. "So, what's got you so suddenly interested in my plans?"
His all-knowing, conniving smile returned. He was back in on that unknown secret, tittering. Luigi's throat tightened.
"Well. If it's answers you want, then I'll tell you something..." he got close to Luigi's face, his open-mouthed tongue barely grazing Luigi's skin. His face contorted into a scowl. "I'm SICK of trying to put you into a frame. You obviously won't ever sit still long enough for that kind of fate... so I think it would be better if I ended your story early, completely and utterly, without much fanfare at all." He glowered. "After all, I have no room for 'Luigis' in the kingdom I'm trying to make..."
Luigi fell silent, partially from slack-jawed fear and partially from trying to salvage his previous plan. He measured how his eyes roved around the room. In frantic attempts to keep from being suspicious to his floating foe, his gaze fell behind him. His quick head-tilt went unnoticed by the looming king. He swallowed down the bubbling fear in his throat, trying to stare down Boo, just as the King did him. He stepped back, shuffling his left foot, then his right, out the open balcony doors. He stood on the threshold.
"With that infernal vacuum out of the way, you have no ways out! No more second chances, no more one-ups… you're toast!"
Boo loomed, enveloping Luigi's body in a deep shadow.
"This is it. Say good night, Luigi!"
Two things happened next, all at once. Boo got in his last word, lunging toward Luigi. At the exact same time, Luigi barreled backwards, bracing himself as the doors swung open completely. He rolled out onto the balcony, standing firm once he recovered from the speedy move. Blustering wind blew past, ruffling his hair and mustache. He turned both directions, weighing his options. To the right: certain death. There were only windows against the castle's exterior, with nothing substantial to grip. Even if he landed on a sill, it wouldn't be long before Boo caught up. A misplaced gust of wind could knock him off balance.
He turned the other way. Left: Peasley's room. His balcony was sanctuary, but the length of the jump was substantial. Back when he was doing more things with Mario, the jump might have been plausible, but his shaking, sleep-deprived body could hardly muster up the strength. But at the sound of Boo's continued laughter, ready to follow, he braced himself. Taking a deep breath, he hopped up onto the railing, leaping from the guest room balcony, arms outstretched for the other railing. He grabbed it, just barely, catching the railing with both hands. His fingertips held the edge, but not soundly.
He shrieked as one hand lost its grip. He was sweating buckets, palms wetly coating the stone. An overwhelming presence materialized behind him, delighting in watching him struggle.
Hovering above, right off the balcony's edge, Boo spoke in a gleeful tone, "Ohohoo, I see. You're going to do the dark deed for me, Luigi? You shouldn't have." He laughed, sitting back and enjoying the scene, as though this was a casual outing at the cinema. "But if you insist, I don't mind."
Luigi felt his palms slicken with fear. He slipped further from the ledge, threatening to plummet to a grisly fate below. He grunted, kicking his legs and trying to pull himself back up with one arm, but the strength required for that wasn't with him. His hand held loose to the railing until only four of his trembling fingers remained on the stone. Then it was three.
Two.
One—
"Luigi!"
Pressure squeezed his wrist, grabbed tight. Looking up quick at the realization he wasn't free falling, Luigi's eyes widened.
Peasley stood over the balcony's edge, both of his hands secured around Luigi's arms. His cheeks puffed out, turning blue, straining to hold the entirety of Luigi's weight. Luigi caught onto his struggle, using his wobbling body to swing himself upwards. Some of his old heroic skills returned, just at the sight of his still safe lover. His feet caught the bottom of the railing, Luigi heaving as Peasley pulled on his arms. The increased stamina was just enough to get him to safety, hoisting up and off the railing, all the way to the balcony. With both feet firmly planted on the ground, Luigi inhaled a deep, desperate breath of air, nearly choking on the spittle gathered in his throat.
"What... what's going on?" Peasley asked as Luigi recovered, patting his back as Luigi hacked up saliva.
Before Luigi could get a word in, Peasley realized. He yelped as he looked up. What he had mistaken for the blurry glow of the moon in his peripherals was instead a gigantic Boo. He stepped back in a defensive position at the sight of the hovering king. The crownless entity might have been mistaken for any old ghost, but the ravenous, vengeful glare in his shadowy eyes made him familiar, even to Peasley, who had never met him before in his life. The same applied to Boo, who stared at Peasley's sudden appearance with an intense, rageous confusion.
Then, uncomfortably so, there was recognition.
"You…"
He growled as Peasley silently returned Luigi to safety, hiding his shaken body behind him and lifting up a hand, creating distance. Luigi didn't want to wait around for the other shoe to drop. He grabbed his boyfriend by the shoulders, dragging him back inside. He shut the doors behind the two of them, quick. The click of the lock was comforting. He turned around, leaning against the door and slowly collapsing to the ground. The rising and falling of his chest was punctuated by the sweat gathered on his tee. When he found the courage to look back outside, Boo was gone. It was like he'd never been there at all. His stomach dropped.
Gaze wide, affixed on the carpet, he tried to rationalize. Sweat and tears mingled near his eyes; in the panic of the moment, he had forgotten to cry. After a few rapid sniffles, he curled up, pressing his knees against his chest and sobbing silently.
The warm touch of a hand, accompanied by a familiar pressure against his leg, stirred him from his sorrow. Polterpup sat, unwavering, resting his weight into Luigi's side. The poor pooch was still in his state of recovery, but just sensing Luigi was in distress was enough to get him out of bed and to Luigi's side.
"He was twitching and whining…" Peasley said from somewhere above, standing tall behind Luigi and rubbing at his shoulders. He bent down, offering a golden bone to Polterpup, who graciously accepted the 'job-well-done' treat. "He must have known you were in trouble."
"Did y-you hear me...?"
"Yes. You AND him." Peasley smiled. "And good thing too, right?"
He paused and leaned back. He looked between Luigi and the shut balcony doors.
"So. That's King Boo, then?"
Luigi nodded slowly.
"How did he...?" Peasley frowned.
"Hellen…"
"The screaming ghost from the Hooniversity?"
"I think she released him earlier… earlier than we thought. W-we were playing right into their hands…" Luigi buried his face, muttering about his stupidity. He couldn't get Boo's taunting words from his head. "And now Gadd is gone. Really, t-truly gone. We have to find him, and h-her, and Boo, again, before they get their hands on anything!" he spilled, gathering Polterpup up in his arms and hugging him close. "If they find something to give Boo back even a fraction of his power, he's going to rip me to pieces! A-And– you-"
"Luigi, deep breaths."
"Peasley," Luigi's thoughts went back to the worst possible scenario. "If he-he... if he hurts y-you..."
"Deep breaths," Peasley repeated. He placed both hands on Luigi's back, rubbing gently. "Shhh..."
Luigi took in spaced, anxious huffs of air. Peasley held him close, patting his back.
"That's it..."
Luigi steadied his breathing, holding onto Peasley. His fingers dug into his shoulder, bunching up the silk fabric.
"Better?"
"Mm-hmm." He wiped at tears he hadn't realized formed. "W-We need to hide- hide you."
"No. What we need to do is warn the castle," Peasley said, serious. He was right back to business. "My mother will know exactly what to do. We have countermeasures in place for these sorts of enemy attacks…" he explained, pacing the room. "At my insistence, we made a few changes. Security had to be strengthened since the Cackletta incident, you see." He caressed the side of Luigi's face. "And you can't get rid of me that easily, my love."
Luigi sat back while Peasley busied himself. He changed into his usual garb, grabbing some things from his closet as he did so. Though Luigi thought it was hardly the time for cosmetic changes, he didn't stop his boyfriend. More time waiting for him meant more time for Luigi to think about a plan.
Peasley eventually returned to Luigi's side, brandishing his spectral saber. He raised it high above his head. "If we have a problem with that foul king, I'll stun him before he gets to you!" Peasley laughed, swishing at the air to emphasize his point.
It was only then that he realized Luigi's severe lack of a weapon of his own.
"Whatever happened to the Poltergust?"
"He b-broke it. It's lying in pieces in Gadd's room." Luigi sniffled.
"Oh dear," was all Peasley could muster in response. He seemed to know what certain doom that spelled for them. He hummed, placing his hands together in front of his face. Peasley contemplated their options, before settling on the most obvious. "We'll stay here as long as we can. We'll act defensively if we come across Hellen or Boo. Calculated, crafty, smart." He punctuated each of his words with a firm clap of his hands. "That's what will give us the upper hand."
"T-Then... let's-a go tell Queen Bean what happened." Luigi shuffled to his knees, unfolding his body and standing up.
Polterpup leapt from his arms, limping at his side. He gently shushed the dog, carrying him back to the dog bed and setting him down. He tucked him in, patting him on the head, whispering for him to rest up. He left an array of golden bones by the pup's side, perched neatly in his dish. He could only hope they might help in healing his injured companion, much like Luigi was used to. He gathered a few more of the golden bones in a fist, sticking them in his pocket, just in case Polterpup decided to follow them. Hurt or not, that dog had a stubborn mind all his own, and he would need the extra strength if he decided to be a stowaway.
"Ready to go?" Luigi turned to Peasley, who smiled.
Peasley stood unquestioning at Luigi's side, linking arms with him.
"I'm right behind you."
Shadows clung to the walls. Peasley kept a tight grip on Luigi's arm, guiding him through the dim halls by the light of his sword. The way light bounced off statues and panoplies casted odd shadows against the walls and ceiling. Luigi tried not to look around too often after he had many a false alarm jump at the sight of a mismatched shadow lingering nearby. Moonlight spilled through stained glass, briefly illuminating their steps whenever they passed. Though Luigi was self-assured in his mental map of Beanbean Castle, he still heavily relied on Peasley's directional skills. The two snuck past the main atrium, keeping an eye out for any ghouls sneaking about.
"So, answer me this," Peasley said in a quiet voice. "How do you think we'll go about finding the professor?" he asked, lowering his sword so as to get closer to Luigi. "In the past, where has that ghost taken him?"
"Ah. Usually, he goes right into a painting... that's-a what he does with everyone. But, I don't think he could interrogate him if that was the case," Luigi mused.
"Interrogate?"
"O-Oh, right. B-Boo wants to know some stuff. He thinks that, Gadd will tell him information about the kingdom." Luigi picked at his fingers. "And to be perfectly honest, I don't know what Gadd will do." He could see the professor doing a number of things: outright lying, telling the truth to save his skin, annoying his interrogators, fighting back, making some kind of invention... the list went on and on.
"He's..." Peasley's breath hitched. He stopped, blocking Luigi. "Wait, wait, hold on. Is he after the... the Beanstar?" He uttered the Star's name in a whisper.
"I don't think he knows about it." Luigi hushed, leaning close to Peasley: close enough that his nose pressed lightly against the indent of Peasley's face. "And it's better if he doesn't find out..."
"That... ohh, that fiend!" Peasley trembled, shaking one gloved fist. "I'll send him to whatever the ghost equivalent of the afterlife is as soon as we find him. Doesn't he know we've had enough trouble in this kingdom for one lifetime?"
A faint smile appeared on Luigi's face. He pat Peasley's shoulder, continuing onwards. The two crept up another flight of stairs: a grand staircase hidden at the end of a long hallway. Some noticeable cracks were in the wall from the Potter incident, which Luigi and Peasley mindfully avoided.
"This way."
Up they went, spiraling one of the main towers of the castle. Luigi nearly collapsed as they reached the last step, Peasley helping his wobbling boyfriend stand. They came to a single, large, wooden door, mahogany panelling embedded with a single plaque of the Beanbean Kingdom's coat of arms. Two half-asleep guards stood outside of the door, who Peasley snapped awake. "Look alive, soldiers! We have an incoming threat on our hands. Go warn the rest of the militia, quickly!"
As they mumbled out apologies and 'yes sir's, the two guards rushed down the stairs. He tutted, pressing his fingers to his temple.
"The whole point of being a guard is being alert, isn't it?"
Luigi nodded, hoping that was the right answer.
Peasley threw open the door, jumping slightly as he found Queen Bean already wide awake. At her side was Lady Lima, whose eye-bags were noticeable even in the pitch blackness. The only light came from a candle on the Queen's desk. Her hair was frazzled, unkempt. In front of her were huge stacks of papers, split into two distinct piles.
"Mother?"
"Peasley?" She turned, equally surprised at his appearance. She stood up. "What are you doing here? It's late."
Lady Lima took their entrance as an opportunity to rest, sitting down in the Queen's chair and lowering her head.
"I know. But something's happened." He turned to Luigi, gently ushering him forward. "Can you tell her the details?"
Queen Bean leaned forward. Luigi expected the worst, but the Queen spoke gently, maternally. Without a hint of expectant disappointment, she spoke.
"What's the matter, Luigi?"
"Uhm... o-okay, so you know how yesterday, there was the ghost fiasco? S-So, there's this one ghost... King Boo. He and I aren't on the best of terms, and he's, ah, back for revenge. And Ithinkhewantstotakeoverthekingdom." The words spilled from his lips like water. Queen Bean's eyes widened. "H-He... he... I'm partially responsible for him getting out of containment, so I'll accept any punishment you want to give me, b-but we needed to warn you before he did anything really bad..." Sweat pooled on his mustache. "And our means of defense, the Poltergust, got destroyed... s-so... we don't know what to do."
"Hm."
Queen Bean processed the information.
"King Boo, you say? I've never heard of him, so that doesn't make him much of a king, eh?" She gently nudged Luigi in the shoulder. Luigi relaxed the instant he realized she wasn't furious at him. "But if he's as much of a nuisance as you're making him out to be, let's nip this in the bud straightaway."
"Uhm... Luigi?"
His head turned toward Peasley, who was standing at the window. Peasley's voice trembled, ever so slightly.
"What is it, amore?"
"H-Hellen didn't just release Boo."
Luigi froze. He ran to the window, pressing his nose and hands against the glass. He watched the scene below, shock making his blood run cold. Throughout even the most distant corner of the Beanbean Kingdom, ghosts were rampaging through the streets. A few of the now-familiar Beanbean variants were running amuck, laughing and hollering, the sound of their tumult audible even in the tallest room in the castle. Their mint-green bodies floated through people, tossing a few in the air like they were toys. Several other ghosts, like those from the Last Resort who still held a grudge, were having their way with the kingdom as well, scaring late-night patrons of Starbeans and night-owl drunkards emerging from Chateau de Chucklehuck. The rest, Goobs, Greenies, Slammers, and the like, all looked confused, aimless: without a leader.
As soon as the Queen saw the state of her beloved kingdom, she stepped back, a gasp wrung in her throat.
"We need to do something," she said, fast. She glanced between the window and Luigi, desperate. "What will it take to build another one of those machines, Luigi? We don't have much time," she pleaded.
Hopeless tears appeared in his eyes. He didn't know how to explain that he didn't know the first step to making a Poltergust from scratch. Even if he did, capturing all those ghosts in one go would be nearly impossible. And even with Peasley's help, the two of them would get swarmed almost instantly.
"Luigi didn't build it." Peasley noticed Luigi's panic and spoke for him. He placed a comforting hand on Luigi's shoulder. "It was Professor E. Gadd's creation."
"And where is he?"
"Captured, we presume," Peasley replied, confident. "We need to look for him, but we had to come warn you first."
"Well..." She surveyed the grim scene taking over her kingdom. "Then what can we do?"
"I have my sword. Polterpup is normally able to combat the ghosts, but he's wounded," Peasley explained. The lump in Luigi's throat hadn't dispersed, so he was glad to have Peasley speak for him. "We fear Boo's next target might very well be the Beanstar. If he learns of its power, he'll surely cause rampaging destruction and chaos... as most villains aim to do. Luigi is his greatest enemy, so we must protect him at all costs." Peasley held Luigi's hand, standing at his side. "Darling, do you think you could try and fix the Poltergust?"
"Fix it?" Luigi shook his head. "I've only ever done little repairs to the Poltergust! A-And, Peasley, you didn't see it, but it's... it's completely obliterated! I-I don't think it would be possible..."
"How about making a new one?" Lady Lima interjected, slowly coming up to speed with the situation. "Or is that off the table?"
"I-I..."
Peasley looked hopefully at Luigi. "You're a natural when it comes to mechanics, Luigi," he said. "I'm not quite sure where you got that from, but I've seen it before! Remember that last Kart tournament?"
"S-Sure, but anyone could have done that." It had just been a simple engine swap, not much else. He knew his way around a wrench, but not enough.
"You're our best shot at this, Luigi." Peasley held both of his boyfriend's hands tight, resting his forehead against his knuckles. "I believe in you."
Luigi looked from Peasley's gloved hold, and then up, staring into Peasley's round, chestnut eyes. He found himself lost in them as he nodded, trying to shake off his anxiety.
"I'll try." That awarded him a thankful smile.
"Then... hm. We'll need to be ready on all fronts." Queen Bean spoke. She returned to her desk. She reached into one of the drawers and removed a rolled piece of parchment paper, unfurling it out on the floor. It was a complete, cohesive map of the Kingdom. She pointed. "I'll stay here with Lady Lima and the soldiers. We'll guard the Beanstar. I'll deploy a few other guards to go and reroute some of the citizens to a safe spot. And then... you two, try and find E. Gadd. We'll need another one of those ghost-hunting devices if we ever want to take care of this mess. If all else fails, we'll wish for the Beanstar to solve this crisis."
"W-We could always go and look through Gadd's room here." Luigi suggested. "Maybe he left something helpful behind." He traced a path from the castle to the Hooniversity, which was several miles away. "But, our best bet is at the university... he carries most-everything with him."
"If we keep toward the air, we could probably breeze right over the heads of the ghosts."
"We'll need to hurry." Queen Bean stood up, dusting off her hands. "Lima, you're with me."
"Of course, your Majesty."
"Peasley? Luigi? You can handle this?"
"Most certainly." Peasley smiled.
Luigi wasn't sure how to answer, so he kept quiet. He opted for a strained thumbs-up instead.
To any ghosts who might have been looking above, they were a shadowy speck in the clouds, lost in the deep hues of the evening. They took off into the night, Peasley's steed expertly avoiding ghosts in her path as she rushed toward Woohoo Hooniversity. Luigi and Peasley sat close, Luigi's arms wrapped around Peasley's torso for extra security. He rested his chin on Peasley's shoulder.
To their disappointment, E. Gadd's room had mostly been a bust. The blueprints in there were primarily for wacky contraptions both Luigi and Peasley couldn't wrap their head around. He seemed to have Poltergust creation perfected to a science, which might be good for him, but for anyone hoping to build a back-up model, they were out of luck. Instead of wasting any further time trying to decipher the prints, they gathered what they could of the Poltergust's remains. They first busied themselves with scooping up Gooigi's scattered pieces, housing him temporarily in an empty marmalade jar. The stray gears and metals that were salvageable went into a cloth bag, along with some of the tools from Gadd's rusted toolbox. Both the jar and cloth bag went into Luigi's frayed backpack, which had still been sitting in the closet since he'd resided in the guest room.
They made their way outside by means of Peasley's steed, who looked increasingly anxious about the sudden presence of unquantifiable ghosts running around the kingdom. She hovered cautiously, only picking up speed to avoid a ghost when it gave chase. Luckily, they didn't keep interest for long.
Peasley looked below, trying to find a way to pass the time of their journey. A strange sight caught his eye, so he nudged Luigi gently.
"Hey. What do you think they're doing down there?"
Luigi looked. Some of the Beanbean ghosts were growing tall spires of brambles and thorns, taking the already flourishing bushes lining the roadways and increasing their size dramatically. They set them up in lines and rows, leaving space in-between for them to travel through. Some of them swatted each other with vines, manipulating the earth below to grow bigger and taller hedges, each larger than the ones that came before.
"It's-a... kinda like a maze."
"Hm." Peasley looked away. He pat the front of his steed twice, a bit to the right, guiding her in the right direction. He sat back. "Odd. Why do you think that is?"
"I 'unno."
A tiny pin sensation landed on his shoulder. He tried to brush it off, but it returned again, then again. He lifted a hand, a soft pitter-patter of rain droplets landing in his palm. He brushed the rain off on his shirt.
"It's raining," he said aloud.
"Then, let us pick up the pace." He whistled, clicked his tongue, and his steed continued faster on her route. Upon noticing his shiver, Peasley lifted up his cape, allowing Luigi to hide underneath it. He graciously accepted the shelter, wrapping up warmly. The pelting raindrops only got worse over time, agitating their winged ride.
The brick clocktower chimed in the distance, marking another passing hour: the first indicator of the Hooniversity. Newly, the structure was bathed in a haunting, green light, flashes of reds, yellows, blues, and purples also lighting against their vision. Flying from open windows and doors were ghosts aplenty, wriggling out of containment to join the others. One spooked Peasley's steed as it passed, the winged creature going in for an emergency landing. Landing in the underbrush of the university's exterior, Peasley and Luigi hopped off, rushing to enter. They kept to the shadows when they could. The doors were already open, so they entered in a haste, rushing toward Gadd's pop-up lab. They kept an eye out for ghosts, finding the occasional passive ghoul floating out of one of the broken canisters and going toward an exit. They hardly seemed interested in the two mortal men; they were more interested in going outside.
They searched the room. The computers were shot. Some of the machines were busted, the containment pod being the most notable. It lied on its side, empty. Luigi shivered as he passed, searching high and low for any sign of Poltergust blueprints. Peasley busied himself with a different endeavor, going through a filing cabinet and whistling as he went through the (not-at-all alphabetized) selection of folders. He pulled out an unmarked manilla folder, noting its age.
"Greenie?"
"Hm?"
"This one says Poltergust 3000. Is that what we're looking for?"
Luigi approached, peeking over Peasley's shoulder. He took the folder from his hand, opening it up. Clear as day, it was the first blueprint for the Poltergust 3000. It seemed so simple to Luigi now: no Black-Light, no Strobulb, no Burst. Somewhat nostalgic in a way, Luigi exhaled at the memory of using it for the first time. It was reassuring to see there was some documented form of direction he could take. He came to the sobering realization he might have to go with it if they didn't find the G-00's blueprints. But he pressed on with looking. The weight of Gooigi's jar in his backpack felt very obvious.
"N-Not quite. But we're getting closer."
He removed his backpack, folding up the blueprint and placing it inside. He tucked it away in a pocket. Peasley continued searching, going through each folder individually and returning each back to their original spot. Luigi tapped his foot, hugging his sides as he paced the room, looking for anything else that might help him. He picked up a few extra screws, nuts, and bolts along the way, placing them in the same cloth bag with the rest of the metallic scraps.
"More Poltergusts, I think," Peasley announced, waving two folders around. Luigi surveyed the pile: Super Poltergust 3001, Porta-Gust... nothing all that helpful. Dates were marked in pen from very early in Gadd's career, lining the corners of the sheets. Luigi wondered just how long he'd been conceptualizing these things. Still, he pocketed the prints in his bag, looking around.
He heard the distant laughter of a ghost, but he tried to ignore it. He knew the laugh he had to watch out for, and that wasn't it.
"That's all." Peasley said with finality as he stood up, stretching. "I never took him to be so secretive of his inventions. He seems to love showing off."
"M-Maybe they were on the computer." Luigi pointed to the black screen. "But... I-a don't think we're going to be able to get it back on."
"Shall we head back to the castle, then? You can do something with those first few prints, right?"
"S-Sure I can... I mean, I can try, but... I may have to improvise."
"Ha! Nothing my dearest Luigi can't handle." Peasley nuzzled into Luigi's arm. "Let's hurry. No time to dilly-dally."
The two went back to the main hall. The Hooniversity was eerily silent as they walked, rain-soaked shoes squishing against the hard, aged carpet. It seemed like every ghost had already made their daring escape, filling the hallways with a quiet. Luigi felt as though he had to hold his breath as he walked. His ankle still stung from his previous encounter with Polterkitty, so when Peasley leaned against him, he leaned back. They walked supporting each other, holding the other up.
"How are the bruises?" Luigi asked, making sure to keep his tone gentle.
"They don't hurt as badly." Peasley smiled. "They'll heal in no time at all."
Making it to the doors, Peasley cupped his hands around his mouth, calling out for his steed. The rain poured, making it hard to hear, but even more difficult to see. Anything past the tree-line was a blurry mesh of pouring water. The dusty path flooded, dirt seeping into the floor of the Hooniversity's entrance hall. Peasley and Luigi waited for a few minutes, and when nothing happened, Peasley called again. Luigi joined in. A crack of lightning appeared in the distance, lost in the rolling waves of the ocean. Thunder rumbled.
Peasley whistled, making kissing noises to try and coax his steed out of hiding.
"Hey!" he called.
He screamed out to nothing.
Luigi heard it first. He lifted his head, goosebumps rising on his skin. At first, he might have mistaken it for the wind playing tricks, or the sound of a tinier, harmless ghost, but that most assuredly was NOT who was laughing. The laughter continued, and now Peasley acknowledged it too, because he stood up, eyes wide. The laughter started up again, joined in by a feminine, elegant laugh. It sounded like it was surrounding them, even though both knew that couldn't be possible.
Luigi stepped back, clutching to his backpack straps. In contrast, Peasley stepped forward, pulling out his sword. He pressed down on the light switch, using the glow to see into the rain. Though they couldn't see them fully, the outline of a slender purple ghost and a spherical white one appeared, silhouetted in the falling droplets.
"Ooooh, Luigi..." Boo's maliciously threatening voice sounded. He was waiting. "Come out, come out, Luigi..."
Luigi froze, joints locked up in place. He turned to Peasley, who looked ready to dash into the pouring rain to take down the ghosts himself. His grip tightened around his saber, and he moved one leg back, crouching. Luigi grabbed him by the shoulder. Peasley faltered, facial expression changing from a determined one to a confused stare. Luigi stepped back and hid them behind the doors, shutting one slightly so it covered up the entrance.
"You need to stay here."
"What? Why?" Peasley asked. He gripped Luigi's arm, pointing. "We can take down that villain, together."
"P-Peasley…"
"I know we can!"
"That's not it." Luigi sniffled. He took Peasley's hands in his own, holding them close to his face. He breathed, back trembling as sobs hitched in his throat. "If- if he sees the opportunity, he WILL hurt you. I can't handle losing you. I-I can't." He glanced over Peasley's injuries; he saw the scrapes, tears, and bruises so clearly in his blurred, watery vision. "You've already gotten hurt, twice, because of me dragging you into my messes. I-I don't want you to... to..."
"You won't lose me, I promise." Peasley whispered. His voice was almost drowned out by the rain.
"W-We…" Luigi blubbered. His bottom lip trembled. "I-I can't… please, please, please. Just stay here. Please."
He handed over his backpack to Peasley.
"You need to keep this safe. You'll find someone to help." He breathed, hollow. "Can you p-please take care of Polterpup?"
"Luigi," Peasley's voice trembled. "W-Why are you talking like that? If he captures you, you know I'll come help you. I-I wouldn't... I-I..."
"I-I know..." Luigi wiped at his eyes. His throat quavered. "I know. I would do the same for you."
He couldn't help the tears. He knew it was like inviting death with open arms, approaching Boo without any form of defense like this. He had nothing, nothing at all. They were in the wide open, completely unobstructed, with no way to run. If he ran back, if he led Boo back to the university, it would spell certain doom for the love of his life. He shook his head. If he gave into Boo's most dark demand, maybe he'd spare everyone else. It might be a death wish. But, if his last moment was spent keeping Peasley safe, then he would take it.
"I can help," Peasley repeated, anguished. "I can help."
"Please wait here."
Luigi leaned down and kissed Peasley on the forehead.
He stood up without another word, throwing open the doors and shutting them behind him, keeping a barrier between Peasley and the danger Luigi was about to march directly into. He trudged into the rain, sinking into the mud, all the way to where King Boo floated. He became clearer the closer he got, illuminated form floating above Luigi. The rain was letting up, but cracks of lightning and thunder still billowed and rolled in the distance.
"Boohoo-hoo," the King teased. "What a tender scene."
He placed a stubby hand on Luigi's back, sending a feverish chill down his spine. He led him down the pathway, back toward the center of the kingdom. It felt almost casual, in a way. But standing there, at the complete mercy of his enemies, he could only wonder why they weren't ending him now. His drenched hair stuck to his face, keeping his vision mostly obscured. Hellen floated ahead of him, a vengeful glare in her yellow eyes, but a pert, delighted smile on her lips.
"We have something we want to show you."
Beanbean Fields had overgrown. What he and Peasley had witnessed before was only the start of a major gardening operation. Spires of tangled, roving thickets rose to the sky. Boo led him through the maze with a certain navigational expertise. It was still growing. The rain had stopped, but the aftereffects remained. Puddles of mud and water drowned the turquoise grass in the fields. Fog settled in the grounds. Boo loomed above, with Hellen following closely behind.
When they made it to their destination, Luigi was tossed in the middle of a clearing, atop a pile of dead leaves and flowers. King Boo did what he could to rub his win in Luigi's face, circling him, leaving a wide opening ready for an attack: taunting Luigi mercilessly for being unarmed.
"W-What now," Luigi murmured. He shrank in on himself, powerless. Dried mud coated his legs and arms, mingling with tears as they landed from his cheeks to his limbs.
"That's right... we brought you here to show you something, didn't we?" Boo shared a romp of laughter with Hellen. "All of this? All of our efforts so far, in these few short hours? It was just to get you anxious, get you running around and splitting up. Do the thing you do best." He smiled. "I know you, Luigi. I've known you for a dreadfully horrid, looong time now. You respond well to whatever I throw at you.
"But what I hadn't taken into account last time, was you running away. Like a coward. Every opportunity I had, you ran. Oh, and I could have captured you, for good, if your mangy mutt hadn't taken such a liking to you. You did nothing but run, far, far away, from our battles, from the narrative I tried to write, over and over. I only wanted you as a decoration on my mantle, but now... I realize. You're weak. Frightened. A coward." Boo laughed. "So what I had to do this time? I had to wear you down. Keep to the sidelines. Let you worry yourself to the point of defeat."
"W-What?"
"You see, I—!"
"We."
"Eugh. We." Boo glared at Hellen; he didn't appreciate interruptions to his monologue. "We needed the time, to fully gather our army. These ghosts... all they needed was someone to lead them. And seeing as my ghostly résumé fairly competently covers ruling over ghosts, I was made for the role!" Boo cackled. He whistled, summoning several of the minty, translucent ghosts to his side. A few trailed behind, carrying something shining and shimmering in their hold. Luigi's eyes widened. For a moment he was back in that nightmare, feeling lost, transparent, suffocated.
The ghosts had secured the Beanstar.
"Don't you see? All we had to do was find a hostage, a poor sap, and use that to our advantage. That's what you taught me, Luigi... some people will do anything for the ones they love." He gagged, but Hellen coughed, frowning. Boo rolled his eyes.
"You-you... y-you don't know what you're doing with that!" Luigi found the courage to shout.
"Oooh, do I really have to? I heard from some VERY reliable sources that it protects this kingdom. Without it, you'd be in some reaaallly hot water, wouldn't you?" He chuckled, leaning toward Luigi. "Unfortunately, I cannot activate it with a heart as blackened as mine... and the shrillest of voices to match." Boo giggled, Hellen joining in on his laughter. "So instead. I had a better idea."
A familiar ghost appeared, a visible fissure still lingering in its ghostly form. It was stained with coffee grounds. Beanshee, Luigi recognized. More appeared behind it. They handed the Beanstar over to Boo, who held it close.
"I don't want to use it."
The ghosts surrounding him inhaled. Thunder rumbled somewhere far away.
"I want to destroy it."
And with that command, the Beanshees began shrieking. The screams intensified in such a way that Luigi had to cover his ears, digging his fingers into his eardrums, head ringing from the noise. The Beanstar awoke with a start, enraged at the noise, trembling in Boo's hold. He released it from his grip, allowing it to shoot up into the air, out of sight Luigi could only watch as it shattered into pieces, more than it had last time. He watched five sparkly pieces emerge from the glimmering explosion, all shooting off in different directions against the backdrop of the night sky. One of them, the sixth, landed in the grass below, right where Boo stood. It seared the turquoise patch as it landed, making the fresh green an ashen black.
The ghosts all scattered in different directions, floating away, vying for a piece of the broken, shiny thing. That left King Boo, Hellen, and Luigi alone once again.
"I think that Queen was really counting on me giving up and handing it back... but I much prefer it like this." He lifted the one Beanstar piece off the ground, delighting in the way it shone under the moonlight. "It might make for a nice embellishment on my next crown. Mwhhehee... what do you think, Luigi?"
"I think it would look splendid." Hellen clapped her hands together, smiling.
King Boo's smile dimmed.
A scream drew each of their attentions away from recently-shattered Beanstar. Luigi's helpless stare moved, going to one of the many paths in the overgrown hedge maze. He squinted; if he didn't know any better, he'd say that voice sounded almost like—
His heart skipped a beat when he realized who was out there.
A sword's swing slashed straight through King Boo's grimace, splitting him in half. Boo's bisected body contorted into a frown, ectoplasmic body split right down the middle. It took only a moment for him to regain his form, but the mild annoyance still made him snarl. He turned to face his attacker, who was breathing heavily. His green cheeks were stained with tears, face blue from his close-to-murderous passion. He huffed, hair a mess. It was only when he saw Luigi, still alive and safe and sound, that he calmed. He ran up by Luigi, helping him to his feet. He was still wearing the backpack Luigi had left him with.
"You're okay!" he exclaimed, pulling Luigi into a tight embrace. He peppered Luigi's face with many kisses, giggling and crying. "You're okay, you're okay, you're okay!"
"P-Peasley, what are you doing here?"
"It's you," King Boo's voice shot a shiver of fear through Luigi's heart. The malice wasn't directed at him, for once, but that didn't make it any better. "Again."
Peasley stood tall, upholding himself in his usual heroic way. "Indeed it is. My name is Prince Peasley, heir to the Beanbean Kingdom's throne," he raised his sword.
Maybe nobody else could tell, but Luigi knew Peasley was terrified. He held his hand limp, and his eyes weren't narrowed, as they usually were when he faced down opponents. They were wide, brimming with a masked terror only Luigi could identify. Meanwhile, Hellen helped put Boo back together, fixing his body and powdering a tiny bit of GheistPaint on his face.
"Hm. Hahaa... ahahaaheheh…" King Boo broke into obnoxious giggles, much to Peasley's confusion. He stood back, guarding Luigi with a hand. "And what is a prince to a king?"
"Enough to stand up against the likes of you, villain. I'm not afraid of you."
Luigi reached out for Peasley's arm, trying to pull him away. He was afraid. Whether he knew or not, the Kingdom had no protector left, and he had no idea what he'd done with Queen Bean and the rest of the royal court. Much like Luigi, he was losing all the things he held dear; he only had his misguided confidence left. He raised his gleaming sword, trying to hold it out defensively and keep it raised.
"Very brave." King Boo smiled coyly; he showed no fear in his eyes. "You know, we thought something like this might happen. Hellen, would you mind taking care of our... guest?"
Hellen smiled, folding her hands. "Gladly."
Peasley braced himself for her attack, but it didn't come. Instead, she removed a tiny bell from her pocket. With a single flick of her wrist, the bell jingled.
"Here, kitty, kitty..." she called.
An ominous mewling sounded from somewhere in the living hedge maze, echoing throughout the misty evening. Peasley continued to keep Luigi behind him, so when Polterkitty came dashing at him from the side, he went tumbling in the other direction. Luigi shouted as Peasley fought with the snarling cat, threatening to scratch out his eyeballs. He guarded his face with one arm, shutting his eyes. His sword had slipped from his other hand, lying mere inches from his grasping fingers. Luigi ran to retrieve it, but Boo appeared in front of him, backing him into a corner.
"Before we say sweet dreams to you Luigi," he whispered in Luigi's ear, "I think it'd be fitting to show you one more thing."
He moved aside as Polterkitty's snarls returned to gentle meows, revealing the scene. Hellen stood proud as she revealed her prize. She threw Peasley down on the ground by his hair, the prince wincing as hit the earth. Newly-bleeding scratch marks decorated his chest and right arm.
"Years," Boo began. "Years of being defeated by you. Years of trying to defend my honor, my livelihood, everything I hold dear. Years of my people, my Boos, being targeted by you. By you and that horrible machine. That professor. Your dog, your clone. And now, your lover has chosen to make an enemy of me."
Luigi ran to go tend to Peasley, but Hellen grabbed his arms, holding him back.
"So... isn't it only fair I take everything from you too?"
He laughed, hovering above Peasley. The prince tried to stand, putting his body weight on a bent knee.
"Hellen bestowed upon me a most treasured gift…"
"An anniversary present!" She corrected with a flourish.
Boo grimaced. "Egh. Sure."
He revealed a gleaming gemstone, green in color.
"Not only is it eye-catching, but she enchanted it at my most humble request." He bowed his head. "I'm planning on using it to make the sad, sorry, living citizens of this kingdom into perfect decorations! But, this time, I wanted something a little different... and your boyfriend is going to be the very FIRST to experience it!"
Peasley managed to stand, wobbling unsteadily. He nearly fell over as he tried to make his way to Luigi.
"N-No... no... you can't..." Luigi pleaded. "Please, please, you can do whatever you want to me, put me in a painting, make me a decoration, end my game, I don't CARE! DON'T HURT HIM!"
His begging amused Boo to no end.
"Ohh, don't worry, Luigi. We'll get to your demise soon enough."
Luigi watched, horrified, as Boo pulled out an empty crown, fusing it with the enchanted emerald and the piece of the Beanstar. He placed it upon his head, floating next to Luigi's side. He whispered one last thing to Hellen.
"Make sure he watches."
With a brilliant light flashing in the darkness, King Boo casted his first spell.
Prince Peasley stopped in place, gasping out air. He realized he couldn't move, no matter how he twisted his torso or attempted to flex his muscles. He felt static in his body. Struggling, he cried out for Luigi. Luigi's face went pale, losing all color from his cheeks. His eyes trailed downward, watching the impossible begin. The prince's gaze followed Luigi's own. With a hasty glance to his lower body, he realized the spell had taken hold of his feet and ankles, slowly turning them an off-white color. He couldn't move. Couldn't run, couldn't fight. The transformation, illuminated in a silver glow, crawled up Peasley's lower half, moving fast. It reached up his legs, consuming and encasing his body in solid marble.
Luigi made the realization with a start. He sputtered in shock, staring up at King Boo's knowing smile. The ghastly spellcaster's eyes were aglow with malice, a green, devilish glow replacing his usual purple hue. Peasley's false confidence dissipated as the marbling spell made his joints freeze. His bottom half was stiffly locked in an eternal, terrified, pose. He breathed heavier, terror enveloping his core as he turned back to face Luigi. Luigi's lips moved as though to scream out, but he was silent, breathing hollowly.
"Luigi!" Peasley used his arms and voice while he still could, reaching to grab the backpack off of him. He positioned himself and threw it to Luigi. It skidded in front of him, sliding across the dewey grass. The petrification continued despite Luigi's silent, numb protests. Peasley tried to avoid his fate as best he could, but he wasn't one to beg, even in the face of death. He fought, and he fought how he could, but it was no use. Boo smiled as Peasley began to scream; to make everything worse, the transformation was not painless. The marble reached his stomach, then his chest, his arms, his neck.
He reached out to Luigi, screaming for him, just before his lips were sealed, forevermore. His eyes went last, coated in stone. A single tear was cut off from Peasley's still body, trailing down the statue and to the grass below. His terrified expression was etched in solid marble. He was nothing more than a statue now. He stood with his legs apart, desperate to run, with a hand outstretched to help that never arrived.
"Ah! It works beautifully." Boo caressed his crown, wiping off the shimmering gemstone. "You did well, Hellen."
Hellen smiled, offering her sincerest thanks. Her grip on Luigi loosened, enough so that he scrambled to grab the backpack Peasley had thrown, clutching it tight to his chest. He shivered, collapsing to his knees. He stared up at Peasley's face, his soulless, empty eyes holding a sadness in them Luigi had never seen.
"Oh, yes, he'll do marvelously. He'll be the centerpiece for my new throne room."
The King raised his arms and laughed maliciously. Deep in his heart, Luigi felt like double-murdering him, but the numbness in his body kept him on the ground.
"My ghosts will make quick work of your beloved Beanbean Kingdom... but don't worry..."
Luigi turned back, a deathly-pale look on his face. The King of all Boos laughed; a crack of lightning reflected in his eyes.
"I'll grant you one last mercy." The sight of his vengeful stare nearly returned Luigi's numbed nerves. Every single tooth could be seen in his smile. "I won't let you live with the guilt."
With a sizzling crack of electricity, Luigi's world went black. Time stopped. He was keenly aware of his heart, and the very second it stopped beating.