Standing in the firstmost room one would enter if they were to visit Peach's Castle were Princess Peach, Prince Peasley, Toadette, Toadsworth, and a couple of other toads who worked the night shift.

Princess Daisy instead slumped over the one chair that was present at a makeshift desk, in pajamas rather than her dress, where Peach had been working on some paperwork later in the day (and where she'd put King Boo's letter that Toadette was scrutinizing to high heavens, muttering something along the lines of, 'There's gotta be an angle he's going for.') after she'd woken from her nap.

She had wandered in to find a similarly freshly-awakened Peasley, who'd also decided a nap might be beneficial to help them stay up late, and both had got changed into a clean outfit, unlike Daisy, who decided to continue watching T.V, a decision she was now regretting. She rubbed her eyes and forced her head up with her hands.

"Peach? Can we go yet? I'm tired."

Peach lightly sighed and shook her head. Trust Daisy to be half asleep. She stood right at the top of the stairs, her hands placed neatly in front of her, unlike the sleepy princess to her right. Peasley took the position as a guard on her right, actually carrying his sword by his side, something he never did indoors, and occasionally let a tired Toadsworth lean on him. He seemed more serious than usual, backed up by his quieter than normal nature. Toadette huffed as the time for King Boo's arrival was nearing and she wouldn't figure out anything from staring at the letter all night, she left it on the desk and joined the others on the girls side. Peach turned back to Daisy.

"Don't you want to see King Boo?"

"Yeah… You looking forward to it too?"

Peach took her friend's genuine seriousness as sleep-deprived dosyness, as she was sure she sounded like she was not looking forward to the encounter ahead. She wondered how long she had to wait, and made a mental note to buy a watch as well as get that haircut she'd always wanted.

"Toadsworth? Do you know what time it is?"

"11:58. Not long now."

She wondered if he might come early - she wanted to get her kingdom and dear friends back and this meeting over with. She felt herself sweat a little.

"Oh! I must correct myself Princess, it is now 11:59."

"He's almost here."

Everyone seemed on edge, or tired, or both. Peach swore she could hear the ticking of Toadsworth's watch.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

It made her heart rush, and her eyes dart across the room.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

It made her feel cold, too cold for the time of year, like an odd draft had swept in through the door.

Tick. Tick.

CRASH!

"Mwa ha ha HA!"

The heavy castle doors flew open as if they were paper, and a cold wind nearly blew Peach over.

That was certainly how to make an entrance.

"King Boo, Esquire…" Two specter-cled Boos introduced regally in time of King Boo phasing into visibility.

"Very right my dear, Bootstrap and Booreaucrat!"

The smaller-than-average boo floated behind the door, followed by Booreaucrat, four guards and Boovelope, with his own little party of escorts. Peasley hesitated, then drew his sword.

"Peasley!" Exclaimed a shocked Peach.

"Oh put that thing away, Your Highness." King Boo gave a brief waft of an arm and the rapier shot right out of his hand and across the room, landing with a clang, waking up Daisy from her half-asleepness.

"Whuh?"

King Boo faded up to Princess Peach, his secretaries following behind him. His fangs glimmered in the moonlight that shone through the castle. "Shall we discuss the terms and conditions?"

"What do you want?"

"Did you not get my letter? I received a reply. Boovelope! Did she write this?"

Boovelope rolled his eyes. "Yes, Your Highness, I saw her write it."

"Well then," King Boo rubbed his hands together. "Let's have a little comprehension. What did I say?"

Peach was getting a little angry now. "You said you'd give back our land and heroes."

"Not quite. I said I'd give back the peace you have lost, the lands I have gained and those infernal brothers."

"What do you want, King Boo?" She repeated sternly.

He smirked. "I want what you want."

The simpleness of his words was ominous to even shake the other Boos: Boovelope wondered what on earth the king could pull this time, and Bootstrap found himself worrying about his plans for the invasion after King Boo said whatever he was about to say. Booreaucrat merely raised a brow, having been curious since news of the invasion halt reached her nonexistent ears.

It shook Peach right to her core, it made Peasley eye the quickest route to regain his weapon. It made Toadsworth step forward to intervene if necessary, made Toadette narrow her eyes skeptically as she just knew there had to be a catch, and it woke Daisy up again.

"If you want your peace, then I'll have mine - neither me nor you are to outwardly attack the other, their subjects or their land."

The normality of the request made Peach fear him more, but she kept up her facade. "That sounds… reasonable ."

The other Boos were fine without resistance, but they felt a little annoyed at their new inability to attack the Mushroom Kingdom, especially Boovelope. Of course, with it all being part of a plan Bootstrap had helped come up with that Booreaucrat oversaw and equally approved of, he felt quite satisfied with himself as he fixed his specter-cles into place.

"For your land, well, my land now - that is, all of Dry Dry Desert, Koopa Village, Petal Meadows, and any dark forest in the kingdom - if I am to give back all my land, I'll have nowhere to rule myself! For your land, I would like some land for myself, with control over anyone who lives there."

"We can't possibly…" She thought for a moment about the lives, the trade, the possible weakening of her kingdom against Bowser.

"Toadsworth, do we have any land that might suit him?"

Toadsworth ran over to her, and she bent down to his level to hear what he had to whisper. Toadette joined in, not liking this whole thing from the get-go.

"If memory serves me correctly, there is the Evershade Valley, simply inhabited by that professor…given that he wasn't already caught, and a couple of hundred ghosts. Although it isn't technically ours, it isn't technically anyone else's, so it may be the ideal place for him. Did you not say that Luigi's second to last encounter with him was there? He most likely knows the area."

"What if he's able to build up stronger forces there? Isn't it always night there? Wouldn't he always be at his strongest there?" Toadette queried in the harshest of whispers.

Toadsworth tapped his hands together. "That's possibly a risk we'll have to take. If he decides to attack, we'll just have to sort it out then, when we have Masters Mario and Luigi back here safe."

Peach stepped back towards King Boo, fixed her posture and stood bravely. "We can give you the entirety of Evershade Valley. I believe you are already familiar with it and its location."

King Boo remembered his past adventure there and the dreadful scientist who still resided somewhere in the area, and slightly shuddered (he didn't actually capture him upon being released this time, though he really should have, but not with the new hotel the old man left to all those ghosts that were formerly… That dreadful (in not a good Booish way) woman's underlings). "I am."

He then remembered that, according to the deal, that scientist would be one of his subjects, and would not be able to invent anything to hinder him. With that, he gave a low chuckle that seemed to run through the walls themselves. "I very much am."

Bootstrap, Booreaucrat and Boovelope seemed to be happy with this - an area where they would be strengthened, and without resistance from plumber or scientist. Quite ingenious of King Boo to think up this plan!

Peach wasn't scared of him, or at least she tried to convince herself that. "What about the brothers?" She asked, a hint of desperation in her voice. "What do you want for them?"

"I've had quite the idea with this one - I think you'll like it! It's a two-for-one deal!"

Two for one? Peach pondered over his words. As did Booreaucrat with a tilt of her entire form.

What two did he have? Boovelope clung onto his satchel.

Was he talking about the brothers? Bootstrap anxiously adjusted his specs.

"I'll give you back your "superstars" for someone in return. But not just any someone~!" King Boo practically sang.

A quick pause for dramatic effect and… Oh boy, was the effect dramatic.

Four words came out of his mouth, and they were four words that asked many questions about him. Was he sure he knew what he was doing? Had he lost his mind? Was he lonely? Was he really scary? Was he scarier than most knew? Did he know what he was saying? Peach's eyes widened, and her hand found itself over her mouth as he found himself close to her. Boovelope and Bootstrap were convinced he'd lost it, that this was the end of their king and their power, and that everyone should pack their bags and go home before it got any worse. Booreaucrat was holding back giggles because as much as the King had been mopey in his quirky usual way as of late she should have foreseen this coming at some point. Daisy struggled to keep her eyes open, and Peasley and Toadette struggled to keep their mouths shut, but these four words made the three of them exclaim in horror.

"I want a bride." King Boo said simply, and honestly the husky way he said it to Peach's face was the scariest thing to happen tonight.

"WHAT?"

King Boo looked at the two royals and the handmaiden who had exclaimed - one tired, one clearly onto him from the start, and one eyeing his sword - and turned his head aside "Are you all deaf now? I want a bride - a willing one. As a King, I'm sure it goes without saying that I need a Queen."

Daisy tried to stand before collapsing back into her chair due to sheer exhaustion, but just about kept herself upright. "Who would willingly marry you, you big round meanie!?"

King Boo conjured up a pillow and let her flop onto it.

"Sleep, girl."

"What? Hellen Gravely not good enough for you?" Toadette growled at him irritably.

King Boo growled back, "For clarification, yes. Anyone but her, if you please." He turned back to Peach. "I will give you the brothers if I have a willing fiance at my new doorstep in a week. We've still got to relocate to Evershade Valley, so I'd wait a few days before letting her fling herself before me."

"King Boo, I…" Peach couldn't find the words. "I don't know if anyone will go…"

"Then no heroes for you! Your kingdom is in grave danger with its main defense gone!" He practically sang again, clearly enjoying the political squirming before him.

All eyes were on her, even Daisy's tired ones. She had to do something to get the brothers back, but also something that didn't put anyone in a bad position.

"We'll put up posters - hand out fliers. We'll find someone in a week."

Everyone (but Toadette) seemed relieved, especially Peasley, but Toadsworth had to intervene.

"Princess, I must interrupt to ask what you are to do if you aren't able to find someone."

She took a sharp breath in as she analyzed what might happen.

"If no one volunteers," began Toadsworth, "then who will go?"

"If no one goes then…"

"No, don't…" Toadette whispered desperately, knowing what her best friend was thinking before she even said anything.

After the events of the evening, Peach wasn't sure she had any courage left, but she somehow found the words for it.

"Then I will go."

"Excellent! A pleasure to do business with you, Princess Peach." King Boo shook her hand, but she was still frozen in shock at her own words. "I'll have my land and my peace, in return for yours. My army will cease their invasions and we will move as a collective to Evershade Valley. I look forward to seeing you in a week's time, Princess."

"It won't be necessary for me to go." If she said it out loud, she might believe it. "We will find someone."

King Boo waved his arm, and the Boos that were with him assumed their formation, opened the door and found their way out. King Boo left after them all, closing the door behind him with a gust of wind. Four words, followed by a ghostly cackle, seemed to echo through the castle walls.

"We'll see about that…"