Chapter Two

Chapter Two

I awoke with a terrible headache that night. The large orange midnight moon was high in the sky and it simple out shined the stars. I noticed immediately that my surroundings had significantly changed. I was no longer in my own castle and that was all I knew. I looked around at the long crimson walls and the black comforter that I was tangled in. The theme for the room was obviously crimson, black, and gold, for every thing that surrounded me was of one of those colors. Besides my white wrinkled gown that was hanging in the closet. I looked down at my new midnight red dress that I was now wearing. I was surprised to see Felina on one side of the room, sleeping and King Boo on the other doing the same. As I tried to rise up, the bed made a creaking sound, awakening Boo. He yawned and looked in my direction with a jubilant look in his eyes. "Ah, you finally have awakened, Catalina. I have been sitting here waiting for you to do so. Tell me, what happened earlier?" He whispered, lowering himself next to the bed, sitting next to me. "Well," I began, "When the star gems were taken, my energy was drained. I am surprised I am not dead, though truly I can not die with or without the gems." "And why can't you? Aren't you a human?" He asked suspiciously. I knew at that moment that my secret was revealed. The deep dark secret, that no one knew but Felina was revealed to the one person I never wanted to know of this tiny little bit of information that was such a large deal. "Well, um, I am not what I seem. I may have a human body, but I am not exactly human. I am a boo to tell you the truth, though no one but you or Felina knows any of this. My parents were never satisfied with how I looked or what I was. There always seemed to be something wrong with me. I was either to ugly or I was to ghost-like. They couldn't get rid of the royal boo blood on the inside, so they changed my appearance. I still have all the powers of one though I no longer look as one. I hope we can still be friends after this has been revealed." I mumbled nervously. For several moments, Boo said nothing at all, just starring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. It seemed to be shock and joy at the same time. I became so nervous that I began to play with my long dark brown hair slowly. I didn't know what to think until he said these words, "I would have never thought that I would find a person that was not only a girl boo, but a female boo with the appearance of a human female. You are the most unique person I have ever met. Tell me, how does it feel to be human?" "Well, it's not as glamorous as the humans make it look! You can't scare people easily unless you sneak up behind them, but what's worse is that they don't run from you! Instead, they laugh and then ask you politely to not do it again. I wish that mom and dad had let me grow up and be like the others. I may have greater powers than the rest do, but at least I would be close to being like them." I chortled even with the melancholy look upon my face. Boo was quiet for quite some time with an unreadable look upon his white face. He just stared into my eyes as if he was searching for an answer, searching for something to tell him what to say. "Listen, I'm not the greatest at being kind and all, but you are fine the way you are. Now, I need to ask you an important question. If I was to ask you to join me in a fight against the Mario brothers, would you say yes? You would have to prove to me what a great fighter you are first, but if you make it, I will allow you to be my second in command. You seem fit for the job anyways, but I just have to make sure. Since I left Bowser, I lost all of my koopa troops and even a few of my boo fighters, but it's your choice." He explained. I looked up at him with a starry gaze. "Of course I will join you! I have trained long and hard to fight. It would be an honor, but I must have the star gems before the Night Sun or I will never get the chance." I stated jubilantly. "Well, then don't I have a surprise for you! I managed to steal them from Bowser's Castle while he was asleep." He said laying the seven shining gems on the bed. I picked them up and held them close to me, which made them grow even brighter than before. Their warmth infested me and made me feel light as rose into the air. "Now go, my precious star gems, to your pedestals and place a barrier around you that only King Boo and I may penetrate." I called to the gems as they disappeared and then later, reappeared on their pedestals with an invisible barrier around them as shown on the large television monitor that was viewing from cameras I placed all around them. I picked up my lunar staff quickly and watched as the energy flowed from me to the staff. The dull grey moon gem soon appeared its natural white color. As I lowered to the ground, Boo stated, "You and I need to go to the training room to see how worthy you are of being my second command." I nodded as we raced to the training room through the walls and floors.

We reached our destination in seconds it seemed. Boo appeared in room high above me with a protective glass. He shut the lights off and lit a few candles so there may be a better chance of catching my opponent's movements. Suddenly, twenty male boos appeared in front of me. "Are these gentlemen my opponents?" I scoffed. "No, this is!" they cried as the all formed together and made one large boo. I rolled my eyes because I knew that I would beat them as I rose to meet them face to face. They tried to attack me first by trying to grab me and throw me to the floor. I dodged easily by using my great transparency skills. I reappeared behind them and cried, "That's no way to treat a lady!" as I raised the sharp end of my long lunar staff and stabbed it. All the boos that once made the larger one scattered and I began to beat them one by one. Soon it was all over and each of them were breathing heavily and shivering at the fact that they had just been beaten by a woman. "That is enough! You all did great, but Catalina did the best, so she will be taking the place of all of you. She beat you all in approximately four minutes and does not have one scratch on her body! You are dismissed!" He shouted as he lowered himself to meet all of us. All of the others looked at me with a strange look in their eyes as I lowered the hood of the long black cloak I was currently wearing. Boo looked at them and then at me and gazed at my face as I slowly waved my hand in one of the stunned male boos' face. "You are a very beautiful lady, my dear." He said with a strange smile on his face. I backed away as all of them drew closer. "It's no use to run from us, my sweet." One of the others shouted. Before I knew it, all twenty of the jealous boos began to fight each other, arguing over who would take me. I ran behind King Boo in fright of what may happen if I started to brawl with the males. He looked at me with courage and rage in his eyes. I soon handed him my lunar staff with hope that he would know how to use it. He took it with a grin and nodded with an understanding as he waved it in the air. Suddenly, he charged at the group and broke up their little battle. "All of you should be ashamed! Fighting over a leader is the most childish thing I have seen out of you fools! Disperse and return to your proper quarters. If I see any of you within twenty yards of the princess, I will be sure to deal with you respectively." He ranted as I joined him. They looked at me and then to their king before speeding off in terror. "I'm sorry-" I cut him off, "Don't apologize for something you did not do. It wasn't because of you, but me. I should be the one who is sorry. I should have never shown myself to them. This always happens to me so I should have thought before acting. You are the first that has never said anything or done anything to me-even if you thought of it. I just want to say thank you for that. You are the best friend and boss a princess could have in my eyes." He just watched me as I gave him a hug and left the room.

The next morning, I just couldn't seem to sleep. I knew I needed my rest, but it was so hard for me to fall asleep with what had happened that night. I turned onto my side and opened my eyes to see King Boo awake also. He had his back turned to me and was scribbling something on a big yellow piece of paper with a distraught look upon his face. I longed to ask him what bothered him, but decided it was best that I left him alone. He laid the paper on the small night stand by the bed I was trying to sleep in. "I hope that this makes you feel even more welcome. You are the first person that I have actually been kind to and I don't know why or how you get to me, you just do. Look at me, I am trying to speak to you and you're asleep!" He stated with a peculiar voice as he left the room. That made me a little curious of what was written on that piece of paper. After I was about to rise up from my bed and read it, a wave of weariness came over me and made my body seem heavy. As soon as it did, my eyes slid shut and I finally received the rest that I deserved.

That night, I felt refreshed as I arose and sat on the comfy bed. I had almost forgotten about the letter Boo had wrote late that morning as I picked it up. It read:

Dear Catalina,

I am truly sorry about what my men did to you and do not tell me that I shouldn't be because I am the one who trained them. Anyhow, I have been thinking about what you said and you were right, I did think about you, but not in the way you think. It's strange, not knowing how or why I do not go crazy over you like other men and don't think that it has something to do with your appearance. Your embrace made me feel in a way I never have before, joyful. I guess I was just glad that you didn't get tangled in that silly fight that occurred and even more jubilant that you were safe. I don't know myself anymore nowadays and when it comes down to it, I do get lonely being by myself night to night. Oh, and don't think I do not want to destroy the two I despise-Mario and Luigi. Anyways, I just wanted you to know that you are always welcome to leave us at any time, though I believe that you won't.

Sincerely,

King Boo (also known as, Boo)

I looked at the letter over and over again with a sparkle in my eyes. Somewhere in the shadows I could feel him watching me. I looked around for him, but I decided that he would show up when he was ready. I placed the paper on the nightstand and smiled joyfully. I stood up and was about to walk into the bathroom but quickly turned around and stated, "You can't follow me in here. Sorry, but I simply must change out of this nightgown." I then, walked into the bathroom and shut the door. I found a dress on the bathroom counter with a note on top of it. The note stated that it was from Felina who had returned to Taunt Haunt when I had awakened. It also stated that King Boo requested the dress for a reason she was unaware. I picked up the beautiful maroon gown and put it on. I noticed the sleeves were a little off my shoulders and the dress covered my feet. I walked out of the room with a smile on my face. Boo appeared before me with a worried look on his face. "How did you know that Maroon was my favorite color?" I asked sweetly. "It was just a lucky guess, really. I thought that you would like a different look, so I had it personally made for you. And I do not want you to ask about the costs-I could afford it so I had it made." He explained with a small grin on his face. "Why did you do it?" "I don't know something just told me to. I don't understand it either." He said making an unsure gesture. "Oh, come here you big sweetie!" I cried as I hugged him tightly. He looked around and coughed, embarrassed because of the fact he had never been a romantic boo. Finally, he gave in quickly hugged me back. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" I giggled. He didn't answer for a while with a drained look on his face. "I-I don't know. I don't understand anything about you- you know what, that actually felt pretty good." He said with a twisted smile as he stumbled on each word. I was confused but decided not to bother him as I walked away happily and began my usual duties.