Fawful had been climbing the narrow ladder for what seemed like hours. The vertical tunnel leading up from the trapdoor was dark and very claustrophobic. He paused a moment to rest, and cautiously peeked over his shoulder at the long drop below him. Immediately wishing he hadn't, the little bean gripped the ladder even more tightly and continued up the shaft.

As he got closer to the top, he could hear voices and footsteps above him.

"Strange..." he mused. "I was having the impression that this dark shaft of spookyness would be leading me to the roof." He shrugged (mentally) and kept climbing. Maybe there was some kind of party going on.

Finally, he reached the end of the shaft. At the top was a small trapdoor. Fawful pushed it open and carefully climbed out onto the roof. Oddly enough, it felt a little claustrophobic outside, too. He was surrounded by rows and rows of identical pink dresses.

Have waiting of one minute... Fawful thought. This is not being the roof!This is being a closet! And it wasn't just any closet, either.

Suddenly, a door opened, flooding the closet with light. After Fawful's eyes adjusted to the brightness, he saw a young blonde woman in a pink nightgown standing in the doorway. Her blue eyes were wide with shock as she pointed a shaky finger at him.

"Y-You! What are you doing in my closet?!" she shouted.

Well then. This was certainly the last place Fawful had expected to end up.

What AM I doing in Princess Peach's closet? he asked himself, though all he could manage to say out loud was, "AAAAH! Granola breakfast cereal!", or something along those lines.

"Peach? What are you doing awake at this unholy hour?" an old-sounding voice called from downstairs.

"Umm... nothing, Toadsworth! Sorry to wake you! Everything's... umm... fine up here?" Peach replied, glancing at Fawful again.

"I'm coming upstairs, young lady!"

"NO! ... I mean, no, it's all right, I'm fine! Really!"

"I'M COMING UPSTAIRS!"

Peach stared at Fawful for a few seconds, then sighed.

"You, stay in the closet. Don't make a sound, or he'll find you," she said.

"R-Roger." Fawful shut the closet door. Peach turned out the lights and jumped back into bed just as Toadsworth walked into her room.

"What is going on here?" Toadsworth asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Nothing," Peach replied, innocently.

"Oh, really?...," Toadsworth was still not convinced. "That Mario chap isn't in here, is he?"

Fawful's blood boiled when he heard the name of his nemesis.

"I have fury...," he muttered. Toadsworth perked up.

"He's in the closet, isn't he? I'd prefer if you wouldn't lie to me, Peach."

"Of course he's not in the closet! He's not even here! There is nothing in that closet but clothes! Really!" Peach knew she sounded a little too suspicious.

"Well then," Toadsworth said, walking over to the closet, "you won't mind if I have a look, then?" He turned the knob and swung open the door...

AAAHH! Cliffhanger! Dun dun DUN! Will Fawful be discovered? Will that mysterious cloaked figure catch up to him? Will he ever get to the roof? Be sure to tune in next time!

To be Continued...