The Suitor

[The Blue Toad]

The Table of Contents
Prologue:  The Unexpected Guest
Ch. 1:  The Suitor  -  Page 1
Ch. 2:  Lost in Dark Pillars  -  Page 1
Ch. 3:  The Jerky Ride  -  Page 1
Ch. 4:  A Soulful Welcoming  -  Page 2
Ch. 5:  An Elegant Place  -  Page 2
Ch. 6:  Trouble in the Resting Quarters  -  Page 2
Ch. 7:  Inspection at the Mushroom Kingdom  -  Page 2
Ch. 8:  A New Setting  -  Page 2
Ch. 9:  A Hard First Morning  -  Page 2
Ch. 10:  The Ghost Siren  -  Page 2
Ch. 11:  The Truth Under the Top Hat  -  Page 2
Ch. 12:  In Which the Vase Did Fall  -  Page 2
Ch. 13:  The Princess Reassigned  -  Page 2
Ch. 14:  The Painting Speaks  -  Page 2
Ch. 15:  The Option Most Desired  -  Page 2
Ch. 16:  The Stone Man, the Princess, and the Tigers  -  Page 3
Ch. 17:  A Chomp in the Night  -  Page 3
Ch. 18:  Riddles Come Naturally  -  Page 3
Ch. 19:  The Gargoyles Have Ears  -  Page 3
Ch. 20:  Red Pearls  -  Page 3
Ch. 21:  Engulfed in Wet Dreams  -  Page 3
Ch. 22:  The Seven Deadly Ghosts  -  Page 3
Ch. 23:  Back Before Daybreak  -  Page 3
Ch. 24:  A Promotion Gained  -  Page 3
Ch. 25:  The Special Guest  -  Page 4
Ch. 26:  Dangerous Flight  -  Page 4

Prologue:  The Unexpected Guest

The sky rumbled like an empty stomach as tears from the clouds fell harsh upon the grass.  The night was lonely as thunder echoed and lightning darted, leaving streaks in the everlasting sky.  The dark clouds moved about in rage and trouble, stirring the rain that would soon be forgotten.  But bellow all of this anger in the dark sky there was a long and winding black road, quite narrow and pebbly.  Upon the snake-like road was a buggy that wobbled forth on slender wooden wheels, making cobbling noises as it journeyed on.  
It stumbled over the bumps and cracks here at there, though it seemed to bother not the person inside.  Upon the back of the round buggy was a lamp that glowed warmly in the night as raindrops clung to its warm, smooth exterior.  It danced upon a small hook that acted as a perch, swaying to the sound of the awkward wheels that travelled persistantly.  However, the sure thing that would catch your eye when looking upon this buggy would be that in the front, where there ought to be a set of reins and Yoshis pulling along, there was nothing.  The buggy was moving on its very own.  Over hills, through twists and turns, over large and small bumps, the buggy was being guided by what appeared to be absolutely nothing.
How on Earth is that possible?  For surely, something must be pulling the buggy, otherwise there would be no possible way for it to move, or even stay balanced for that matter.  It would just be a lonely carriage on wheels, sitting under the bellowing rain without a hope to move.  But it wasn't.  It continued along the black road to its unknown destination.  
Taking a look inside of the buggy would allow you to see a nice, cozy looking interior; red velvet seats, dark green wallpaper lined in narrow stripes, a shag carpet upon the floor.  It was all very elegant.  However, you may notice that no one is even there.  The seats are without any use and the carpet is begging for wear.  The buggy is empty!  So, it must be a lonely ghost carriage riding about in the rain.  
But it is then that you notice the hat.  A single top hat floating above the velvet red cushions.  It's a blue hat that is as deep as the ocean, and as dark as the night sky.  How mysterious it floats, without a head to perch itself.  Surely there isn't a soul that would like to travel upon this horrific carriage, for we will find what we are all afraid of most; no explanation.  However, this lonely and mysterious carriage rides on through the stormy night, making its journey upon the long, black road, the dancing lantern haunting the things left behind...
                          *          *          *
Her blue eyes gazed upon the window as raindrops trickled down its smooth glass like hesitant bugs fighting the wind.  The small droplets of waters seemed to extend for miles, stretching across her country like grass.  Her gentle hand instinctively combed through her long blonde hair, stopping not over any knots or thick curls.  
Her pink cheast heaved in a sigh as she felt herself fall into a mass of pillows beneath her.  The atmsophere around the room was dark, despite the warm glow that emitted from the fireplace nearby.  Princess Peach felt very comfortable in her room as she tried yet again to go to sleep.  Bringing her feet beneath the soft blanket overlapping her large bed, she closed her eyes.  The only sound brought to her ears was the pitter-patter of rain and the crackle of the fire.  All else was still and silent.  
The many pillows around Peach hugged her closely as she tried to position herself in a more comfortable way.  She sighed once more as she found that her attempt to be tired still was not working.  
Why couldn't she sleep lately?  Everything had been going smoothly in her life, and she was free of worries.  The Mushroom Kingdom was better than ever.  Bowser had not shown his ugly face in quite a while, and there were no major dangers about the Koopa Kingdom.  Tomorrow, Peach had a meeting with Princess Daisy to talk over a cup of tea as they do every month.  Peach could invision them sitting at a small, round table across from one another in the courtyard, giggling and debating as they each sipped from their own cup of steaming Koopa Tea.  She didn't mind those meetings all; she even looked forward to them.  Everything in her life was complete at the moment, so why couldn't she just close her eyes knowing so and fall asleep?  
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.  Peach opened her eyes as she slid up from bed with ease.  She ran her hands over her light pink night gown and combed her fingers through her long, golden hair.  
"Come in," she said aloud.  The brass doorknob was tunred from the other side of the door as it made a clicking sound and became still once more.  The door was pushed open revealing a small old Toad.  It was none other than Peach's oldtime steward, Toadsworth.  In his hand he carried a lantern that made home to a thin candle, which burned brightly.  It lit his old face to show a small, neat gray mustache that resided under his small round spectacles.  The dots upon his mushroom top were brown as to show his age and wisdom.  
"Princess?" he said.
"Yes?  What is it?" asked Peach, feeling slightly annoyed.  Who else would she expect at the door than her over-protective servant?  
"Well, uh....." began Toadsworth.
"Yes, out with it," Princess Peach stated impatiently.  
"Princess, we believe someone is here to see you," said Toadsworth.
"Hm?  What?  At this hour?" Peach asked, shocked.  Toadsworth nodded into the light of his lantern as his brow knotted in curiosity.  The padding sound of running feet suddenly sounded in the hallway as a Toad dressed in red appeared in the darkness.  He stopped beside Toadsworth, his face looking rather alarmed.
Toadsworth turned to the red Toad and said, "So did you figure out who our mysterious guest is?"
"Er..." replied the red Toad as Peach watched him anxiously.  "We aren't exactly certain.  You see, it's rather hard to see out there in the dark and all, let alone this storm."
"Hmm.....right....." said Toadsworth.  "Well, what do you say, Princess, shall we draw this unexpected guest away?"
Princess Peach looked into the wise old eyes of Toadsworth, and then down at the floor.  Who could possibly be here to see the princess at this time of night?  Her curiosity bloomed over her rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes.    
"Well," said Peach slowly.  "I say no.  I'm not feeling very tired at the moment, and I believe a little company shall do just fine."
"Are you sure, dear Princess?" asked Toadworth.
"Absolutely," replied the stubborn monarch, "because once you think about it, the most obvious reason for an uninvited visit is to inform a person of some sort of emergency.  If they truly is an emergency, don't you think we ought to be informed of it?"
Toadsworth and the red Toad looked at each other and then back towards Princess Peach.
"Well...I suppose so..." said Toadsworth.  
"Good then," said Princess Peach.  "Let us greet our guest."
And it was right after the Princess said those very words that there came a loud knocking upon the door of the castle, followed immediately by a flash of lightning.  The red Toad glanced only once at Peach and then turned to retrieve the guest.  Toadsworth, however, gazed nervously at Peach.  
"So, you're absoultely sure about this?" he asked hesitantly.
"Honestly, Toadsworth, how many times must I tell you?" the Princess said, "I think it's about time that you stop this nonsense of treating me like a child!"
Toadsworth looked rather offended at this statement as Peach stepped by him, her thin night gown sweeping past his face.  Her bare feet brushed gently against the comfortable, cold carpet below her as the princess made her way to the entry hall of her castle.  Thunder shook the walls.    

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 1:  The Suitor

Princess Peach rubbed her anxious hands together as she stood beside Toadsworth inside the entry hall.  The chandelier had been lit to a dull glow that shone the enormous room of all its hospitality.  The walls were a light blue, painted with clouds decorating the high walls and the ceiling.  The floor was designed in black and white square tiles, and the stairs, which were positioned at both sides of the halls, were covered in an expensive red carpet.  It was a hall that had welcomed ever so many a guest, though often unwanted guests, but guests all the same.
Thunder resounded throughout the rather dark room, echoing among the painted clouds and stone walls.  Peach held her arms with her hands, rubbing them together for warmth as she waited.  Lightning drew across the sky, lighting up the glass window pane that resembled Princess Peach above the door.  Peach ran her fingers through her hair as she felt a shiver run down her spine.  The wind howled outside, banging against the castle and doors.  The princess closed her eyes and breathed into her hands desperately.  Was it continually getting colder in here?  She felt as though the temperature was incessantly dropping. 
A group of five Toads stood by the door that lead out into the bitter storm.  The red Toad looked towards his companions.  They nodded to him confidently.  The Toad grasped the golden doorknob and pulled, sending the door flying open.  The red Toad was thrown back into the entry hall along with his Toad companions as an enormous flurrie of wind suddenly burst into the castle through the door.  The princess sheilded her eyes from the sudden attack of wind as the chandelier was blown out and the room became dark.  Toadsworth cried out in confusion as the wind began to die down. 
"What is going on here?" he said loudly once the entry hall was calm once more.  Peach felt her heart race against her chest as she kept her eyes locked on the open door, waiting for Bowser to suddenly stampede inside. 
She was now shivering like mad.  The storm was still brewing outside, and the sound of the rain made her skin crawl.  There came a flash of lightning, and suddenly she saw something flicker near the door.  A shadow seemed to have darted inside the castle.  Princess Peach's eyes followed where she thought she saw the shadow go; up towards the ceiling, near the chandelier.  Her eyes narrowed as she gazed upon the darkness, waiting for something to appear. 
The eeriness did not soon fade as Toadsworth and the other Toads nearby were suddenly alert and anxious.  Peach turned her gaze away from the chandelier and back towards the door.  A sudden burst of thunder broke the silence.  Peach stared at the entry way as her feet began to pull her near.  She slowly moved towards the doorway, eager to see who or what was out there.
"Princess...." said Toadsworth in a scolding tone. 
Princess Peach didn't hear him as she continued towards the sound of crackling thunder and the smell and taste of fresh rain.  It tasted like cold metal, and smelt of springtime.  It strangely drew her in even more as she gazed into the dark storm outside. 
She brought herself to the frame of the door and peered out.  She could see a buggy carriage waiting next to the overflowing fountain outside.  Yet it was strange to her to see that it was without Yoshis.  There seemed to be nobody on the stone bridge outside, nor anywhere even close to the castle.  Was this some sort of....trick?
The wind blew tiny droplets of rain into the Princess's face as she squinted into the bursting of clouds.  Her hair flew back upon her head, and her lips grew dry.  Her small feet were numb from the cold along with her hands.  A night gown was most certainly not the proper wear for such weather as tonight.
"Princess, I would truly feel better if you were to come back here with me.  I don't trust this storm..." said Toadsworth. 
Before Princess Peach could even take in what Toadsworth was saying, she suddenly felt a large, warm, wet tongue cake itself onto her face, followed by a loud slurping sound.  Her heart jumped into her throat as she screamed and leapt back, her body shaking in fear.  Drool was dripping off her slender, amiable face as the Princess took in her breaths almost as fast as her heartbeat.
A creepy, high-pitched laugh sounded in the room from out of nowhere.  Princess Peach darted back to Toadsworth's side as an enormous burst of thunder sounded into the entry hall. 
"Princess!" cried Toadsworth. 
Suddenly, from the chandelier came a spotlight.  It shone down to the doorway, creating a circle of light around the entrance.  Floating there, at the center of the light, was a silky, dark-blue top hat.  Princess Peach heard herself take in a deep and shuddering breath as her knees began to tremble.  What was this thing?
It was in another cry of thunder that a pale white boo appeared beneath the top hat.  His smile was filled with pointed teeth, his black eyes gleaming.  Peach looked pale and horrified as she gazed upon the grinning, round ghost.  He gave off a brilliant white shine in the spotlight from above, and looked rather radiant as he gazed upon Peach.  Toadsworth and the other Toads were speechless.
Suddenly, the boo closed his eyes and furrowed his brow as if to concentrate.  Peach wasn't sure what to do, or even what to think.  The rain pitter-pattered outside as the thunder remained silent for the time being.  With out warning there was a sudden sound of piano keys all being play at one time.  This made Peach jumped as she turned about to face the door to her left; where the sound had emitted from. 
She had a piano in there...but what was it doing?  The heavy sound of something being dragged across the ground was heard.  Peach stepped back from the door a bit, preaparing for what she thought would happen.  The piano suddenly burst through the door, sending bits of wood flying from the hinges!  Peach screamed as she fell to the ground.  The boo laughed as he opened his eyes and grinned. 
He raised his small hand as the piano suddenly rose into the air, knocking Toadsworth to the floor.  The piano then flipped about, tumbling in mid-air until it stop directly in front of the boo.  Peach was in awe as she looked upon her ghostly guest, watching as he began to play on her glossy black piano.  He hit each key perfectly as a song began to form.  The Toads were pale and too shocked to know what they should do.  Toadsworth quickly pulled Princess Peach to her feet as she stared at the pianist.             
The song he played was strangely calming.  It seemed to flow throughout the room, drowning out the sound of rain and thunder.  It grew fast and slow at different times, creating an almost romantic feeling.  Peach was a tad confused now.  Who was this fool?  What business does he have to simply waltz into her castle, lick her, scare her half to death with a piano, and then play a lovely song for her?  She suddenly felt herself becoming more angry than shaken. 
She whipped the disgusting drool from her face as the song continued on, the boo looking as though he was a professional.  It was then that six more boos fluttered inside as well.  They all floated into the entry hall gracefully as dancers, coming in two rows of three.  Peach was shocked.  They all gave off a pink glow and began to twirl and dip to the melody of the song.  Peach took a step back along with the rest of the Toads to let them have more dancing room.  Though she was appalled of these boos, she had the strangest urge to hear out the entire song, and watch the rose-colored boos dance.  She then noticed that almost all of the Toads were now in the entry hall, gazing upon the pianist boo and his six dancers.
With her hands held close to her face and her brow knotted, Peach watched the romantic entertainment a little while longer until the song was drawing to an end.  The whole while she became entranced with the music, and so did her servants.  Who was this strange boo?
The song then came to a fulfilling finish as the six pink boos made their sudden pose.  They all held out their hands towards Princess Peach, smiling at her with pointed teeth and wide grins.  Peach was shocked as the spotlight suddenly turned to her.  The Toads around her couldn't help but applaud the wonderful work.  They clapped politely, eyeing the pianist. 
He had suddenly appeared in front of Peach with a bouquet of blue roses.
"Uh..." said Peach as she backed away.  The pink boos started clapping madly and bouncing up and down as the pianist boo fixed Princess Peach with his most seductive grin. 
"Princess Peach!" he said suddenly as Peach jumped a little.  "The most fair and brilliant woman alive!  Will you come and be my bride?" 
Peach couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"What?" Peach said loudly. 
"WHAT?" cried Toadsworth as he stepped forth from the crowd.  He marched into the spotlight with the boo and Peach, pointing his finger at the hovering ghost.  "Who exactly do you think you are?"
The pinks boos stopped their giggling and hovered in the darkness.  The top-hatted boo frowned and looked at Toadsworth.  With a scowl he lifted his hand into the air, thus causing Toadsworth to do the same.  The old Toad floated helplessly in mid-air, crying out profanities.  The boo laughed as his companions did the same. 
Peach screamed as she tugged upon Toadsworth, trying to help to down to the floor.  The other Toads were now all very shocked and gasped at the hovering servant.  The boo suddenly stopped his laughing, and with a flick of his wrist sent Toadsworth flying across the room.  Toadsworth landed upon a group of Toads who groaned in agony as the old Toad tried to get back up. 
Peach was shaking in fear as her wide, blue eyes became fixed once more on the strange boo floating before her.  Her heart was fluttering and her stomach was flipping. 
"Answer me, my dear," said the boo.  "Will you marry me?"
Peach's jaw quivered in disbelief as she said, "Marry....you?!  Who are you?!" 
The boo did a flip in the air as he tossed his bouquet of roses up and then caught them, sending a fleet of blue pedals to fall to the black and white tiles below. 
"Who am I?" he asked.  "Why, Princess, I am Booregard!  The enchanting and ever-haunting boo!" 
The princess didn't actually care who this stranger was, for there was no possible way she would marry him.  She stared him in the eye for a moment, feeling hesitant. 
Quickly, however, she shook it off and said, "That doesn't matter!  You need to leave this very instant!"
Booregard suddenly looked puzzled, and quite hurt. 
"What do you mean?" he asked. 
"What do I mean?!" Princess Peach repeated.  "I mean that there is no way I'm going to marry you!  I don't even know you!"
"I'm Booregard!"
"I know that!  But just because I know your name doesn't mean I'm gonig to marry you!"
There was a moment of silence then in which Booregard seemed to lose himself in some sort of trance, his mouth in an 'O' shape and his eyes displaying a blank stare.  The pinks boos behind him all gave Peach terribly cruel stares, showing their terrible fangs.  Peach wanted these ghosts out of her castle as soon as possible.
"So leave me now, ghost, and don't ever come back!" she cried. 
Booregeard was suddenly knocked out of his trance as he looked back to Peach with a clever grin. 
"So you're not going to marry me?" he asked.
"Absolutely not, now leave me-!"
"And this is because you only know my name and not who I actually am?"
Peach eyed him suspiciously.  The truth of the matter was, even if Princess Peach actually got to know Booregard, she still would not marry him.  She never looked well upon foolish suitors such as he, though this was by far the scariest one she had ever come in contact with.  However, though Peach would never marry such a creature, it was her instinct to say the nice thing.  Thus, Peach replied, "Yes," to Booregard's question, stating that the only reason that she said no to marrying him in the first place was because all she knew about him was his name. 
This creating a gleam in the boo's eye as a wide smile spread across his pale, boo face.
"Well then, my princess, perhaps we ought to get to know each other a little better..." he said. 
The princess went pale as her stomach dropped.  The bouquet of blue roses that Booregard once held now turned into a rather small bird cage.  Peach furrowed her brow as she tried to see what was inside.  Behind the thin black bars was what appeared to be a toy house.  It was tall and blue with a black roof on its top.  It was a mansion, actually.  And surrounding the playhouse was a small forest of dark pines trees. 
"Wh---what is this?" asked Peach as she looked from the playhouse to the grnning boo. 
"This is my mansion," said Booregard.  "Like it?"
And without another word, Booregard lifted the birdcage high into the air, and sent it smashing down onto Peach's blonde head!  Peach screamed as she suddenly blacked out.                       

[Ultima Shadow]

Wow... this story is great! You have a great way of describing what is happening... good job! Two thumbs up!

[The Blue Toad]

Thanks. ^_^ 
And by the way, I editted it for spelling mistakes and such.  Those get annoying. 

[GiftedGirl]

This slightly scared me at first... please don't take offense at that, that means it's just really well written. It's almost like I was there...

[The Blue Toad]

Yay!  Thank you, that's just what I was going for!  ^_^
I'd write more, but it's getting late and I'm quite tired...

[Pt_Peach]

This is great! But I thought someone was going to strike Peach down.

[Ultima Shadow]

I hoped someone would strike Peach down. >:D

jk, jk... anyway, can't wait for the next chapter! I'm hooked!

[The Blue Toad]

Gah!  Sorry everyone, a huge snow storm hit and my internet was out!  It's back on now, though.  Hooray!

Chapter 2:  Lost in Dark Pillars

Darkness had encircled her.  Nothing was there to be of comfort but the sharp, singing pain upon the crescent of her head which was all the sense of familiarity that her placement had to offer.  She was slowing beginning to come about.  She could suddenly feel her heavy, swollen eyelids and her throbbing head.  She could feel the cold, hard ground which held her back uncaringly.  Slowly she brought her eyes to view what strangeness had befallen her.
Princess Peach looked up into an endless, deep abyss of stars.  The sky was a dark, dreamy blue that looked as though it colored the atmosphere through brushes of paint.  The stars were the white drops of tears from the painter above, yanked of emotion from such artwork created by he.  Peach was amazed at the beautiful surrealism of the sky that she did not quite notice what surrounded her.  But her blue eyes were soon to fall from the miraculous painting above to the cage of towering trees around her.  She was apparently in a glade, one that was surrounded by the most frightening of pine trees.  Each one of them rose above Peach like a tall pillar of Rome, gazing down upon her blonde head. 
The trunks were gray and milky, streaks of white dripping upon the bark like honey.  The bristles upon the trees had the same feeling as the sky; painted in a mysteriously beautiful way, yet a way that made you unsure about something.  The grass upon which Princess Peach lay was gray and lifeless.  She could feel her majestic gloved finger grasp the dry strands of what once was spring. 
Peach groaned as she forced herself to sit up, pale and confused.  She drew her toes and fingers in, feeling cold and light-headed.  A large bump resided on her head.  She felt it with her gentle fingers, touching the soft, inflated lump.  It stung in reaction to her curious finger as she recoiled with a cringe.  Why was there such a large bump on her head anyways?  She could hear the strange echo of ringing in her mind as she looked about the mysterious forest.  Where on earth was she?  Was this all simply a dream? 
Peach's night gown billowed like a lily in the wind as a strange breeze blew by.  The breeze felt strange warm to her, and smelt rather odd.  Not only did the breeze go by very quickly and fiercely, but it had been accompanied by a strange raspy sound from the woods to her right. 
Peach turned her head in the direction that the sudden wind had emitted from but saw nothing.  Her right only brought the view of a gap in two enormous, crooked pine trees of which held nothing but darkness beyond. 
She rose to her pale feet, feeling very paranoid and quite shaken.  With her shoulders hunched and her back arched, she felt herself begin to shake.  Her breath was now very rapid as shivers crawled up her spine.  The strange forest felt alive to her.  The trees stared down upon her in an intimidating way, and strange sounds emitted from the bowels of the dark wood.  These sounds were not just the hoot of an owl and the screech of a bat, but were often deep rumbles or whisperous roars that could not be traced.
Suddenly, Peach heard the same familiar rasping noise to her right.  She quickly turned her head as another flurrie of warm, sticky wind entranced her, quickly leaving her into the trunks of the trees afterwards. 
With alert eyes Peach gazed between the two crooked pine trees that grew at her right.  She could feel her stomach twist and her heart thump.  She had the constant feeling that someone was sneaking up behind her, constantly feeling that icy cold hand reach her delicate shoulder.  She stared into the blackness still longer, waiting for anything to happen. 

She was then relieved.

There came not a sound from in between the two enormously tall pine trees, and she reassured herself that there was nothing there to cause such a stranger of wind.  As she began to turn her head away, it happened once more.  The rasping sound, followed by a swift puff of hot air.  Peach's eyes widened as she quickly gazed back to the gap in the trees.  Without even realizing it she let open her quivering mouth and emitted a scream.  Her voice bounced upon the tree pillars, darting about into the bowels of the forest.  Her body shook fiercely now as she heard herself whimper rather pathetically.  Her whole body was now turned towards the gap in the trees, the gap in which the foul wind was continually emitting.  Her numb feet inched backwards upon the scratchy grass as she kept her pure eyes glued to the dark opening in the glade.  To her horror she heard the sound of a great rumbling and growling.  Her stomach lurched at such gruesome sounds.  A cloud of gray dust poured out from inside the black opening.  Peach took in a shuddering intake of breath. Something was stirring between the gate of tall pines, and it wasn't anything pleasant. 
It was coming.  It was coming from the darkness.  It was coming for Princess Peach!  The pain in Peach's head was raging as she reared her head from left to right, wondering if there was any chance to escape, and whether or not she wanted to take the chance of taking off into the forest. 
The deep breaths of the beast began to hit her once more, this time more rapidly, and feeling as though they were closer.  As the thing continued to growl, Peach became anxious as she found herself backed up against one of the rough tree trunks, the bark scrapping at her tender skin.  She was doomed.  The monster was coming nearer; it was waking up.  But then...
...there came yet another sound.  This was not the sound of heavy breathing from the monster nor the sound of awkward calls from random beast of the wood, but the sound of wheels.  Wheels that were slender and rickety.  Wheels that sounded as though made of wood.  Peach could feel that the monster was drawing back a bit from beneath the blanket of darkness between the two mammoth pine trees.  Its growling began to subside as the weakening wheels grew ever nearer to the glade. 
Suddenly, from out of the trees that were right of Peach came a carriage, crashing in between the trunks of two trees.  Princess Peach screamed at the reckless vehicle's sudden appearance as its rickety wheels came to a halt at the center of the glade.  Peach's heart remained startled as she gazed upon the round carriage, smooth and elegant in its appearance, yet eerie at the same time.  At the back of the buggy was a lantern that dangled tauntingly upon a curving hook.  Suddenly, the door of the buggy opened up, revealing a mysterious interior that couldn't be described from her position. 
Peach's chest heaved frantically as she found she was unable to remove her hands from the tree trunk behind her.  But suddenly, she felt something grab her.  The princess shrieked as the hand of an invisible giant lifted her three inches into the cold air.  She flailed her arms, attempting to plunge herself back down to the dead earth below.  It didn't seem to work. 
She was suddenly pulled into the yoshi-less carriage at a surprising speed, her held tilting back jerkishly and her bruise twitching in stinging agony.  She found herself suddenly seated upon a red velvet couch.
She had been pulled into the buggy through the opened door.  The door promptly shut by itself once more and the carriage suddenly bolted off into another sprint, surging its way through the forest.  Peach was overwhelmed.  However, the princess was also greatly relieved.  If this ghost buggy had not come to the glade to find her, she would have been digested by some sort of growling monster of the woods!
She took time to examine her surroundings as she noticed branches and twigs brush past the windows of the buggy like slender fingers grasping out for a ride.  Her feet found it pleasant to touch the fuzzy rug of the carriage, quite different to the sharp blades of grass in the haunting glade.  The walls were decorated in a wallpaper that consisted of rather thin green lines that were placed vertically over a white background.  Across from her was another red couch in which a window was placed above it in order to observe the driver of the buggy (though this was of no use for there wasn't a driver to drive nor yoshis to pull it).
And hovering above the opposite velvet red couch was none other than Booregard, gazing at the nervous princess with a sly grin pasted across his pale, glowing face.                 

[Pt_Peach]

Geeze, and the Boo had to fall in love with her. Great work! You REALLY know how to write a fic, Blue Toad!

[Ultima Shadow]

Once again, excellent! It really puts me in Peach's point of view, which is kinda sick, if you think about it. o_0

[The Blue Toad]

Haha!  Thanks all!  ^_^

Chapter 3:  The Jerky Ride

Peach clawed her fingertips into the cushiony surface of the red couch beneath her as she tried to keep herself steady through the bumpy carriage ride.  They were practically flying through the woods they were at such a speed, leaving the trees behind to lust with their roots dug deep into the dirt.  Peach was sure that at any moment the buggy would be sent flying into a tree, sending her stumbling across the shag carpet and unto the putrid ghost in front of her.
He licked his thick, pointed teeth with an enormous tongue, eyeing the princess in the most sinister of ways.  Peach gazed at him uncomfortably, a lump caught in her coiled throat.  She could still feel her heart thumping from the events now past.  The breathing of a vicious, yet hidden, monster, and the invisible force that had pulled her into the carriage as though she was a simple puppet. 
The bump on her head still throbbed in pain, the feeling of a thousand tingling needles brushing against its swollen surface.  She had the temptation to reach up and feel it once again, but resisted at the thought of what had happened the last time. 
As Princess Peach gazed horrifically into the eyes of the strange creature before her, something suddenly struck inside her head.  She was beginning to remember things.  Things that seemed unreal and haunting to her.  She suddenly began to remember her sleepless night, and Toadsworth knocking upon her door.  She remembered a dark hallway.  And then there was wind.  Wind that had bellowed into her castle like a fist.  There was no warmth then.  She was confused and scared.  Then there was he.  The ghost before her.  She could now recall who he was.  The top hat, the gleam in his eye, the mischievous smile.  He was the suitor that visited her on that stormy night.  He had kidnapped her piano and played her a lovely song that had been so full of ardor that one could not help but let it reach their soul.  The pink dancers with bodies so radiant had flooded her entry hall, slaves to the music.  Then the magnificent pianist had offered the princess a bouquet of beautiful blue roses, with pedals that curled and stems that hung.  He asked for marriage.  Peach obviously turned down his request.  Then a bird cage appeared.  It was a bird cage that held a fine toy house.  Then there was nothing.  Nothing but darkness and mystery.  Peach had awoken in the glade; and here she was now.
Peach's face was pale.  Her stomach felt sick as she could sense her breath becoming sharp and heavy once more.  Tears of immense stress pounded upon her glossy blue eyes.  She choked on them pitifully as the carriage continued to ride on, tree branches incessantly scrapping at the windows. 
Peach gathered her strength forth, staring into the face before her.  She opened her weak mouth and uttered, "You're......." she swallowed hard and tightened her grasp upon the couch, "You're....Booregard..."
The terrible boo broke into a cruel laughter that made Peach's stomach churn.
"And you are the ever fair and ever lovely Princess Peach," said he as his smile sharpened.  Peach could feel her voice slowly returning to her as she looked about the respectable interior of the buggy. 
"Where am I?" she stated commandingly.  "Tell me at once!"  Her worried brow suddenly turned furious.  She glared at Booregard in hating eyes.  To her disappointment, his keen smile did not fade.
"You are in my kingdom, dear princess," he said.
"Your kingdom?" repeated Peach.
"Yes...well, specifically my forest," said Booregard.  Peach's heart pumped as she gazed at her kidnapper in frustration.
"And where exactly is that?!" she cried, feeling a small stream of her flooding tears break lose. 
"Oh, its just south of my mansion," Booregard replied humbly as his smile turned into a smirk, his eyebrows arching.  Peach bounced upon her seat as the buggy suddenly made a sharp turn, her head beating like a drum.  The rim of Booregard's glossy top hat tilted over his right eye.  He tapped his hand into the air as his top hat ascended, hovering over his cranium, only to have it plop back down atop his opal head.
Peach repositioned herself as she glanced nervously at the window at her right, her brow knotting in concern. 
"Who's steering this thing?" she asked. 
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," replied Booregard, "my carriage knows exactly where it ought to go."
Feeling a tad disturbed, Peach looked upon the couch beneath her as though it was a living thing.  She shuddered slightly, lifted her feet off of the carpet below. 
"Are you saying that this thing has a mind of its own?" she asked.
"Hmmmm," replied the boo, "I suppose you could say that..."  The sly suitor broke into another spine-tingling laugh.  Peach felt her shoulders straighten and her eyes narrow.  She shot the ghost with a cold glare. 
"What do you want with me?" she asked suddenly, interrupting Booregard's great guffaws.  At this the ghost seemed slightly intimidated by Peach's attitude towards him at the moment, as though he suddenly felt some sort of regret.  His black eyes twinkled, his smile slowly fading. 
"Don't you remember?" said he.  "You had claimed to me that the only reason we were not engaged was because all you knew of me was my simple name; Booregard Licknot the Third.  Apparently, dear princess, this was not enough for you."
"So, what, you're going to capture me?" Peach cried as she wiped a damp cheek with her pale gloves, finding that it only smeared her salty tears across her trembling face.  Booregard laughed once more.
"Of course!  If you want to get to know me better, than-"
"But I don't want to get to know you better!" Peach cried.  "I want you to take me back to my castle and leave me alone you horrible suitor!" 
The princess's delicate hands were clenched in almost painful fists as she looked upon her ghost kidnapper, pure frustration running throughout her body.  To her absolute rage she found herself listening to his dreadful laugh once more. 
"Oh, that shall not be done, princess.  For the only way that you are ever going to get out of my kingdom alive is if you agree to marry me!"
The carriage suddenly burst out from the forest, the sound of tree branches clawing across the side of the buggy no longer accompanying them.  It strolled across long, fresh grasses until it came to a sudden halt.                       

[GiftedGirl]

Whoa. Just whoa.

[Pt_Peach]

Booregard is an evil one. Yoda: Not hard to see, Booregard's dark side is.

[Bigluigifan1.0]

I didn't read it all yet but it was still very awesome, I'll try to read more when I can.

[The Blue Toad]

Again, thanks!  I always love getting these comments back!  And here is the next chapter....

Chapter 4:  A Soulful Welcoming

Peach's head was buzzing as she sat back up in the seat cushions below her, recovering from the great thrust that the carriage had brought because of its sudden and immense stop.  Her numb fingers brushed the strands of blonde hair of from her view as she gazed out the window before her.  She was treated to such an amazing sight, which very few of her kin ever got to behold. 
The buggy was parked upon a small circle of black pavement.  In the middle of this circle was a just fountain, which sent streams of gurgling black liquid spewing from its stone structure.  The fountain was built tall and narrow, four boos encircling around the middle as a sort of centerpiece to the small basin at the bottom.  They all had their tongues out, cruel smiles lining their faces.  Their eyes were gleeless, and their positions haunting.  The dark waters trickling from their gaping mouths, pouring into the rippling pool below. 
As Peach continued to look farther to her right, she gazed past the fountain structure and unto and enormous house.  No, it wasn't actually a house; it was a mansion.  A very tall, very classy looking mansion.  Its color was a midnight blue, holding the same texture as the night sky.  The mansion was built in great columns, and towers, though organized in appearance.  In fact, the mansion would look very much symmetrical if it weren't for the chimneys.  There were many chimneys that jutted from the various roofs like teeth, unpredictable in position and size.  A few of the chimneys sent drifts of smoke from their tops, while the others remained empty of all but soot. 
Windows large and small also decorated the great home, lit in yellow by some warming light from the inside.  It showed hospitality, though also intimidation.  One couldn't help but wonder at how many residents must be staying in the mammoth mansion.  Peach's eyes darted from one thing to the next across its face, stopping her redundant gazing to look upon a stone gargoyle jutting out from the wall, sneering at the sky.  She also spotted a few balconies, along with unlit windows, black and glossy in their appearance, haunting to the soul.
Still as Peach looked upon such a magnificent sight, she couldn't help but feel immensely scared with her position.  She looked back to her foul keeper, dressed in his classy top hat and wiped with a sly grin.  She thought of his past statement.  Oh how he could try to marry her all he wanted, but she would rather die than devote herself to this foolish cretin.  He claimed that there was no way he'd let her go if she refused marriage; but she was confident.  She would leave this place before her if it was the last thing she'd do.  And as she gazed upon her frightening suitor, she allowed herself to grow angry.  The muscles in her face tightened as she felt her brow knot.     
"You....." she said through angrily.  "You awful, awful..." she pulled upon her hair and grinded her teeth, her muscles tensing even more and her eyes hidden behind squeezed eyelids.  She groaned through her locked teeth, her stomach feeling a sudden surge of sickness.  Her hands immediately clasped around her petite stomach as her chin drooped to her chest.  Peach's golden, flowing hair extended vertically until it brushed against the soft, shag carpet upon the floor of the buggy.  Booregard was entranced by her amazing hair, paying no attention to her subtle moans. 
He noticed not the way in which Peach was coiled in pain of illness, and said, "Oh dear princess, you will now come into my kingdom with me by your side.  Oh how my royal subjects are truly looking forward to seeing you."
Peach looked up from her knees, her hands still clutching her stomach as she blunty said, "What?"
Booregard closed his eyes and sighed, saying, "You see dear Peach, each time I go off from my land to look for a lady in which to share my wealth with, the residents of my kingdom wait all night for my home-coming to see if I have finally found my prize.  Many a time have I returned home disappointed.  Hm hm..... but not tonight..." he fixed Peach with the most sly and mischievous of smiles, and Peach could sense what was on his mind.  She was disgusted at the thought, and held her stomach even tighter. 
The carriage then proceeded to move along the black circle, making its way around the fountain and towards an eerie black gate, great points jutting from the ends of the gates' bars.  They pointed to the starry night sky in a way that was gruesome.  Suddenly, Peach saw the six pink female boos appear from behind the buggy, drifting towards the gates in their graceful fashion.  Peach watched as they all helped to pull open the gates, resulting in a wailing screech from its rusty hinges.  As the buggy passed on by through the gate, the pink boos all gazed at Booregard flirtatiously, waving at him kindly.  When they saw Peach they all scowled, showing their teeth and glaring at her.  Peach avoided their eye contact as she tried to keep herself as calm as possible. 
Booregard and Peach rode up to a stop at the foot of the towering mansion.  It was quite immense in height, and looked very intimidating.  The door of the buggy suddenly swung open like it had done inside the glade, and Booregard lifted a hand as a gesture for Peach to go first.  Peach looked back at him and shook her head, a worried look on her pale face.  Booregard made his gesture stronger.  Peach still shook her stinging head.  Finally, Booregard raised his hand to hand Peach be lifted up into the brisk night air.  Peach yelped at the suddenly lurch in height, feeling the familiar sense of an invisible giant taking hold of her.  She was forced out of the door.  In mid-air the invisible hand had disappeared, sending Peach flying down to the pavement below.   
She forced herself up on bruised hands and knees, standing upon her two awkward feet.  She gazed back at the tall carriage to see Booregard float outside handsomely.  Peach's hair was tangled, her night gown filthy.  Her legs and arms were scratched up and bruised, and her faced was pale and scared.  Booregard frowned at her appearance. 
"No, this won't do," he said sourly.  He raised a hand into the air as he had done many times before.  Suddenly, a dress had appeared out of nowhere in his pale, ghostly hand.  The dress was colored black, the top of it a dark blue.  Upon the chest of this outfit was a purple jewel that shone sinningly.  The cuffs were puffy, just liker her old dress, only colored a dark blue instead of pink.
"Put this on," said Booregard, throwing the dress at Peach.  She barely caught it in her white gloved hands as she gazed angrily at the pale ghost.  She decided that there was no use arguing about this, considering that she would most likely be threatened to dress in the hideous outfit if she was to refuse.  However, the princess did order Booregard to turn around as she dressed, which he did so with a sly grin. 
Peach pulled off her soft, light night gown, feeling the nip of the night  air reach her pale skin.  Quickly she jumped into her new, dark dress.  It was itchy, and uncomfortable, fitting too tight in some areas while too loose in others.  She hated the dress, but hated the ghost who gave it to her even more. 
Booregard quickly spun around as Peach jumped unexpectedly. 
"H-h-how did you know I was finished?" asked the shocked Peach as she combed her fingers through her tangling blonde hair.  Booregard avoided this question with a laugh.  Quickly he hovered to the side of the glowering princess, taking her by the arm with a smile.  Peach tried to draw back, but found that the ghost's grip was tight. 
"Come now, my princess," said Booregard, mischief in his eye, "let us go greet the residents of my humble kingdom..."
The boo lead a stumbling Peach to the tall, narrow green doorway.  Peach's stomach did back flips as she watched Booregard grasp the golden doorknob before him, giving it a swift turn.  Peach's breath suddenly felt fast to her once again as the door was thrown open, and light poured over the princess and the boo.  The boo pulled Princess Peach into the suddenly bright room, Peach being in complete shock.  The door shut behind them and Peach gazed upon the sight before her. 
Tons, and tons of strange creatures were packed inside the enormous entry hall before her.  This entry wall was far larger than the one inside her castle.  But Peach could hardly notice any detail of the room, for it was completely crowded with residents of Booregard's kingdom!  There were dry bones gazing upon Booregard and Peach with their glazed red eyes, shadow sirens kept in the shadows but intent on their master and his mistress.  There were bats hanging from the glittering chandeliers above, duplighosts with their crooked smiles, and many other wicked creatures of the night.  But most of all, there were ghosts!  Ghosts of many shapes and sizes!  There were green ghosts, blue ghosts, red ghosts, purple ghosts, and many other kinds.  They all smiled upon the boo and his bride with blank eyes, waiting for an announcement.
Peach's heart raced at the enormous crowd of terrible creatures, her mouth gapping in fear.  Suddenly, she heard Booregard next to her bellow, "My followers!"
All the creatures of the entry hall were intent to listen as he continued. 
"I give you........" he gazed over at Peach boastingly, then yelled out to his comrades, "THE MISTRESS OF LICKNOT MANOR!!!"  Peach looked at Booregard in utter horror.
The entry hall erupted in an explosion of cheers.  All of the dark creatures jumped up and down, crying and yelling for joy.  The immense sound thundered upon Peach's ears as she looked worriedly from one ghostly being to the next.  They all gazed at her with deathly eyes, each of them equipped with an excited smile, looking as though they had each just won something.  Peach brought her hands to her ears, trying to block out the terrible screeching sound from the bats overhead.  Booregard merely hovered higher into the air, basking in all of his great applause.  Peach looked up at him, her stomach in knots and her mind racing.  Tears brimmed her pure eyes as she gasped for air, confused and alone. 
                 

[Ultima Shadow]

I feel sorry for Peach, please let her out of this kingdom!

[The Blue Toad]

Hmmm....maybe I will.....but maybe.......(evil snicker).
Okay, here's the next chapter:

Chapter 5:  An Elegant Place

The hall continued to ring with the laughter and cheers from the various spooks hovering about.  Shivers raced upon Peach's spine as she looked at them all, seeing their jeering ways and foolish behavior.  She tugged upon the skirt of her dress, pulling it down to the floor as she felt it rose to high on her.  She was filled with so much discomfort with this stupid dress, and was getting frustrated with the sounds of the yelling ghosts beside her.  She felt like turning to them and yelling out profanities, storming out of the horrific mansion to leave Booregard alone and depressed.  She cared not for the feelings of him nor the feelings of any other ghost or spirit that may roam this horrid place. 
Their lungs shook the invisible walls of which their figures blocked Peach's eyes.  All she could see of this room was the bright ceiling above, alive with the twitchiness of bats and the glittering of confetti.  Three chandeliers could be seen hung from the ceiling, and all glittered brilliantly.  The ceiling itself was painted, painted a dark blue to no one's surprise and was decorated with white stars and a moon in the very center.  Why, it was only a tad bit more surreal than the actual sky outside! 
Though most of the tall walls were, indeed, invisible to Peach's quivering eyes, she could catch a glimpse of elegant red curtains lining the top, bordering the ceiling in a most fashionable way.  Peach's observant adventure soon came to a halt as her heart leapt into her throat at the feeling of a thick, warmly wet tongue pasting against her fragile face.  It slowly moved up along her left cheek, being accompanied by a slurping sound.  All of the nerves in her body shook as the large tongue finally left her face, leaving her with warm drool.
Booregard Licknot laughed with affection, as his ghost crowd continued to cheer over the victory of the suitor king.  Princess Peach brought a shaking hand to her amiable face, stroking away the unwanted saliva.  She watched as Booregard flew suddenly up to the painted moon upon his high ceiling.  He stopped, gazing upon his subjects with admiration and a keen smile.  The six pink boos awed over his success in lust for him, dreaming and hoping.  The crowd settled down as they began to crowd around Peach, staring up towards the ceiling to the place which Booregard hovered.  A moping shadow siren glided near the princess, it's body shaded in a dark purple, its ghostly tail doomed to stay locked to the ground for life.  It raised its dark head as its neighbor did so, and as its neighbor did so, and so on.  Peach looked up as well.
"Friends!" cried the Master Licknot, "I am happy to welcome our new queen to such a superb manor!  May her stay bring us the respect and honor that we deserve, but so long have not recieved!"  The royal fans cried in approval.  "May Princess Peach be welcomed here gratefully, and with hospitality!  For she is, my good people - ONE OF US!"
There was an even louder eruption applause, and Peach jumped, feeling startled.
"And now!" cried the high floating boo once more, "May we bring ourselves into the Great Hall, where we shall feast!" 
With cries of approval and anxiousness, the ghostly subjects suddenly flooded to the North end of the room, draining into a very large door.  Peach watched in awe as they all disappeared behind that door, leaving the room empty.  Peach could now see the magnificient room before her.  With many doors along the stone walls, and fine red carpet upon the floor, the entry hall looked honorable.  Red curtains hung from the borders of the ceiling elegantly, draping down a few inches in loops and curves.  Towards the North end of the room was a short flight of stairs, leading to the door in which the ghosts filed through.  At the door, two more flights of stairs split off in opposite directions, leading upwards to a wooden door at each end.  Along the walls of the entry hall were portraits.  Upon them showed some ghosts of people.  Being blue in complexion, with golden eyes that gleamed, they were painted in different poses that varied from ghost to ghost.  But the biggest portrait of all was above the mammoth door.  It was a wonderful picture of Booregard.  He was wearing his top hat, and smirking at the criticizer.  It looked as though the painting took place upon the couch of his carriage, though it was hard to tell where, exactly, he was located.
Peach was distracted from examining the room as the ghost suitor hovered close to her, offering an arm with a glee smile.  They were the only ones left inside the tremendous entry hall, and Peach turned her head to the ghost in disgust.  Booregard didn't seem to show any affect to this as he simply took up Peach's arm in his pearl white arm, pulling her along up the flight of stairs and into the large door.  Peach tried to recoil angrily from his grasp, finding that she couldn't.  She stumbled into a room that seemed as large as the entry hall!  Her glossy eyes gazed in disbelief, eyeing what lay before her. 
Upon the floor were four long tables, stretching all the way across the room.  Upon these very long tables were white table clothes, and nothing else.  The anxious ghosts hovered around the long edges of the narrow tables, talking to each other and making excited conversation.  The long room was lit by four magnificent chandeliers, maybe just a tad smaller than the ones inside the entry hall.  The walls were the same, honorable brick as before, and the carpet had split of into one long narrow strip that crawled down the stretching room until it reached a rather short table at the very end.  This table at the very North side of the room was located in front of an enormous structure of windows, peeking out at the dreamy night sky.  And in front of this window structure, behind the small table was a large black chair.  It was tipped with large points, reminded Peach of the horrid gate that waited outside.  As she looked to the ceiling, she found that it was painted as well, though not as the night sky.  It was painted as a regular ceiling with wide brown borders lining it.  However, upon the ceiling were also painted elegant, swirling boos.  With tails that were long, and smiles that were more gracious than fearing, the many painted boos were frozen in dance about the ceiling, their white bodies amiable and radiant.
Peach felt strangely entranced as she looked from one boo to the next, finding each one in a different pose than the other.  Suddenly, the terrible Booregard pulled the princess forward by her gloved hand.  She was lifted off of her feet with a brief yelp and then quickly flown to the far table at the end of the room.  She gasped as she felt herself slowly coming to a stop, her dress settling itself. 
Booregard smiled at her, taking a seat in his enormous black throne.  She looked at him anxiosly as she saw him wave a hand into the air.  A black chair suddenly appeared by his side, though not nearly as glamorous or as large as his throne.  It was simply a small, wooden black chair.  He patted the seat lightly, gazing at his new princess.
Peach's brow knotted as she felt her hands clench into fists.                                 

[The Blue Toad]

Sorry I haven't updated in a long time.  I've been really sick lately.  :(

Chapter 6:  Trouble in the Resting Quarters

Upon the small, uncomfortable chair she sat.  Feeling small, and intimidated she looked up upon the suitor in the tall throne.  He smiled as gazed upon his subjects that were now seated at the tables about the room, taking in all of the apparent success of his kingdom.  He suddenly consulted the room, needing not to take a stand for he was already hovering above the seat of his mighty chair.
"Now let us eat!" he cried out, as applause broke free from some of the ghostly subjects.  Doors that were located at the side of the enormous room suddenly burst open, and plates gently glided out from their steaming origins.  They danced through the air until the plates could find a spot in front of a willing mouth to place itself on a table.  Peach watched in anxiety as the ghosts began to gobble upon their food gluttonously.  Peach rubbed her hands together as her head had a surge of dizziness. 
The swelling bump that resided there was still bothering her.  Her cheeks flushed in frustration as she held her eyes shut, rubbing her burning bruise.  Her teeth were bound together, and her toes curled inward.  Booregard looked upon his hostage of whom he sat beside.  He saw the great pain that she was in, and how uncomfortable she was feeling.
"Oh, princess," said Booregard.  "Simply eat some of my food, you're sure to feel better then."  The boo snapped his pale fingers as a plate of steaming roast stopped in mid-flight and changed direction.  It turned to Peach and glided neatly through the air, landing upon her table.  Peach looked at the food and felt her stomach cringe.  It wasn't that the food looked bad, or anything, it was simply that she felt very sick to her stomach.  She went light-headed simply at the smell of the food, and her stomach churned angrily as the fumes continued to enter her nostrils.  She shoved the plate away, clutching her stomach.
"No food," said Peach with a small groan.  Booregard frowned at her disappointedly.
"You want to talk to the chef?" he asked. 
Peach shook her head and replied, "I want to go home." 
Booregard's eyes narrowed upon her pale, sickly faced.  He rose a mischievous hand and tapped his maiden on her blonde head.  Peach scowled at his touch and was about to turn to him abruptly with a fine smack in the face.  However, Peach was suddenly sent flying the the air, taking sharp turns and quick spins.  Her eyes widened as she stomach leapt about in discomfort.  Peach could feel her hair whipping about in her face, and her head positively buzzing as if bees lived inside her brain. 
Her skin tugged on to her bones as Peach was sent through a swirling vortex of discomfort.  Finally, the fair princess came to a sudden stop.  She fell from the air and into a soft bed.  Peach's heart was fluttering like the wings of a hummingbird, and she was breathing as fast as ever.  She grasped her chest, panting heavily.  As she stared up at a blank, wooden ceiling, she felt the need to grasp the sheets of her bed as an attempt to stay where she was. 
"I hate this place," she said quietly to herself.  Peach breathed in and out and in and out, gradually decreasing her hyperventilating.  She tried her hardest to calm herself down.  With her eyes closed she took a deep breath through her small nose.
Alright, Peach.  Just make it through this.  You've been in many situations like this, and Mario always ends up saving you in the end.  Just don't panic......don't......panic........... 
*              *              *              *
Darkness comforted her like a warm blanket, sleep accompanying her.  Peach felt more calm and peaceful than she ever had been since she arrived at the terrifying mansion.  The sheets and blankets were beneath her as she simply slept in her poofy purple dress, too tired to care.  Slowly Peach began to awaken.  A narrow crescent of light greeted her through sleepy eyes as she pulled herself awake.  Peach was greeted with the familiar brown ceiling, and her stomach dropped in depression.  She let out a sad whimper as she brought her gloved hands up to rub her tired face.
Peach brought herself to sit up in the tangle of bedsheets that she rested on.  Instantly she let out a scream, her heart jumping at the sight of Booregard at the foot of her bed.  He watched her with terrible, twinkling eyes.  Peach recoiled in horror as the ghost let out a bone-chilling laugh. 
"Did you have a nice nap, my dear?" said he. 
"What are you doing in here?" said Peach quickly, still recovering from her most unpleasant surprise. 
"What do you mean?" said Booregard.  "This is my room!"  Peach furrowed her forehead.
"Y-your room?" she asked.  The suitor nodded happily in return.  "Well then...where's my room?!" cried Peach.  "I mean, if you're going to keep me locked up in this awful mansion you might as well give me a room!"
"Oh, princess, you have it all wrong!" Booregard said.  "This is my room and your room."     
Princess Peach laid him with a most disgusted look.  She narrowed her piercing eyes, and crinkled her smooth face.  Instantly she leapt from the bed, dispite her cringing stomach and stinging head.
"I refuse to share anything with the likes of you!" exclaimed Peach. 
At this the suitor merely laughed and said, "Not even a kingdom, my fine mistress?"
"I am not your mistress!" said Peach angrily as she felt her muscles clench in undeniable anger.  "I will never be your mistress!  Don't you understand you little urchin?  I will find a way out of here!"
"Oh don't be too sure," said Boroegard quickly, seeming to grow in size as he approached the bewildered Peach.  "No one ever escapes this castle without my say.  You shall marry me, and you'll be queen of this fine manor!"  He now appeared as a very large boo and looked upon the cowering Peach with a large and evil grin.  Peach shook upon the dusty floor below her as she gazed upon the enormous ghost and his gleaming eyes.  "Now come!" said he, "We shall sleep!"
Booregard floated over to the bed, shrinking back to his regular boo size.  Peach rose to her feet nervously as she looked over towards the bed.  Booregard hovered above the rustled covers and patted the spot next to him in the same fashion he had before.  Peach gave him an even more disgusted look than before. 
"I will never!" said Peach.  "I'd rather be a lowly servant in this awful house!"
Booregard gave her a peculiar look... 

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 7:  Inspection at the Mushroom Castle

The incessant rain continued its thirsty pour as the sky continued to rumble throughout the night.  Toadsworth nervously twiddled his thumbs as he paced from one side of the room to the other.  His eyes were heavy and his face was long and pale.  His mustache glowed whiter than ever, and he gave off a ghostly aspect.  His vision dragged across the shadowed carpet beneath his shuffling feet as he pondered to himself.  He could overhear two other toads nearby, and while he listened to their excited hisses of conversation he suddenly heard the sound of a motor engine driving up around the fountain outside.  He looked up and quickly ran to the door that he and the toads had been too frightened to close. 
Outside, he set his black eyes upon a rather small motorized buggy, much like the one that Peach was in possession of, only it was black instead of pink, and wasn't encrusted with hearts upon the hubcaps.  The buggy came to a halt at the foot of the stone bridge, which drew to the castle's open door. 
"Boys," said Toadsworth, "the detective is here!  One of you go out and get him an umbrella.  This rain is monstrous, we can't have him walking through it!"
A blue-spotted servant quickly pulled forth a light green umbrella from a stand near the door.  Placing his small hand near the very top, the toad pulled at its point.  The umbrella suddenly opened with an air-releasing poof and the toad proceeded to go out into the raging rainstorm.
He stepped into a large puddle, water splashing up and on the edge of his pants.  The sound of raindrops ricocheting off the top of the curving umbrella was the only other sound he sound hear besides his own footsteps.  The blue toad made his way up to the buggy where he slowed to a halt, looking upon the magnificent car in awe.  He stared into the glossy black window before him, waiting for someone to open the door.  Awkwardly he felt himself begin to tremble in the cold air, his teeth starting to chatter.  There was finally a click sounded from the door and it opened wide.  The toad stepped back as he saw a bob-omb step out.  The bob-omb resembled a cannonball, silky black and noble in its appearance.  Upon his round face was a gray mustache, curling on each end elegantly.  His mustache was accompanied by two enormous, bushy eyebrows that extended from beneath the rim of his fine, dark-blue bowler hat.  At the base of his bowler hat was a green and blue plaid ribbon.  This matched well with his bow-tie, which was also green and blue plaid.  But it did not stop there, for the old bob-omb also wore green and blue plaid socks, which looked rather ridiculous pulled up above his glossy black shoes. 
"Here, here," said he, looking into the stirring sky.  His voice was old and thick, yet sounded proper and English.  "Quite a storm, eh?  Best bring me inside, then."
He made his way underneath the umbrella, standing next to the blue toad.  He revealed that the key, of which erected from his back as most bob-ombs are in possession of, was well-polished silver, representing elegance along with respect. 
The blue toad then noticed that the bob-omb was not the only one of whom was inside the buggy and meant to approach the castle.  Apparently, the driver of the buggy was to be coming in as well.  The driver had opened the door on the opposite side of the car from where the blue toad stood and then let it shut with a crisp slam.  They then quickly made their way around, being quick to pace.  It was revealed that the other person to accompany them was a female yoshi, dressed tightly in a cream-colored trench coat.  Her small, green snout erected from the collar, and her black curls of hair dangled down from beneath the rim of a hat that looked as though it belonged on the head of a top journalist in New York. 
"Oh- er," said the bob-omb turning to the blue toad, "she can come along as well."
The blue toad replied with a nod of his head as he proceeded to guide the two guests to the front door of the castle. 
Toadsworth watched anxiously as they grew ever closer.  Perhaps, if the investigation went well, the detective would be able to find out what happened to Peach on this very night, and perhaps even where she was now.  That was the most important thing to find out at the moment.  The blue toad was now inches from the door as Toadsworth stepped back to allow his valued guests to enter from out of the careless rain. 
"Welcome!" he said as the umbrella was brought to a maladroit close, spreading raindrops all over the carpet.  The bob-omb looked around the room approvingly, hardly even taking noticed in the pieces of wood that were scattered about, which were due to the incident of the piano smashing through the door.  The yoshi girl took off her hat, revealing her two sweet-looking black eyes and her neatly-parted hair of black curls.  She looked around the room anxiously, pulling from her coat pocket a small pad of paper and a glossy black pen.
"Hello there," said the classy bob-omb respectfully.  He waddled up to Toadsworth and looked him in the eye.  "I am Detective Theodore R. Bom-Bers, at your service!" 
Toadsworth reached out a hand, saying, "Oh, well, that-that's very kind-"
"And I'm Amelia Eggington," said the yoshi.  "Top journalist for the Daily Mushroom."
"W-well," said Toadsworth, "it's very nice to meet you both.  Now, please, won't you-"
"Before anything else happens I want an exact play-by-play of what happened tonight," Detective Bom-Bers said abruptly.  "Tell me scene-by-scene of what happened, and where, and how, eh ol' boy?  I need to know precisely what happened here!"  With that he pulled forth a pipe and stuck it below his fuzzy mustache.  "You don't mind if I smoke, do you?" he asked, pulling out a box of matches as well.
"Oh, um, no, not at all," Toadsworth replied.  The detective lit up his pipe and huffed a few puffs to get it started. 
"Yes, I couldn't agree with you more Bom-Bers," said Amelia in her voice that sounded gentle and kind, yet eager and serious, "I want to know exactly what happened here.  I want to know the drama of it all, the in-depth story!"
"But make sure you write down the important things as well, Amelia," Bom-Bers said.  "You need to be sure to get the clues and the basics as well...we're working as a team here, remember?"
"Yes, yes I know," replied the yoshi.  "You put together the clues, I record them on paper.  I got it."
"Good then," said Bom-Bers, blowing a smoke ring from beneath the gray bushel of hair on his face.  "So then.  I say we hear it all, mister...uh.....mister.......?"
"Toadsworth..." said he, feeling a bit baffled.
"Oh.  Right, right.  My apologies Mr. Toadsworth.  Lets hear it then."
So Toadsworth told the entire story of Peach's kidnapping to Amelia and Detective Bom-Bers.  He made detail of what the princess had been like, and where everything happened.  He showed them the piano, and how it had been dragged out from its room and burst through the door.  Then Toadsworth began to draw near to the end of his story, in which he said, "Next the strange boo had in his hands some sort of cage."  Toadsworth looked into the floor, trying to picture the item Booregard had in his hand after Peach rejected him.  "It was like...it was like a birdcage!  Yes.  And he showed it to Peach and asked her if she liked it.  Peach asked the miserable suitor what it was, and he claimed that it was his house.  Then he held the birdcage over his ghastly head, and brought it down upon the princess like a hammer!  And then, Peach was gone!  She had simply disappeared as soon as the birdcage hit her!  Everyone was screaming, and began to move in on that terrible creature.  He simply laughed.  He laughed at all of us for even trying.  And then.....then he flew back outside with his six companions..... and before we knew any better.....they had all left in their yoshi-less buggy....birdcage and all......"  Toadsworth shook his head sadly.
"How odd..." said Detective Bom-Bers, knotting his brow in thought as he inhaled deeply upon his pipe.
Silence entranced the room, broken only by the soft percussion of rain outside and the sound of fierce writing from Amelia's pen.  Detective Bom-Bers had taken out a magnifying glass and was stroking his chin with it thoughtfully. 
"Well, Mr. Toadsworth," said Detective Bom-Bers.  "I don't know of how much help we can be... but I'll try my hardest to solve this mystery-or so help me, my name isn't Theodore Rufus Bom-Bers!"                 
 

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 8:  A New Setting

Peach screamed in agony as she clung to the rope with all her might, her legs scrambling to get a clean grasp around its narrow, wiry neck.  Her heart fluttered like a bird and her mind raced as the single line of rope swayed to and fro.  Her palms were red as they scraped along the lose threads, her knuckles white from hanging on so tightly.  Peach's legs were now wrapped around the rope like a coiled snake, quivering violently.  Her eyes were enormous as she looked down.  Her nightgown (which she had been given back after much argument) hung down carelessly below her feet as she gazed into a dark, never-ending pit.  Her screams echoed from the bottom of the pit and met her ears like haunting memories.  Peach then looked up to see the rope attached to the mere ceiling of Booregard's bedroom.  When the boo had heard Peach's refusal to go to bed with him, and after an argument between the two of them, the next thing Peach knew a trap door had given way beneath her, and a rope had fallen by her side.  Being instinctive, Peach had grabbed the rope to save her fall. 
Booregard looked down at her from over the edge of the square pit in which Peach fell.  He chuckled heartlessly to see his dear maiden, dangling helplessly like a worm on a hook.  Princess Peach looked down again as her chest heaved.  Her feet felt colder as they slid down the rope into darkness, and she panicked as they did show.  Quickly she shimmied her way up the rope, feeling her arms and legs burning from the rough texture.  She was now near the very top, at the ceiling.  If Peach had been a more daring girl she would have attempted to jump across the pit of which she past fell, onto the floor of her kidnapper to look him in the eye.   However, as Peach looked at the gap in which she would have to jump from the rope to solid ground, she decided otherwise.  She hung there, panting heavily. 
"How dare you!" she said through a rapid breath.  "I thought you cared about me!"  Peach blushed as Booregard began to laugh.
"Well, you obviously don't care about me!" said Booregard.  "Considering the fact that you can't even share a room with me without looking disgusted!"
"Well...!" said Peach, sounding fierce but then dying off with nothing else to say.
"Listen, princess.  I have a proposal for you," said Booregard as he began to pace around the black pit of which Peach dangled above shakily.  "Since you obviously do not see the privileges I am offering you as mistress, I will allow you to be one of my many servants."  Peach gaped, appalled at such an offer.  "Sh sh sh!" hushed Booregard as he continued.  "Wait, you have two options, my dear...  Either you help out around my mansion as a servant to learn how much better it would be to be mistress and change your mind about marrying me," Booregard stopped to take an intake of breath as Peach rolled her eyes.  "Or I can cut the rope your dangling from and feed you to the dark spirits below."  With that Booregard pulled forth a large, shining pair of scissors from behind his back with a wide, menacing grin.  Peach gasped shakily as she made panicky movements to get a firmer grasp upon the swaying rope. 
"I'll be your servant!  I'll be your servant!" cried Peach helplessly as she squeezed her eyes shut in horror, her body huddled towards the very top of the rope in desire for comfort, and safety, of which she found neither.  Booregard laughed once more as he threw away the scissors and snapped his fingers.  In a swift movement the rope was magically pulled out from the pit and the floor was closed beneath Peach.  With shaky hands and aching fingers, Peach let go of the rope as she plummeted to the floor beneath her.  Quickly she raced off of the spot of which the trap door was located, fearing if it should open again.  She smoothed her night gown with quivering hands as she watched Booregard hover towards her.  She gave a shriek as she was suddenly lifted into the air just inches off the ground by the hand of her kidnapper.  Together they glided out of Booregard's bedroom.  Peach hardly got a chance to take in the strange arts of the hallway they were gliding through for they went at such speed.  It was the same type of art that decorated Booregard's room, and it shrank into common decor the farther they traveled.
"Where are you taking me?" cried Peach as the ghost and her raced through the halls, going down steps and through doors.  He did not answer her but looked on ahead, a keen smiled spread across his glowing face.  It made Peach's stomach churn anxiously as she looked ahead. 
They were suddenly gliding at full speed down countless stairs, into the basement of Booregard's mansion.  Peach was frightened as she looked upon haunting portraits upon the flickering walls, lit by the flicker of warm-glowing lanterns.  They then burst through a door in which they flew through a long, winding hallway, empty of any living or non-living thing.  Booregard came to a sudden halt in the hallway, causing Peach to lunge forward and fall to the dark red carpet below her.  Quickly she stood up, brushing her elbows.  They were located in front of a brown door that was along the long, dark green hallway.  It was between two warm lanterns, and had bronze, dusty numbers 00011 placed upon it. 
"This," said Booreagard happily, "is your room."  He smiled.
"M-....my room?" said Peach.
"Yes," Booregard replied.  "You are my servant now, and this is where all of my servants are located; in these hallways of the basement."  Peach took a sharp intake of breath. 
"Booregard-" she began.
"No, no, no!" said Booregard suddenly.  "From now on, you serve me.  If you ever even come in contact with me, which my servants rarely ever do, you are to address me as Lord Licknot...understand?"
Peach glared at him and said, "Why, you awful little boo!"
"Ah ah ah!  I wouldn't recommend saying anything like that, measly servant.  I don't do lightly when it comes to punishments..."  Booregard smiled cruelly as he looked at Peach with sudden evil and frightening eyes.  Peach nodded nervously, holding her hands together near her frightened face.  "Now, then......good night...." Booregard said as he slowly faded away, leaving Peach to stand in the cold, dark hallway.  She instantly felt paranoid and grabbed hold of the bronze doorknob of room number 00011.  She gave it a twist and pulled open the door, wandering into a dark room beyond.  Her heart was upbeat, and her mind was blank.  She was alone, cold, and very afraid.  But perhaps the worst of it all was that she couldn't think of one good thing that came out of this.                   

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 9:  A Hard First Morning

Princess Peach skimmed her hand across the bumpy wall to her left, letting it guide her through the darkness.  She stepped cautiously along the springy carpet, closing the door behind her.  She left herself in a room painted black, continuing her way through.  Her gentle hand brushed over the rather rough-feeling wall down a straight hallway.  Peach's heart pattered helplessly against her chest as she continued to tip-toe through shadow.  Suddenly, her hand stopped at a bump in the wall.  As Peach felt it a little better, she realized that it was a door frame.  Peach reached out with both hands to touch the two sides of the narrow door, leaning into another dark room beyond.  Helplessly, her left hand reached for the wall inside the new door.  Her fingers tapped along the wall-paper blindly as she let her sense of feeling search for a light switch.  She finally brushed across a dull thorn peeking out from the wall.  She pushed upon the thorn to suddenly be introduced to a small bathroom.  With a rather loud clicking sound the light switch had been activated, the lamp upon the ceiling shedding light unto the bathroom walls and floor. 
Peach gazed inside to see a rather small, but thankfully clean, toilet located at the very end of the room in a corner.  It was located next to a countertop.  The countertop held a built-in sink, and various bars of soap.  Above the countertop, located on the wall, was a mirror.  It reflected dully, and seemed rather dirty, but it was a fine vanity mirror none the less.  Opposite of the wall that held the toilet and sink was a shower, built in to the white tiles on the floor.  It extended up to thigh-height, a rather tall bathtub, with a shower nozzle erecting from the bow of the tub and up to the ceiling.  The walls were painted a pea-green, and over-all gave off a clean feeling.  Peach was most certainly surprised to see the pink curtains that hung along the shower rack as well.  If she ever took a shower, she might feel right at home surrounded by all the pink. 
Though Peach wasn't bothered by the bathroom so much, she still didn't allow its surprising cleanliness to cheer her up.  She simply assumed that Booregard must have had someone quickly tidy things up for her before she came.  Even though he was treating her rotten for a reason that helped only himself, he still could not fool love.  He still cared for the princess dearly, whether she was now his slave or not.
Peach made her way into the carpeted hall outside of the bathroom, not turning of the bathroom light as so she could see a little farther outside.  But as she stepped unto the springy carpet she found that all the light allowed her eyes to see was the wall outside, which gave her permission to believe that from the door she walked into a short, narrow hallway, could take a left turn up ahead to the bathroom, and as far as continuing north of the room she wasn't quite sure.
Peach touched her hand to the right wall this time as she continued deeper into her room.  She wandered into the darkness once more, silence filling up inside her ears like water in a cup.  Suddenly, Peach felt herself bump into a small table farther down.  She reached out to feel something rough, yet rather flimsy.  It had the structure of cardboard, and yet the feeling of roughly textured drapes that would hang over a window.  As she felt down lower on the object, she felt that the cardboard would cut off, and her hands landed on a smooth, round pot.  Then she felt the dangling of a chain brush over her hand, and Peach realized that she had been feeling a lampshade earlier, and that this was simply a lamp on a small night table.
Peach grabbed hold of the chain and gave in a tug downwards.  There was a soft click, and warm light poured down from the lampshade of the lamp, and shone out the top of the jagged circle as well.  Peach was now able to see her room before her, and she realized that perhaps that bathroom was the better part of the deal.  Inside the rather small, box of a room there was a single bed located in the center of the North wall, along with a small night table by its bedside.  The wall was still a pea-green color, which Peach thought looked better in the bathroom.  Along the South wall there was a small table that held a lamp (the table Peach had bumped in to) that resided to the left of a long row of two rather large wooden dressers.  Along with a bookshelf along the East wall with a tall lamp located in the corner, that was about all the made up Peach's new bedroom.  The princess, however, found that she didn't care much about the condition of the room, as long as it held a bed.  She was feeling more tired now than she had in a very, very long while.  With a stretch and a yawn the princess walked over to her new, rather small, bed.  She quickly pulled back the blue-colored covers to reveal a white sheet residing over the mattress and two pillows towards the head of the bed.  Her fingers brushed over the mattress, bouncing upon its springy surface once or twice.  Peach fluffed her pillows, organizing them to the way she new her head liked them; one over the other in diagonal positions.  With that she walked back to the round little lamp that gave off so much light, and with a single click the room was dark yet again.  Peach hurried back to the bed as she snuggled herself underneath the scratchy covers, falling asleep in the loud silence. 
*              *               *              *               *               *
Peach was awakened suddenly and abruptly that morning, giving her not a time to slowly greet the morning that awaited her.  There was a loud banging upon her wooden door that caused her to jump out of bed.  Her hair was tangled and in a mess, her faced pale and dreary.  Peach climbed out of her warm, springy bed, her feet landing on the cold, soft carpet.  The banging upon her door went away, though she instantly her the same banging sound on the neighboring door, and then the door next to that one, and the door next to that.  Peach looked around her dark room and raced to the lamp that she had bumped into the night before.  She found its metal chain, and gave it a yank.  The familiar, golden light greeted her small room once more.
Peach then realized what a good sleep she had last night.  It surprised her so how tired she had been.  Never had she realized that she was so vulnerable to sleep.  I expected myself to be tossing and turning last night, Peach thought.  But this is the best sleep I've had in days...  Peach decided not to think too much in to it and made her way into her bathroom, feeling rather confused.  What exactly was she supposed to be doing in the morning?  As Peach looked at her reflection in the mirror, she shook her head in disgust.  Being a servant or not, I can't go out anywhere looking like this!   
Peach looked about the room for a comb.  She checked the drawers of the countertop only to find shampoos and conditioners.  Feeling appalled at the fact that there were no combs, she settled for her fingers instead.  She ran them through her tangled, golden hair, a frustrated expression on her amiable face.  Her blonde curls sprung up stubbornly as Peach growled at them with impatience.  She finally got her hair to be the best that it possibly could that morning, and left the bathroom to check on her wardrobe.
Looking inside the first drawer of her dresser, Peach found a hideous set of french-maids' outfits.  They were silky black, and had white frills on the cuffs.  Peach glowered at the uniform, and opened up the second drawer in the dresser.  To her disappointment, she found nothing but the same maid outfits.  As the princess opened each and every drawer she found nothing but the same uniform.  Peach glowered and sat back down upon her bed, smoothing out her thin, pink night gown admirably.
It was then, to Peach's immediate shock, that another loud knocking greeted her wooden door.  Peach stood up to gaze down the hall at the door.  Her wide, blue eyes stared into the dark wood like arrows.  Perhaps, if she didn't make a noise, they would leave.  In fact, perhaps Peach could create the image that no one was living inside room number 00011 at all!  But as Peach thought this, another loud knock came to her door.  The princess, however, still refused to answer.  She sat back down in her bed, her cold bare feet crossing under her night gown.  She stubbornly sat there as more knocks beat upon the door. 
She then heard a click.  To her horror, she could hear the door swinging open.  Princess Peach's stomach churned and her eyes widened as she quickly crawled to the head of her bed, getting under the covers in horror.  She hid her head under the blue comforter, the only sound to accompany her being her heavy breathing. 
"Excuse me," said a voice in the room.  "New girl, you gotta get up!"  Peach remained quiet to the rather stern-sounding voice.  There was a brief moment of silence throughout the room, when the stranger suddenly yelled, "NOW!" and pulled the blanket off of the shivering Princess Peach.  Instantly she curled up her feet, hugging her knees to her chest and closing her eyes. 
"What's going on in here?" said another voice as someone else entered the room.
"Nothing, I'm taking care of it," said the familiar female voice. 
"Alright.  I'll meet you in the garden," said the second voice as it drifted off into the hallway outside of Peach's room. 
"Alright, missy, lets go!  No one likes their first day!"
Peach slowly opened her eyes and peeked over her shoulder to see a strict-looking Squeek lady, black in color, wearing a light-green dress with black boots.  Her small hands were crossed as she looked at Peach with a predominating gleam in her eye.  The princess reluctantly got up and out of her bed, feeling humiliated and frustrated at her childish behavior. 
"Go on!  Get dressed!" said the squeek lady maternally.  Peach slowly walked over to the dresser and re-opened the top drawer.  She gazed back down at the french-maids' dress.  Its white frills taunted her deceitfully. 
"Why does my uniform look so much more humiliating than yours?" Peach mumbled as she picked up the dress.
"I'm a gardener," the squeek replied loudly.  "You got positioned as a maid.  Now go on, get dressed and I'll explain to you what you're to do on your first day!"  At that Peach scowled, making her way to the bathroom with her horrible dress at hand.  She was happy to get out of sight of the strict squeek lady, and the moment her feet brushed across the cold bathroom tiles she slammed the door behind her.  Peach remained standing there, gazing into her maid uniform.  She heaved a heavy sigh.  Suddenly, she felt a single awkward tear rolled down her face.  Instantly Peach's hand rose up to meet it, whipping it away quickly.  She sniffed loudly, and then turned to look in the mirror.  Her brow was furrowed, her face stern.  She had her mind made up that she was going to get through this day strong, with her chin held high.  She was going to be leaving this hideous, surreal mansion if it was the last thing she'd ever do, and she wasn't ever going to do it by just sitting around and weeping with self-pity.                                         

[The Blue Toad]

Hey!  Remember this story???!?!?!?!1?!!/1!?1?1?1!?123.1/2.3c? 
Yeah, okay, I've been putting this off for a long time now.  I just have a lot to do at the moment, and this isn't one of my top priorities.  But I'll make a chapter just for you!  But then I have to read Great Expectations, so it might not be a very long one.  :-(

Chapter 10:  The Ghost Siren

Peach gazed upon herself in the mirror, judging each aspect of her trim figure once her rather itchy french-maids' outfit had been put on.  The rough, black silk stretched down to the floor just as her oh-so familiar, and ever-so-missed, pink, lacey dress had once done back at the Mushroom Kingdom.  The sleeves were like two balls of poofy black fabric that seemed to raise high into her armpits.  It would seem as though any clothing item meant for her in this mansion had been made far too short.  Before re-entering her small room (only to face the disconsolate squeek lady) Peach tried her hardest to make her wiry blonde hair stay in a reasonable position.  Peach found that without a comb or a brush (or any grooming tool at that matter) it was near impossible to position her hair just the way she liked.  So she naturally gave up on her hair with an angry grunt of frustration.  She swung open the narrow bathroom door as the lady squeek looked up at her from sitting on the bed.  She hastily stood up on her two, booted paws, and stepped over to Peach.  Taking her by the hand with a sign of aversion, she guided Peach into the hallway contemptibly and took her past the many doors with impatient speed.  Peach was trying to keep up nervously, as she felt in anxious leap in her stomach at the fact that she had forgotten to put any shoes on.  Her bare feet were luckily hidden underneath the veil of black that was the bell of her dress.  Stubbing her toes more than once on the rough carpet of the hallway, Peach tried to keep up with her guide's swift turns and coercing arm.  After a sharp left turn Peach lead her eyes upon the sight of a steep flight of stone stairs before her.  Without any hesitation Peach was swiftly lead up the stairs as she tried to ascend her bruised feet high enough so that she wouldn't trip upon one of the chipped gray bricks that stood bluntly out before her.  The once-pampered princess finally finished her rapid climb with the obtrusive squeek, and found her self inside a rather open, square room.  It was not heavily decorated as Booregard's room had been, whose prodigious and eerie ornaments had filled his hall and his room to the point of not being able to breath properly.  It was rather bland, and there was nothing truly special about it.  However, Peach could see before her an assembly line of very many maids, all wearing the same, awkward outfit as she.  The line seemed to be made up of only female toads, and they were all listening, with slight trepidation, to a very supercilious-looking female ghost.  She was frosty, and colored a very pale purple.  She was also dressed in the ridiculous french-maids' outfit, though this did not create her an equal to the rest of the maids in any a way.  She was floating from the left side of the assembly line to the right and then back again, her ghostly hands placed behind her well-postured back.  Her two silver eyes shone from her long, impertinent face into each of the toads', looking at them with aversion, as though they were each so far below her and ignominious to the bone.  Her voice spoke shrill, sounding malevolent, yet at the same time, rather blithe, in a very eerie way.  Ghosts are never pleasant company.  So frightening they are, yet melodious at the same time.
"This is where you will meet every morning," the squeek lady said to Peach, who turned her gaze away from the ghastly, floating figure and instead towards the black, fuzzy mouse before her.  Her yellow eyes held a certain distrust as she looked at Peach and said, "You are to take your assignment from your ghost leader every single morning.  In this case, since you're a maid, your ghost leader is Lady Caprishriek, that ghost there.  You will line up as you see the other maids doing, and she will divide you all into small groups.  She'll give your group a task, and that's what you do for the rest of the day."  At these last few words Peach felt herself fill with apprehension, her timid hands clenching into trembling fists that rose to her chin, her bare feet overlapping each other as they were suddenly very cold.  Before she knew it her small, mouse-like guide had began her way down the steep flight of stairs. 
"Wait!" said Peach instinctively.  She would much rather take orders from her than the intimidating ghost, who was ordering the maids around as though they were all a litter of shameful puppies who needed house-breaking.  The lady squeek turned her head with her yellow eyes widened, her two pupils darting from Peach to the assembly line, and then from Peach to the assembly line once more.  With that she disappeared down the stairs, just as Peach her the lady ghost behind her call out, "Now be off with you!" with a voice that sounded joyous, yet shrill and impregnable.  Peach turned her timid, pale countenance in the ghost's direction, her lustrous blue eyes filled with dread.  All of the female toads had started for the door that was located to the North of the room, directly opposite from the flight of stairs of which Princess Peach had ascended.  They opened the double-doors and walked out in single file as Lady Caprishriek watched them all with contempt.
"Excuse me," Peach chimed up nervously as she slowly approached the lean, hovering ghost.  She neither turned her head nor moved from her spot near the double-doors.  Peach felt much reticence as she stood there awkwardly, her white-gloved hands clawing at the bell of her dress as a hope that her uncovered feet would go unnoticed.  She drew closer to the pale figure of the spirit, whose ghostly tail swished capriciously from beneath the hem of her french-maids' outfit.  "Excuse me," Peach said a little louder.  Lady Caprishriek was perpetual in her ignoring of Peach as she simply gazed out of the door, the last toad maid making her way through.  Peach knew that she heard her, for it was quite obvious she was just acting intimidating.  Whether it was working or not, Peach gathered up her courage and continued to speak.  "I'm a new maid here, and I was told to ask you for an assignment."  There was still the loud sound of silence between the ghost and the princess, until she finally turned her purple head to face the trembling girl.  Her silver eyes froze the depths of Peach's blue, and Peach was filled with such reticence and timidness that she couldn't find herself to speak. 
"A new maid?" said the shrill voice of the ghost.  She hovered over to Peach, looking upon her condescendingly.  "Why, you are the fool girl!  The fool girl who refused the Master Licknot!"  Her voice was melodious yet so very overbearing that Peach found she still couldn't speak.  The ghost siren glared at Peach until her entire body proved cold.  "Look at you now, fool girl.  You are but a lowly servant to the great Master.  Not his mistress, can never hope to be his mistress!  He would never marry you, now, fool girl, after you betrayed him as such!"  It was as though Lady Caprishriek was waiting for any answer from the poor princess, but found nothing of the sort.  She continued on, proceeding to give Peach her assignment.  "You are to dust all of Master Licknot's art in his gallery.  You will do it well, too, fool girl.  If you little work, I will be unafraid to report you.  And when a servant is reported, they're fed to the shadows.  Yes, they are all fed to the shadows.  And you will be too, fool girl, unless you do as you're told, and do it well!"                           

[The Blue Toad]

OMG!  Again?!?!?!?!@#>!@#>!@#@$!@%3425@2@@!!!?1@325u1345!!!!ui123y423143.1415162798241???
Yes, again.  The first post since like...April.  But, yeah.  I don't really like this story that much any more....mehhhh!  -_-'
Oh well!  Just do as J.K. Rowling, and write it any way!

Chapter 11:  The Truth Under the Top Hat

Thunder crashed suddenly as a streak of lightning bled across the sky, reflecting through the thin glass window pain.  Professor Bom-Bers gave close scrutiny to Toadsworth as he sat across from him in the lounging room, both of the elders taking rest in two great armchairs.  Toadsworth appeared vexed and tense as he avoided the stares from Bom-Bers by looking into the dancing fire, as though he were trying to solve a puzzle within its deep embers.  Bom-Bers puffed a ring of black smoke from the bowels of his brown smoking pipe, his mustache brustling with each inhale. 
"Alright, then, Toadsworth," said the old bob-omb.  "I will ask you to tell me everything about the princess.  Leave out not a detail of her personality.  What are her traits?  What defines me?  Hm.  Do tell."  He looked at him seriously, knawing on the end of his pipe with blocky teeth.
"Very well, detective, I shall tell you enough-"
"Though I would highly appreciate all, Mr. Toadsworth," responded the pompous detective, raising his bushy eyebrows at the awkward old toad. 
"Yes.  Um.  Well, where should I begin?"
"Mmmmm...looks should be a good place to start." 
"Very good, then.  The princess..." said Toadsworth looking off into space with a furrowed brow as though reluctant to answer the question.  "She has blonde hair...uhh...blue eyes."
"May I be so bold as to ask you not to be so vague, kind sir?" asked Bom-Bers.
"Oh, of course.  Yes.  She has shining blonde hair, that is rather bouncy, that travels down to about her waist.  In a few places along the golden hairs their are obstinate curls, but never are their tangles.  No.  The princess is very good at keeping her hair healthy.  Her eyes are a very clear blue, dark along the edges but lighter as the center defines itself, but then dark again where the pupil plots itself.  Very beautiful eyes...often glistening."
"Very good, very good," said the detective as he looked to the ceiling, trying to picture it.  "Continue."
"Alright.  Her face is very soft, and also very slender.  It is such an amiable face, that none may choose to argue with.  Her lips are pursed and rosy, and her skin clear and pale.  Her overall countenance is really quite beaming.  As far as her figure goes, she is very thin, but with curves all the same.  She appears a well-balanced lady, all-in-all.  Constantly wearing pink."
Detective Bom-Bers nodded gravely. 
"Does she have any enemies?" asked he.
"Well, I should say!  Being such an important, yet rather bliss, monarch, Peach rules over the Mushroom Kingdom in pure happiness, really."
"You mention her being bliss?" asked Bom-Bers. 
"Yes.  The princess is so very sweet, but in this can be quite forgetful.  Her mind often tends to wander, and she is no stranger to trouble."
"Yes, as I understand, she has been kidnapped many a time before this?"
"Oh yes, most definately.  I believe that our Princess Peach holds the record!" Toadsworth took his time to laugh.  "She tends to be so spoiled and well-spoken most of the time, that I sometimes think that she might believe everything happening to her is beneficial."
"I see..." said Bom-Bers as he took the pipe from his mouth for a moment, spewing a ring of smoke from beneath his hairy upper lip.  A crackle of thunder sounded in the distance as Bom-Bers directed his gaze into the fire, and then back at Toadsworth.  "Well, as far as I understand it, this princess is much a trophy to those looking for love.  Being so beautiful and bliss, it is no wonder she is found in these kidnapping situations so much in the first place!" said the bob-omb in a huff. 
Toadsworth opened his mouth to speak on account of the poor princess, though found hadn't the time, as Amelia, the yoshi reporter, just then stepped into the room carrying a rather small pile of books. 
"What are these, Amelia?" asked Bom-Bers, indicating the books.
"These are all I could find involving this mysterious kidnapper.  They're very vague, but clues nonetheless," she said as she set the book upon the small coffee table in between Bom-Bers and Toadsworth.  Her fragile hands picked up the top book on the pile as she brushed a strand of curly black hair from out of her eyes.  She opened the book to a page marked by a thin sheet of paper, and began to read.
"In 1956, it was reported by Princess Daffodil of Sarasaland that she had been taken without consent by a strange ghost.  It was said she disappeared on June 11th, noted by her servants that it was while she was tending her garden in the front of her castle.  The princess had reported that she had been greeted by a ghost carriage, and had been treated with an attempt of wooing from a boo.  The princess states that she remembers nothing more of that, other than being taken into what she claimed was 'another world' and being conquered physically, mentally, and especially emotionally.  The princess reports not remembering how she arrived back to earth, but had been in a fragile state ever since.  Princess Daffodil died seven months after such acclaimed accident, much to the sorrow of her public."  Amelia shut the book dramatically as a streak of lightning shone through th glass pane once more. 
"You believe this ghost to be the same who is now haunting Princess Peach, then?" asked Bom-Bers.
"Well, its the closest thing we really have that's written down on paper."
"And what are in these other books here?" asked Bom-Bers, indicating the other two stakes of pages bound by dust book covers. 
"Here is more evidence I found useful.  One states the nature of boos, and how they often tend to find their homes in haunted objects, such as toy chests, music boxes, and quite coincidentially, bird-cages.  Am I not mistaken in repeating that Princess Peach was hit in the head with a bird-cage before she disappeared?" asked Amelia, looking to Toadsworth with her beautiful eyes.
"Uhh-h...yes..." said the pale old toad.
"Mhm...it seems to fit together well, does it not?  But, along with this I discovered a book that held not only the same story of Princess Daffodil, but of another princess.  Dating back to 1894, it was said that Princess Sweetpea of the Bean-Bean Kingdom disappeared randomly one night, and was never reported to return.  It was stated in the book that none of her servants saw anything of what happened to her, though it was said that only one saw with his own eyes a buggy, with nothing pulling upon its reins, travelling away from the castle on that very night..." 
"Mmmmm, very peculiar, yes, yes....you believe this kidnapper is that very same?" asked Bom-Bers.
"Well, considering the fact of how long a boo is capable of remaining upon this earth, yes, I believe that the kidnapper of Princess Sweetpea and Princess Daffodil may very well be the kidnapper of the poor Princess Peach..."   
Toadsworth turned his attention to the fire once more as he felt sweat form upon his brow, and his collar tighten around his neck. 

[The Blue Toad]

I say, story, stay up!

Chapter...what chapter am I on?....Chapter 12:  In Which the Vase Did Fall

Peach's hands trembled slightly as she gazed into the rancorous dispute that was taking place a few yards away from her, feeling the heavy burden of pressure settle itself upon her meek shoulders.  Lady Caprishriek was arguing with a rose-colored boo in hushed voices at to not attract any attention, though it was quite clear by their fierce gestures and sharp eyes that there was a problem at foot.  Peach could hear not the entire discussion between them, but rather snippets of what they were chiding on about.  Being infamous for her keen hearing, the princess felt it a guilty pride to her being able to eavesdrop so well on others' conversations (she used it much as a child). 
From her possibly misinterpreted conclusions, Peach could easily tell that she was not going to be a maid for much longer than today.  She saw the rose-colored boo point her upper-lip to the ceiling and hover away condescendingly.  Lady Caprishriek glided back over to the princess in an angry gust, Peach jumping slightly at the sudden approach.  Her icicle eyes stung Peach's warm ocean puddles as she took in a frosty breath of air.
"Alright, fool girl, we've discussed your punishment," said Lady Caprishriek.
"And?" asked Peach, trying to make it appear that she was in belief of her every right to be punished, with the fear in knowing what the ghost siren's pride might do to her if she wasn't. 
Lady Caprishriek grinned at the poor monarch in a way that was heartless. 
"You have been assigned to the Royalty Chamber," said the curvy figure of mist as she leaned closer into Peach, her eyes entrancing the princess. 
"The," Peach began slowly as she became lost in the depths of silver, "Royalty Chamber?"
"Yes...and after you have finished with that job you are to be reassigned."
Lady Caprishriek suddenly turned away with her back towards the bewildered blonde.  Peach was touched unexpectedly by the soothing hand of relief as her mind went at ease, for only a moment, at the thought of never having to wear a maids' dress again.  But as soon as the hand of relief touched her, it also passed on, for Peach realized that however luxurious the Royalty Chamber might have sounded, it most certainly couldn't be good.
"May I ask," she began politely, speaking into the back of Caprishriek, "what is the Royalty Chamber?" 
Lady Caprishriek answered her not and continued hovering down the deep red hallway until she disappeared through a wall, her ghostly purple tail left to follow behind.  Peach heaved a frustrated sigh as her face grew an angry shade of red.  She had been left so rudely to stand awkwardly in the middle of a random hallway.  To make matters even worse, Peach wasn't sure where she was!  The hall that held her burden was small and rectangular, with six different exits (or entrances, depending how you look at them) surrounding on all sides.
The poor princess felt as though she were a lost child on the first day of school.  Her stomach was anxious and her head was so very light.  As her eyes rested upon her pale hands, she worried as she found them to be in an incessant tremble that she couldn't control.  Food hadn't touched her lips in two days, and her ravenous state lead her to think of nothing but sweet cupcakes, pastries, and all the delicious foods she would bake up in her kitchen at home.
As her mouth began to water, she suddenly took sight of a toad maid rushing through the doorway to the left of her.  The toad looked in haste, and suddenly very reluctant to choosing the entryway in which she had passed through.  She quickly made her way past Peach, her small feet scurrying across the wooden floor as she cradled a stack of clean white sheets very carefully.
"Excuse me!" said Peach loudly.  The toad refused to come to a halt.  Peach suddenly felt some sort of rage run through her body.  "You!  The toad!  I commanded you to stop, do you not hear me?!"       
The maid suddenly turned to look at the princess, her face very hard and cold.  Peach was under such common circumstances of having toads tend to her every whim, that the princess had forgotten the level at which she now ranked.
"You command me?" the maid said mockingly.  "Who do you think you are, blondie?  A princess?"
"As it just so happens!" Peach said proudly, her chind in the air.  "I am!"
"Pffft!" the maid guffawed as she rolled her eyes.
"And I would like you to tell me," the princess continued as though the rude interruption had not occured, "what the Royalty Chamber is."
"The Royalty Chamber?" the maid repeated, as a sudden, rather unexpected, look of fear, interest, and sorrow seemed to glaze over her eyes, all at once, though disappeared just as quickly as she suddenly broke out in a small laugh.  "You?  You want to know what it is?"
As the maid paused for a response, Peach said, "Well...  Yes, yes I do!  Is there something so terribly wrong with that?" 
The maid shook her head and stated, "I pity you, new girl, and so will my friends when I tell them this."  With that, she took leave of the princess, letting her alone once again in the blood-colored hall.  Peach felt tears well in her eyes.  Never before had she been treated so rudely.  Not even Bowser had ever had the nerve to speak to her in such a way.
The young blonde kneeled to the floor meekly, heaving yet another sigh of self-pity.  If only she hadn't been so careless, and if only she hadn't bumped into the coffee table while dusting the bookshelf, and if only the tall, sparkling vase hadn't toppled to the floor, and if only it hadn't shattered to pieces, and if only Lady Caprishriek hadn't come in time to see Peach trying to clean it up...but to say 'if only' is to only stand and dream of past faults, a thing which Peach liked not to do. 
"Princess!  What are you doing in here?" said a tough feminine voice from behind.  Peach turned her amiable face to see the black gardening rodent, the very one who had woken her up this morning.
"You!" Peach stated.
"You better not let Lady Caprishriek catch you slacking off, or she'll blow her top!  Stand up, stand up!" said she.  Her black boots marched her across the room as she set down her basket and watering can.  Peach took hold of her furry black paw and rose to her naked feet.
"Thank you," stated Peach quietly as she looked to the floor.
"What's the matter with you?  Do you want to get thrown down on the first day?" asked the little mouse bluntly as she pulled a white hankerchief out from her dress pocket.  "Here, take this," she said, handing the small piece of fabric to Peach, "and stop crying already!"
Peach took the hankerchief and was surprised to feel her cheek was damp with tears.  Shame flooded her veins as she wiped her blues eyes clean, and her pale skin soft. 
"Where are you supposed to be, anyway?" asked the squeek-lady.
"Where am I supposed to be?"
"Mhm."
"...I don't know," Peach said truthfully as her eyes darted from one door to the next. 
"What?!  What do you mean you don't know?" 
Peach took a deep breath as she straightened her back, clearing her throat.  "Well," she began slowly.  "After a brief...accident, I was consulted by that Caprishriek lady and told that I was to be reassigned."
"You're going to be reassigned?" the squeek-lady exclaimed in surprise as Peach nodded.  "Why?  What did you do?"  She looked excitedly at the princess with her yellow eyes gleaming, and her small black nose twitching. 
"I accidentally broke something," Peach said confidentally.  As she found the lady-squeek's reaction to be smacking her furry forehead and shaking her head in disappointment, Peach suddenly felt a heap of disappointed overwhelm her on her own account as well.
"So for that you're just being reassigned?"
Peach swallowed through a hard lump in her throat.  "Well, yes...  Though, I have also been punished."
"I should think so" said the squeek lady, foldig her arms.  "What is it?"
"The punishment?"
"No, the day of the week.  Yes, the punishmet!  So, out with it!"
"I was assigned to the Royalty Chamber," Peach said nervously, dreading the squeek lady's reaction.  It was her reaction that would determine whether the punishment was good or bad.  An overwhelming gasp and Peach would know that doom was yet to come, a small nod and Peach would know that a small bump would simply appear along the road, and silence would be somewhere in between.
"The Royalty Chamber?" she repeated as the princess nodded, feeling her head rush as she was holding her breath at the time.  "Well, just hope and pray that a wealthy guest doesn't come to stay."  Peach exhaled.
"What do you mean?" she questioned.
The lady squeek sighed as she repositioned her watering can and basket back down on the floor.  "Here at the Licknot Manor there is a room upstairs that is the best guest room of them all.  Only the most wealthy clients get to stay there.  Every time that room is occupied means that one maid has to assist the creature in that room at all time, getting them food, making their bed, folding their clothes, running their bath, and basically doing everything for them.  It's a dirty job, and it looks like its been assigned to you!"
Peach's stomach churned dramatically.  She felt her face flush in humiliation at the thought of doing such a job, and all for such a small fault. 
"But, don't worry too much about it," said the mouse.  "Its rare to have that kind of guest come to stay."
Peach nodded solemnly, feeling terse at the unfortunate events of the day.  The squeek lady picked up her watering can and basket and headed back towards the door she had entered through to continue her way down the hallway she was passing down.
"Wait," said Peach.  The squeek-lady came to a halt and turned her head.
"What?" she asked as though vexed, her round ears turning towards Peach.
"What's your name?" asked the princess.
"It's Aubrey," said the mouse, blushing slightly.  She then came to turn fully around and look at Peach.  "And if you want to get back to your room I suggest you take that exit, there," she said, pointing at a door behind Peach.  Peach looked behind her to find that the door lead to the very room where she first met Lady Caprishriek only a few hours ago.  Feeling very stupid at having been oblivious to her surroundings, Peach turned again to thank Aubrey.  But Peach was alone.               

[The Blue Toad]

Something will happen!  Trust me!

Chapter 13:  The Princess Reassigned

It was later in that day that Peach, having returned to her room feeling so deflated in spirit, was visited by none other than a rose-colored boo, who had arrived inside the princess's small abode via wall, without any warning or invitation.  The supercilious ghost, holding her pencil and clipboard in a haughty fashion, helped the princess to her reassigning, in which Peach was asked a number of meaningless questions, some of them involving Booregard on which occassions the blushing boo would gnaw at the eraser of her pencil until it threatened to detactch itself.  When asked the final question, 'Which of the following skills would you say to prevail at?', the princess stated that she was best at cooking.  It was from this that she was given her new assignment.
"You are to be a chef," the boo stated bluntly, scribbling something upon the clipboard with her chewed up pencil. 
"What?" Peach said more as a statement than a question.  "You bombard me with meaningless questions and this is all you come up with?"
"Those questions were not meaningless!" the boo shot back, her black eyes contrasting much with her rosy complexion.  "They allowed me to see what an ignorant girl you are!"  Peach grunted in disbelief as her questioner quickly hovered out through the wall before the princess could manage to chide a response. 
The night brought nothing but anxiety to Peach as she laid in her bed, unable to shut her weary eyes.  She was still nowhere close to finding her way out of the haunting mansion she was kept in, but all the same felt hopeful of the outside world.  She knew that Toadsworth wouldn't let her disappearance go so unnoticed and unthought after.  It never worried her to think of what trouble he must be going through to get her safely home.  It was that very warm thought of the castle that brought about Peach's heavy eyelids. 
Heavy knocks and commosion in the hallway was what stirred the princess to wake as it was a new morning once again.  She groaned as her arms stretched above her head, reaching towards the ceiling.  Her wiry blonde hair attatched at her forearms, the meandering frays of her once-golden locks hanging on to anything they could, with confusion of beimg at their current state. 
Reluctant to doff her conforting nightgown, Peach pulled open the dresser drawer to see what uniform called upon her today.  Pulling it from its den, Peach decided that the chef's outfit was far better than the french-maids' rags.  It consisted on a long white dress, not lacy or poofy in the least, and a light pink apron.  The material of the dress was almost as soft as her nightgown, and she decided not not be intolerant of the way it fit (though Peach thought still that the armpits of the dress were too high). 
After being dressed by the reflection of the large bathroom mirror, the anxious princess did what she could with her hair.  Though it looked curlier than usual, and was far from perfect, Peach set it in her mind that she did not want to woo anyone with her looks in the first place, and cared not of her appearance in such a surreal place as Licknot Manor.  However, Peach forced herself to wear the white shoes, as she would feel quite ridiculous barefoot in a dress that didn't even reach her ankles. 
The hard, glossy pieces of footwear, however, were quite comfortable, and had heals that hardly even reached a half an inch off the ground.
"Come on!  You haven't got all day!" cried a rather rancorous voice from outside Peach's door.  Her stomach jumped as she flipped her wavy blonde locks one last time and darted out the bathroom to show her pale face to the hall.  A grumpy-looking toad stood at the opposite side of her door.  He mumbled to himself as he moved along down the corridor, stopping at each door to give it a good pounding and a shouting to. 
The princess had found herself unsure of where to go yet again, though found relief as she took sight of a koopa in the very same uniform as she.  Being satisfied at her discovery of a co-worker, Princess Peach followed the koopa at a safe distance until it lead her up a short flight of a stairs.  Being cautious, Peach hovered at the foot, waiting to see what the peak of the short climb would bring her.  The koopa smoothed out its apron as it opened the door.  The sound of clinking knives and ringing buzzers emitted from inside, and Peach was sure that it was the kitchen.  The door shut as the sounds disappeared from Peach's mind, and she quickly made her way up the stairs.
The room behind the door was most unmistakebly the area for the chefs.  It seemed as though everything inside was made of old, glossy white tiles, that had faded in their long years, and chipped, and had been scathed to the point of looking very homey.  One might say that the room dind't judge you at all, but rather asked you of your talent and proceeded to observe your actions in a wise and respectful manner.  The tiles crawled up from the floor at the steepest of angles, and proceeded to travel upward until coming to a very precise halt, in which the rest of the wall up would consist of simply being painted a soft color of orange.  Wooden tables rested at rather random areas throughout the room, carrying items such as bowls of vegetables, loaves of bread, skillets of mixed foods, piles of flour and dough, and various kitchen ware.
Toads, koopas, and a large range of varying creatures were all very busy, at the moment, that they did not notice Peach come in.  The princess was puzzled to see the actions that they were all participating in, and felt a sudden quench of uneasiness rush over her as she was the only person present who was confused at what to do.  The many chefs (all in uniform) were lining up together in a single file, rather the same of what the maids were doing when Peach first saw the ghost siren.  As the cooks continued to organize themselves straightly, the poor girl proceeded to fumble with her fingers.
Taking in a new breath, Princess Peach decided that she would feel confident about herself, and she refused to let any lack of self-assurance interfere with her common knowledge.  Like the rest of her co-workers, she stood at the end of the line, back stiff and shoulders back, looking at the penguin next to her as a comparison to what she ought to be doing.
"Alright everyone, quiet now, the Lord Van Vougore will be coming anon!"  piped up a rather sophisticated-looking shy guy from the opposite end of the line, looking in control of what was taking place. 
Peach felt her stomach churn and her lungs heave, feeling very anxious to meet the one called Van Vougore.  She hadn't much doubt in her mind that he was the ghostly leader of the cooking department in Licknot Manor, just as Lady Caprishriek was of cleaning.  She ran her hands over her apron nervously as silence finally took fall over the glossy room.
As the kitchen found its contents terse, it replied with an eerie echo as to having its foot in its mouth.  The princess simply looked straight ahead, trying to blend in with her surroundings in the best she possibly could, and hoping for the acceptance from the rest of the food connoisseurs, which she most wantingly pleaded for inside.  But, if not acceptance she recieves, at least respect of her business and her ways (thinking of the rude and vile maid she had met in the hallway on that loatheful afternoon). 
Peach's anxiety was brought to a forcably sudden halt, as the reason for all such pressure in her bosom had arrived through the narrow door (or, perhaps, too narrow door) at that precise moment.  It was the ghastly ghoul called Lord Van Vougore, also known under the title of Head Chef.  He was as green as a sea-sick captain, and as round a hot-air balloon.  His ghostly tail was so small, that it dared contrast much with Van Vougore's sphere of a body.  His chubby face was paler than the moon, or rather, it was as white as soft flour, either metaphor would work, and had beady black eyes like buttons, much segregated from the round silver icicles of Lady Caprishriek.  Below a red bump in the center of his face was a slimy little black mustache, smoothed over so much that one may not ever be able to notice a single strand of hair popping from its glazed fixture. 
Peach found the ghost rather intimidating, more than probably due to his large presence, unfound specks of eyes, and very small, stiff, knotted mouth.  However, the poofy white chef's hat atop his round head looked so very much unlike him, that Peach could help not but let out a stifle of laughter.  It was in this small giggle that Peach's hand was immediately brought to her mouth, and her ears grew very much red.  It was unfortunate for the princess that Lord Van Vougore was to hear her, and hovered to her side like a boulder, his large white apron bellowing along his belly.  As he moved closer, the poor protagonist could've sworn he grew even more mammoth than that he was before. 
"'Ees something funne', pretty girl?" asked he, his French accent making his voice sound arrogant. 
Peach was far too frightened to speak, or rather, it was that or she was still trying to hold in another small outburst of laughter as she looked into the face of Van Vougore, passified greatly by the bundle of marshmallows sitting atop his head.
"No..." Peach finally stated, with an added, "sir."
"Well then why do you laugh, hmm?" he said.  It was when his massive hand stretched to one of his jiggling chins that Peach noticed that this creature before her had not two arms, but four.  He was a quad-handler!  Two arms were on each side of his great torso, one being directly underneath the other.  They were very great arms, though not showing much (or any) muscle, great all the same in their size.
"Vou laugh for what reason, my fleur?" said he again, in a tone that sounded anything but sweet.  The two bottom arms that were opposing each other folded condescendingly while the other proceeded to rest its elbow on its neighbor, thus bringing its hand to stroke the chef's chin in curiousity. 
"There, is..... nothing," Peach said, closing her mouth as if nothing more was she to say to get the point across any clearer.
There was another great silence that encircled the room.  Oh, if the discomfort were to last but much longer Peach was sure of something inside her being tempted to burst!  It was after much an uncomfortable lifetime that Van Vougore turned his back and guided himself to the line of symmetry stretching from the medium of the single file.
"Vou all know your jobs, no?  Get to them then!  And make haste, for patience today I have not!" cried he, directing his finger (which was, if you must know, the finger residing on the top arm of his right shoulder) into the air, and pursing his already tight lips.
Peach's stomach did a quite familiar backflip yet again, as she was in the comfortable position of knowing not a thing she ought to be doing. 
"Me fleur, vou are to pound le dough!" said Van Vougore suddenly at Peach, giving her instructions for the day.  Peach was hesitant in movement, but nodded shyly all the same as Van Vougore confirmed her acknowledgment, and proceeded to float over to a large stove poistioned near the center of the tiled room.
The dainty princess tugged upon her collar, and inhaled a strong breath of flour and scents.  Though this first day of work was beginning far better than the last, Peach was still aware that accidents were bound to happen, and that she needed to be careful.  Tying her hair in a pony tail, she made her way over to the long wooden table near the wall, in which there was a group of toads pounding out clumps of heavily floured dough.
 
                                              

[The Blue Toad]

One may take to notice that this story is moving like honey, taking its sweet time to be told.  I'll ask the reader to be patient, and realize that the protagonist's journey in this tale is quite the same as what you read.  If one feels frustrated at the loss of action, one must also feel that Peach is sharing the emotion along with you. 
I will ask you, now, to reflect on what has happened thus far, and I'd also like to thank you for reading this.

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 14:  The Painting Speaks

The fatigued girl who, has come to be the center of this story, tucked herself between the blankets of her bed, resting the curves of her back on the slightly uncomfortable matress and her sweet head unto her pillow.  When the sun had stretched its rays throughout the sky earlier that day, Peach had a time that she could not call to be as bad as the one before.  Not a mistake was made on her account, and she found that pounding dough was not at all a hard job to manage.  In fact, she was rather proud of her being of even more skill at such task than the toad next to her.  As Peach recalled this though to herself she heaved a sigh of grievance.  Why, one may ask, would she suddenly feel sadness at the thought of her feeling happy?  The answer might be obvious to some.  Her deep blue eyes glossed over with a heavy grief because of the fact that Princess Peach was becoming accustumed to her stay at Licknot Manor.
She wanted not to stay here!  On the contrary, she wanted to run from this place as fast as she could!  I didn't matter whether or not she was a good chef, it didn't matter whether or not she tipped over a priceless vase, it dind't matter if she was thought of poorly, or treated like dirt, or pushed around, or whether her hair could be tamed.  It didn't matter what she thought of her company, it didn't matter how her day went, or how it ended, or how it began.  It didn't matter if she was humiliated, or if her reputation was put off the edge, or if she did just the opposite.  It didn't matter if she made a new friend, or gained any respect, or found love, or lost it.  All the mattered, or should have mattered, was that she was being held captive in an unfamiliar place by a cretin, and that she needed to get out.
Peach's cheek was stained by a tear as she sat up in her bed, encircling the base of her fine torso in a heap of wrinkled blankets.  She stared out in darkness before her, her shoulders hunched forwards and her hair in her face.  It was true that she was becoming too attatched to this place, which was now her greatest fear.  If she began to like it here, with its painted surfaces and impressionistic feel, Peach worried that her feet would stand still upon its brush-strokes of ground, and forget of the home she once loved; the people she once knew. 
Her goal should not be to feel success after a hard day's work, but rather to escape from the cage that held her so tightly, yet comfortably all the same.  Her heart leapt at the thought of growing old in such a nightmare as this, and she found another tear slide down her cheek, and her anxious legs bound for the floor where they stepped in place eagerly.  Our poor protagonist stood in her cold room next to her tempting bed, whimpering in the darkness to nothing but the utter silence that filled her presence.     
Not taking another moment to breath, Peach rushed for the drawer and began to search the cabinets.  Though they were mainly filled with clothes, Peach found other various items stored adjacent to them as well.  She picked out a long baton of wax that had a bit of black wire erecting itself from the top.  Next to this, she had found a matchbox, and proceeded to strick one up into flames and light the black wire.  With the candlestick held tightly, she escaped from her room, closing the door bearing numbers '00011' behind the fall of her bare heel. 
In the eerie corridor beyond, the candle light acted as a small flickering lantern, not quite able to conquer the thickening dark air.  The bearer of light shut her eyes tightly as she very slowly closed the door, clenching her teeth when the doorknob clicked to a resting halt.  She then looked from right to left, wondering which way she ought to venture, trying to recall upon the first time she had been taken down to this vile place.  However, the princess was feeling so very antsy, and so very reluctant to stay in the cage she named a room, that she went left without deciding to the full extent of her mind.  Her curved feet fled quickly across the carpeted floor, trying to keep her heavy, and very frightened, breath still. 
She could have sworn that the narrow walls on either side of her were growing ever so narrower that her pace quickened and her movement became more rapid.  Her eyes extended at the flickering light, which guided her blindly, and she was ever so eager to get out of the maze that was the basement corridors.  She took a right, and then a left, each corner she passed around leading her into yet another long line of mysterious doors.  Peach's frustration lead her to recklessness, as the only other feeling that raced throughout her body was the incessant and ever-growing need to be rid of the place of where she found herself trapped.
But then there was a sound, a most frightening sound to one who would ever find themselves in such a position as Peach.  There was a murmur of voices resounding from someplace before her in the hallway.  The princess felt her heart pound, and her blood flow quicker than a fountain as she heard the murmuring grow more rapid and louder.  Surely whoever was wondering about had spotted her candlelight, and she knew that being found could not be an option.  Peach turned around, staring into nothing but a very long hallway. 
There were footsteps coming nearer to her, and there was no way that she could travel such a long distance before being figured out.  Her head was pounding with a nervous rage, and her breathing suddenly became hectic. 
"Hey!" she suddenly heard someone say a good distance down the dark corridor, beyond the boundaries of her sight.  Peach gazed down that hall, seeing no one, but knowing that someone could see her.  Her violently shaking hand grabbed a random doorknob to the entryway left of her, and she quickly entered inside without even thinking.  Peach had closed the door behind her as she stumbled over what she had later discovered was a mop.  She could still practically hear her stalker coming on to her, but whether it was his footsteps or her heartbeat that was ringing in her ears, she could not tell.  She stumbled into the corner of what appeared to be a broom closet, cramming her way behind a carboard box, and in between two vacant bookshelf that were dusty with cobwebs.  With nose between her huddled knees, Princess Peach blew out the candle as all that surrounded her become dark, and rang with the silence of fear. 
Oh, the hope that she had that she shouldn't be found in the corner of such room was very strong, and she waited quietly, trying to ease her thundering heartbeat and pounding head.
To her horror, the door diagonal from her swung open casually, as a ghost reeled in its ugly head.  It gave off a very dismal, dark glow that looked more of stubborn dust hovering about its mischievous head.  The ghost's dull green eyes scanned the room blindly as the cornered princess held her breath from behind the cardboard box.  It licked its teeth and snarled with choler before closing the door and floating away.  The princess closed her eyes and eased her muscles with great relief, resting her head upon her cramped knees.  She heaved a heavy breath and let her shoulders tremble.  Suddenly, the door swung open yet again, this time more fiercely than before.  Peach gasped as her head leapt to her shoulders and her back tensed in horror.  Her head cupped over her mouth as her bulging eyes gazed into the green ones of the ghost, her blood running cold and her heart playing like a drum.                   
To her great luck, the ghost still noticed her not, and at being disappointed at not catching the loiterer while they were out of hiding, closed the door yet again and moved on.  This time Peach was still in shock, and her whole body shook in heep horror.  However, she felt very safe behind such box, but thought it not a good idea to stay in the same place if the ghost were to come back and lay down scrutiny.  She managed to pull herself up and stood awkwardly in the darkness of the broom closet.  Her cold fingers trembled, and as she bent down to pick up her candlestick, she proceeded to push the cardboard box aside as well.  She regained the stick of wax, and stepped to the place where the box had earlier made rest.
It was then that very suddenly, however, Peach was most unwantingly greeted by two sudden spots of light.  She leapt in the air, and proceeded to sit down between the bookshelves yet again, only now not so very hidden by the cardboard box.  Her eyes bulged as she looked into the yellow eyes of a ghost.  The ghost's eyes glowed a valiant yellow, and came to show that they appeared from the head of a man in a portrait that leaned against the closet wall.  Much to Peach's great distress, the man in the portrait began giving off a glow the same as his eyes, only of a pale color blue.  His beard became a shimmering silver, and his brown jaket a fuzzy bronze.  The very man in that portrait was coming out, appearing to the poor princess as a ghost.  She stared in disbelief , her shaking hand brought to her quivering mouth in fear.  At last the ghost was free of its portrait, the frame holding nothing now but a painted background. 
The old-looking ghost gazed at Peach, looking just as puzzled as she.  His craning neck held a sallow face, with very sunken ceeks and a large crooked nose.  A long gray beard stretched from beneath his flaring nostrils to the bottom of his ghostly blue tail, and looked just as smooth as his large eyebrows that almost covered his gleaming yellow eyes.  He scratched his bald blue head with a spider-like hand, and proceeded to stretch his back, and life his arms, moaning with relief.
Peach stared in awe as she dared not speak.  The ghost gave off a glow not quite as clear or as crisp as the candle, but a glow none the less.  Peach could see that the closet she had stumbled into was rather small, and held much a variety of random objects.  But, no such object stoof out to her at the moment, as the suddenly met ghost looked into the shimmering blue eyes of the princess and stated a simple, "Hello."
His voice was very slow and deep, echoing throughout the room as though they were not in a small closet, but rather a grand library with high walls and a tall ceiling.  It reminded the princess much of a very low-pitched woodwind instrument that had the air of wisdom.
"Why..." said Peach, looking into the ghost's old eyes, "hello..."       

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 15:  The Option Most Desired

Peach sat upon the cardboard box with her knees pressing against her soft cheek, and her arms wrapped about her shins.  She gazed in awe as the mysterious old ghost lit up a candle and set it upon the middle shelf of the moldy bookcase.  He hovered next to it awkwardly, gazing into his blank portrait as though it had insulted him in some way.  Peach looked into his yellow eyes that held nothing but the bright glow of crisp stars in ths dead of his pale blue face.  With such a long, sallow countenance, the Princess could tell that this portriat ghost was in sorrow, and mourned over something he could have.  She would know the face because of the fact that she used it more than she should have.
He was very long, and looked as though his body had been stretched tall.  Peach could have sworn she saw him begin to fade for a moment or two, only to reappear as the clear old figure that he was. 
"So," said he, in his slow, bass voice, suddenly drawing his stars from the empty frame and setting them towards the beautiful young lady sitting upon the box.  "You are the new maiden, I presume, who has been...collected...by he he owns this house?"
"I suppose that is correct," Peach stated, feeling intimidated by his eerie presence. 
He hummed a low note before proceeding to say, "You suppose that is correct, or do you know that is correct, my dear?"
Peach looked to his honest face to see that he was quite serious in his questioning. 
"I do know that is correct," she replied.  He nodded just as slowly as he spoke, ading to his acknowledgment with an,
"Ah."  His hands were behind his narrow back in a very sophisticated manner, and he seemed to hunch over like an old, tired crane.  "The moon has climbed the high wall of stars many a time since the last occasion that brought a beautiful woman behind these dreadful walls.  Ah, yes, golden streams of hair that flow to your waist, and beautiful blue eyes that reflect what great inner beauty your heart is deemed to possess.  Truly the statue of perfection in the eyes of such a boaster as he who owns this demented place."
"You speak as though there is another girl such as I in this mansion."
"Ah, yes.   There was, and is, such a girl here you too beheld and beholds beauty as you, though some not quite as tasteful to the one who is honored to judge."
"So, I am not the only one here being held here against my will?" asked Peach suddenly, her quick words contrasting much with the deep, slow grumbles of the mellow spirit. 
"Hmmmm," hummed he.  "Well, my pretty thing who sits so craddled upon such box, the will of certain people change as time passes with every movement we create, and every action we take into our hands to control.  Most of the poor girls who we speak of here at night are lost souls without a cause, not a purpose to drive them on."
The princess felt her eyes sink into the soft flesh of her amiable and innocent face.  She grew tired and weak with every word the old ghost spoke, with every long syllable that passed from his thirsty lips, and with every raspy breath of meaningless air that he took. 
"And," he continued, though Peach had thought he stopped due to his long pausse in speech, "I believe you to be the next victim of such a heart-wrenching, my poor, misused girl, which is the reason that drove me to come out from my hideous old home in the first place.  I bid you adieu, then, with all the sympathy my tired old heart can offer."
"Wait!" Peach cried as she set her tired head upon her forearms, watching as the wise poltergeist turned his head to face her eager eyes.  "Whoever you may be, you cannot simply leave me with such depressed words as those!  I refuse to believe that you haven't any hope for me."
"Any hope for you, poor girl?" said the ghost lifting one of his silver eyebrows.  He huffed a deep, hollow laugh, that sounded like he was clearing his throat of dust.  "There is not any hope to be found in these dry walls.  The cracks will give birth to dust, dirt, and tired old mice, but not hope, my dear.  Hope will not come from other people to you either, for what will that do on your behalf?  Simply reassure your trapped soul that there is someone besides yourself who has hope in you?"
"You make it sound ridiculous," said Peach, taken aback. 
"Well, it is not so much ridiculous as it is a simple satisfaction for the gut.  Hope comes from only one place, and that place is nothing that you can touch nor see nor smell, but a place that you can feel."
"In yourself," Peach said in a hushed voice.
"Prescisely.  More than a few people of this world need to feel not pity on the misfortunes of their behalf, but rather, feel hope for a better tomorrow, and more confidence to be valiant."
"More valiant?" Peach reflected.
"Mmmmm," hummed the ghost.  "The only person capable of getting you free of such a place as the one you take presence in now is yourself, for no other can choose your actions."
His bright eyes shone into Peach's, his long face causing a heavy feeling of sadness and sympathy in her poor, tender heart.  She even felt herself get choked up as she swallowed her nervous tensions.
As the old ghost gazed at the innocent girl, he noticed something in her that he had never noticed in anyone else.  Her face was so innocent and meek, and yet, at the same time, so full of potential and honesty.  Her cheeks were stained with tears and dough, the signs of hardwork and pain, and her hair curled obstinately overpowering her will to pamper it.  The heart which hovered in the bowels of his narrow chest skipped a beat as he looked to her bright eyes, and felt what he hadn't in the longest of times. 
"However, oh precious jewel to the one who lurks above, though only you can choose your actions, there are others who may help guide you unto the right path."  With this he saw the princess's eyes light up with a sense of new hope.  His tired mouth tried to smile, though he found that he could not. 
"Will you help me, oh prisoner of the painting?" asked Peach as she came to kneel upon the box beneath her, her hands clenching together and rising to the rounded end of her pale chin. 
"Hmmmmmm," said the old baritone.  "I have seen not a dove as innocent as the one before me in the age of the one I speak not the name.  I will help you, oh beautiful bird, for I see hope in you light up as the wire in the candle does to a simple match."
"Oh, thank you!" Peach said with watery eyes.  "And where might I find you again?  Should I come tomorrow to this same closet?"
"Oh, no.  You will come to the library, and only in the pitch of tomorrow's night, for it is only when the sun takes its rest behind the lowest trench in the valley that portraits of such manor are free to roam."
With such new wisdom in her fragile mind, and a fresh spark of hope in her heart, Princess Peach bid farewell to her new guardian as he slipped his way back inside his tall, narrow frame, resuming the painting that he was.  Peach took forth the new candle in her quivering hand, and set for the door, taking exit of the dusty only closet.  She walked quickly back to her room, guided only by the numbers upon the doors.  She hoped not to run into any other ghost if that ghost should not be the kind old one she met in the broom closet, but one of ghastly green eyes and a smokey aura.  She was lucky to not make such presence before reaching the door that held numbers '00011'.  She blew out the candle with a fast exhale of breath through her small, pursed lips, and stumbled her way into the dark room beyond.
She fell to her bed and let sleep overtake her, feeling more hopeful of the morning that waited.  In her mind she said to herself over and over, in an incessant echo that ceased to draw, 'May fate guide me the rest of the way...'     
 

[Ultima Shadow]

Dangit, Blue Toad, your writing is too good. :(

Oh, and, btw... I wonder if any more Mario characters will come into the scene?

[The Blue Toad]

Why, thank you US, and as far as your question goes, I'm not really sure.  You'll just have to wait and find out.
So, I basically just wrote the next chapter, but then deleted it because I suddenly decided that it didn't fit the character's personality, so now I'm going on a whole new approach!

Chapter 16:  The Stone Man, the Princess, and the Tigers

It had been one night since the event of Peach's kidnapping.  Throughout the entire Mushroom Kingdom, it never ceased to rain, as though the clouds themselves were in mourning.  The trees hung low and heavy under the pitter patter of thick, wet drops, and the grass stood on end despite the rain because of the terribly frigid cold that grasped the damp earth.  Fog encircled towns and forest, and drifted morosely about the castle that belonged to the ever missed Princess Peach.  Inside the reserved castle were the depressed and silent toads, still dazed and in shock.  They went about each day doing what they normally would, though they didn't quite understand why, considering the fact the Peach was no longer even present.  Nevertheless, supper was always prepared at seven and breakfast at nine.  It was simply a part of their habit that they found impossible to break.  The oldest servant, Toadsworth, stayed in his own room for most of the time.  Up in the west tower of the castle was where his chamber was located, and each day stood solemnly at his small, rectangular window, gazing out into the foggy setting that was the Mushroom Kingdom.  The old servant's face was pale and his eyes drooped with regret.  His hands were held behind his back and his shoulders were hunched and tired.  He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep since his mistress had been taken away.  His eyelids were heavy with the dire want for sleep, yet whenever closed their fickle ways would order to be opened.  It was as though each time he shut his eyes, his heart would pound in his chest, and his blood would stir with anxiety.
Detective Bom-Bers could be of little help the other night, for once the discovery was made of where Peach was being kept, there was no clue at how to bring her back.  She was trapped inside the habitat of a boo, which is always a dark place.  Surreal, and haunting is its presence.  It plays tricks on the mind, and entraps whoever be so daring to go inside.  In this case it was a birdcage, one of the many items used to keep the belongings of a boo.  The detective had gone away with report of going to investigate a suspect that he had assumed has actually been inside such a place, and claimed that he may return to Toadsworth to give him any new information that he might have obtain.  This hardly brought any more joy to Toadsworth, as he assumed that whoever this suspect was, they would surely be nothing less than crazy.
The lovely Miss Amelia had left with the detective as well, claiming that she needed more juice for her report to make it worth while.  With a flip of her hair she had pocketed her notebook and left with Bom-Bers, being driven away with him in the buggy.  Toadsworth had since been left alone to dread upon his own misfortune, without a thing to do or an order to fulfill.  His company consisted of the sad raindrops that slid down the cold stain glass, only to meet their doom at the window sill.  As he heaved a sigh he heard a whistling, and turned to take his tea.  With a shaky hand he had brought the chipped tea kettle off the old broiler in his room and poured himself a cup.  Steam swirled into his deep, dark eyes, and flooded his face with an aura of warmth.  Oh, how he wondered whether the princess would ever come back.  He wondered of the possiblility, and the probability of his dear, sweet madam being held hostage there for life as such of the other princesses heard captured.  Her poor ghost would haunt the bird cage until freedom permitted her to leave, and then she would be nothing but a poor spirit wandering the dark hallways of what used to be her fine palace.
Peach's old servant hummed a silent prayer as he sipped his hot tea.  Its texture was smooth as it washed his dry throat, and its taste was strong.  The heat warmed his insides as his shoulders shuddered away the cold that had roosted there.  He brought his tired feet back to the window, peering out across the rain-flooded land.  Thunder murmured across the sky as the old toad silently sipped his tea, sighing at the predicament which he had come to face.  The earth had been given such a strong washing from the clouds that it now moped like a reluctant child.  Toadsworth was sure that everything was waiting Peach's return, and wondered whether or not he should ever come to see the light of day again. 
"Master Toadsworth!" said a toad servant from behind.
Toadsworth shook slightly at the sudden voice and turned to answer, "Yes, what is it?"
"We have report that Princess Daisy of Sarasaland is coming!" said he, the young toad, looking rather unsure of whether his report brought good news or bad.
"Why?  What does she want at a time like this?" Toadsworth spoke gruffly. 
"I think she wants to speak with Peach."
"Oh?"
"News hasn't gone out about the Princess yet, apparently.  You'll have to greet her," reported the toad.
"Yes, I suppose so," Toadsworth replied as he set down his cup of steaming tea on the window sill, leaving it for the curious spiders that crawled about.
He left with the toad, crossing through the dark corridors of the castle and guiding himself down to the foyer.  As he took himself down the rather long flight of stairs he straightened his bow tie and ran hasty fingers through his gray mustache.  The chandelier was barely lit with enough light to shed proper atmosphere unto the inviting entryway of the castle, though it was not thought of a huge desire to the toads at the time (as it often took them many hours to gain enough height to light it in the first place). 
"Alright everyone, line up.  We are all to be representatives while the princess is...away, so take form professionally and admirably!"  Toadsworth called.  The eight representing toads lined themselves up in even ranks, one row of four on the left side of the door, and the other four to the right.
Toadsworth peered out of the window to see a shaded carriage positioned in front of the castle.  His heart skipped a beat as his eyes grew wider.  He rubbed his spectacles dramatically and looked back up at the carriage again.  He found himself under much relief then, for he could just pick out two other shadows at the front end of the carriage, which were quite obviously the carriers of the vehicle.  He sighed, and put his hand to his heart, shaking his head.  Toadsworth then proceeded to take his place at the very end of the two ranks, being in the center and facing the door to welcome the princess. 
"Alright, you two, open the doors," said he, as the two toads who were closest went to open the doors, letting in a cold draft of wind.  Toadsworth squinted into the specks of rain that darted into his face and watched as a dark figure slowly began to approach the entry way from out of the morose storm.  Along with the percussion of rain, he could hear thudding sounds emitting from outside.  He could only assume that these were the footsteps of the creature coming in from the pouring rain, however blunt and brutal they might have sounded.  The old toad adjusted his glasses at his first guest, for as it came into appearance he realized that he had never seen such a creature before in his life. 
It was a man made of stone, very much resembling an Easter Island head, nose and all.  His features were very blunt, and he entered into the foyer quite slowly, working up such an anxiety in the poor little toads with his echoing, pronounced footsteps, that Toadsworth wouldn't have been surprised if one of them ran off in fright.  His face was carved sternly, with two crude dashes for eyes, and it looked as though the rain outside bothered him no more than his own tiresome feet.  His long stone arms curved behind his back as a gentleman's would, and as he entered, he proceeded to stand directly next to the door as to let his mistress in after him.   
"Presenting," he called out in a rather loud, deep voice that seemed to make all of the other toads jump, "the ruler of Sarasaland, Princess Daisy!"
Following the apparent resident of Sarasaland, the stone man, came the hard-hitting brunette, Princess Daisy.  She entered holding a black umbrella over her head, covering her eyes to Toadsworth.  Her dress was yellow, lined decoratively with white.  As she closed her umbrella with her quick-moving hand, gloved with white, she showed her head of curly brown locks and shocking blue eyes.  Her hair was shoulder length, and it was clear to Toadsworth that she had recieved a perm since he last saw her, for they were now bouncy with thick curls.  Upon her head was her crown, encrusted with shimmering pink zirconium. 
"Princess Dasiy," Toadsworth said in the calmest fashion that he could, "welcome to the Mushroom Kingdom."  He stepped forward until he was within an appropriate speaking distance from the Sarasaland monarch.  He eyed her politely to see that she was of a serious stature.     
"Thank you," replied Daisy as she handed her black umbrealla to the stone servant without even glancing at him.  She gazed about the room as though she was searching for something, or someone.
"I trust that your travel here was safe?" Toadsworth asked shortly.
"Oh, yes," Daisy replied, just as short.  "Though it's a shame you are bounded by such constant rain."
"Quite right.  Its been like this for days now.  It just doesn't seem to want to stop," said Toadsworth.  Daisy nodded at him as she gave a flip of her hair.
"Well, I suspect that Peach is ready for me," said Daisy quickly as she turned to her stone man.  "The papers please, Toku," she addressed him.  He pulled his large arms from out behind his stiff back, showing that he had been protecting a small stack of papers from the spearing rain.  He handed them directly to Daisy, not changing once in his stature or form.  She thanked him and turned back to Toadsworth, ready with her documents.
"Well, uh, Princess," Toadsworth stuttered, "You see, that is just it.  Unfortunately, the princess will not be able to meet you tonight."
"And why is that?" asked Daisy as she placed her hands to her hips and puckered her already puckered lips.
"She has been kidnapped, yet again," Toadsworth replied as Daisy's eyesbrows raised and her eyes expanded.  "So, I am sorry to say that you will either have to take matters up with her when she is found, or you will have to take them up with me."
"Oh my....no, this is not good at all..." Daisy bit her finger as she spun around to look at her stone servant who didn't budge. 
Toadsworth gave her a serious look and said, "Why?  What is it that you wanted to run her by?"
"I didn't want to run her by anything, I want, no, need her to sign these papers!" Daisy said dramatically as she bent down to show the small toad what she was holding.  Toadsworth held up his glasses as he read from it:
"Official Treaty Documents of Mushroom Kingdom and Sarasaland."  He proceeded to furrow his brow at this.  "A treaty?  Why, we need no papers, the Mushroom Kingdom has never had any sort of quarrel with Sarasaland in a shroom's age!" 
"But that's just it!" said Daisy, "We do not have an official documentation of our peaceful ways between kingdoms, it is just a natural occurance!  Oh, this is bad.  Very, very, very bad..."
"Calm down, princess, calm down!  This is not a big deal.  Princess Peach can sign these documents once she returns...if she returns..."
Princess Daisy sighed as she handed the documents back to her servant.  She crossed her arms and darted her eyes across the room, only to have them land on Toadsworth yet again. 
She whispered, "I have been having contact with the Koopa Kingdom, as of late."
Toadsworth's stomach began to knot up at the dreadful sound of "Koopa".
Princess Daisy continued, "Bowser specifically.  He has never shown any interest in Sarasaland before, but is now suddenly aware of its power.  My first contact from him had been last month.  His offer was to join forces with my kingdom, which I assumed would only end in some sort of act of world domination."  Toadsworth nodded as he swallowed hard, his head beginning to throb.  Daisy spoke on, "I had denied his offer,"
"Well of course you did!" interrupted Toadsworth.
"And it had stayed quiet for a week or two," Dasiy continued, her deep eyes starting to quiver.  She paused, looking about the room as though she was being watched.  She proceeded to speak to Toadsworth in a hoarse whisper, "But then, he contacted me a second time," Toadsworth furrowed his brow, looking at her sternly.  "Only this time, he was threatening to overthrow my country unless I join him!"  At this Toadsworth inhaled deeply and clenched his teeth.  Princess Daisy shook her head and rubbed her temples as though she was suddenly suffering from a deep headache.  "I tried to stay as clam as I could at this.  The Koopa Kingdom has caused a lot of trouble for a lot of places, but never my country!  So, I decided that the best defense for my kingdom would be a good offense.  However, Bowser's troops have been told to be most powerful in the land, and there's no way I could stand against him alone.  I came here in secret, tonight, to ask for a treaty between the Mushroom Kingdom and my kingdom, so that there might be hope of us joining together and defending ourselves..."
Toadsworth looked to the floor in distress.  He held his head in frustration as his teeth remained clenched.  The eight toads by the door all looked anxiously at each other, their eyes darting from Princess Daisy to Toadsworth. 
"This truly is bad," Toadsworth said.
"If I don't get Peach's handwriting on these papers," Princess Daisy said, ignoring Toadsworth's comment of pessimism, "then I am afraid that I will be out of options..."   
Toadsworth looked up at Daisy, fear stricken across his face.  The stressed princess showed no emotion as she snapped her fingers at her stone servant.  He handed the black umbrella back to Daisy and she plucked it open, holding it above her head. 
"I'll tell you what," said Daisy as she turned towards the door.  "I will come back here in a week, which is about the only safe amount of time I have left.  If Peach isn't here by then..."  Everyone in the room listened to her intently, their hearts pounding as she finished, "...I will have no other choice but to join with Bowser..."  Her voice was sad and timid, though her stature was strong and independent.  With a heavy heart she stepped out from the castle and made her way back to her carriage, her stone guard following in her wake.  Toadsworth ran to the open door, panting with his eyebrows in an arch.  He watched as Princess Daisy stepped inside her vehicle, closing the umbrella behind her.  Two enormous tigers stood at the front of the vehicle, and as the stone man gave them a small whip, they stood up with a loud growl and pranced off into the setting sun.           

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 17:  A Chomp in the Night

The haze of soft flour bounded across Peach's innocent countenance as she pounded the thick dough with all her strength, digging her small fists into its powdery surface.  She unleashed all the bits of frustration that she still had left, her brow furrowed at the slab of beatean substance.  Through the corner of her eye she observed the poor little toad next to her, trying to keep up.  He pounded fiercely at his equally large heap of unbaked bread, his small tongue edging his upper lip.  After a few grunts and punches, he stopped to take a breath and wipe off his face with his powdered white apron. 
"Wow," he panted afterwards, addressing Peach.  "You're really into it!"  He chuckled softly as Peach looked up at him, continuing her incessant beatings.  His face was blotched with flour and his eyes squinted in playful delight.  Peach giggled as she turned back to her work, the toad doing the same.
Again, with her eyes being ever so keen, she spotted a large, glowing green boulder coming at her from the side.  Feeling nervous at its presence, she sped up in her work, sending the dusty bits of flour soaring to the ceiling.  Her knuckles cracked as they dove into the soft, yet still rather tough, dough.
"My, MY, what a wonderfully hard working fleur of mine!" reported a thick French accent from behind.  "Her 'ands work hard'ere than her beautiful hips, no?" 
Peach glowed a deep red as she lowered her blonde head, pretending not to hear the guilty laughs of Lord Van Vougore.  He rolled his large self on through the kitchen, commenting on the rest of the lower-ranked chefs. 
With this being his occupation, Peach leaned over to the toad next to her and asked, "Excuse me, but do you know where the library is?" 
The toad didn't take his eyes off of his work as he replied,  "Sure, its on the second floor, past the dining hall.  Room number 01124.  Er, why do you ask?" 
"Oh, I was just," said Peach as she made an uncomfortable hand gesture, "wondering, I guess."
"Fond of books?" asked the toad.
"You could say that." 

That night Peach took the liberty of combing her long, wireful hair.  During the day, when no one had been looking her way, she had opened a kitchen drawer and stole one of the utensils.  It had been a silver fork, sharp in teeth, and shining in appearance.  She admired it more fondly running through her blonde locks, rather than picking up bites of ghost-made food.  She hummed to herself as it bit through her tangles, and fought through the many knots.  Every so often she would take a glance at the hallway door in order see if there was still a sliver of light peering through the foot of it.  When she would look upon its golden glow, she'd take no more notice of it and return to her mirror, bringing the silver fork through her hair once more.
When the lights outside were finally out, the princess put away with her chef's uniform, and draped herself in her comfortable pink nightgown.  With a final glance at her revived hair in the mirror, she smiled at herself and grabbed yet another candlestick from the same drawer.  She lit up a match, and drew it to the candle wire, setting it to flame.  Peach shuddered slightly as she turned to the door, seeing it only by the dim, flickering light.  Her shoulders trembled only at the though of the ghastly spirit that she had run into the other night, with its horrid green eyes.  She refused to let herself be noticed, for, if she was, it would only mean that she would be lost in getting any help at all, and she would have to continue facing the horrible Licknot Manor on her own.  She swallowed her pride and scowled at the door, demeaning it so that she could let it swing open without any fear.  Her gentle hand turned its cold doorknob, and she set off into the dark, vacant hallway. 
She faced the light accompanied darkness with quick eyes, and silent feet. 
"Okay," she whispered to herself.  "You are not going to get lost.....  Just follow the numbers..... follow the numbers...."
Peach stepped carefully across the soft carpet, holding her candle at shoulder length so that she could eye the numbers pasted upon the doors.  She knew that if she wasn't careful she would most definately get lost, so she held her breath at every turn, her stomach churning at each intersection she appeared at.  In her mind she could only hear '01124' echoing across her skull, engraving itself into her thoughts. 
Peach arrived at door number 00069, turning into 00070, and, taking in a deep breath, she gazed into the long trail of darkness that awaited her.  She could hear a soft moaning that seemed to drift wherever she stepped and shivers ran up her spine as her newly groomed hair stood on end.  Her feet moved inches at a time as they ventured slowly down the long, black corridor.  The candle suddenly gave a violent flicker, threatening to distinguish, and Peach paused with a fluttering heart, staring into the single, meek flame.  It eased itself and stood straight, sending a small line of smoke from its tip.  Peach continued again into the darkness, her eyes often straying from the numbers on the doors to the mysterious path before her.  As she grew further and further into the shadow, the princess suddenly realized that she could see the beginning of a flight of stairs at the very end of the hall!  She felt her shoulders droop in heavy relief, and her pace sped in much bravery.  She lowered her candle a bit as she neared the foot of the steep stairs.  Looking up from where she stood, her innocent eyes peered into a dark, dreamy blue, which she knew was the first floor.  The victorious color made sleep greet her eyes, though she knew that her journey wasn't finished yet.  As her foot touched the soft step, she felt her heart leap as it suddenly fell down unto a steep ramp.  Peach jumped as she leapt back a ways, her precious heart still pounding it its cage.  The steps had disappeared, and the staircase had now turned into nothing but a steep slope.  She felt a sense of frustration rise into her head as she glared at it with deep hatred.  Suddenly then, however, Peach felt her adrenaline begin to pump again as the slope rose itself up of the ground, opening up like a door for a cellar!  The princess could feel her eyes widening and her stomach tightening as the lever that was once a frustrating slope attatched itself to the ceiling where it gave entry to a black opening below.  Her friendly stairs had now fully turned into some sort of secret exit, opening up like an old trap door.  She dared not move, as the certain darkness inside the mysterious opening was too much for her small candle.  Suddenly, as though Peach wasn't frightened enough, she heard stirring, and saw movement from within.  Her heart leapt into her throat, and as she backed up she tripped over her own bare ankles and fell to the ground below her, sitting on her foot and gazing into the active black pit.  She shook of fright, and forgot of the valiant bravery that had once subsided in her. 
Without any warning, a enormous, jet-black monster spewed from the opening, showing nothing to the poor princess but enormous white teeth.  Peach stood to her feet in an instance and let out a scream.  Her poor chest heaved and her brow was beaded with sweat.  The monster stood still and silent, not moving an inch.  Peach's damp palm was wrapped around her quivering mouth, trying to keep her tearing throat from issuing another cry.  The horrid thing moved its jaw, clasping together its great pointed teeth.  The damsel gazed into two black eyes, rimmed only slightly by white, making the creature look nothing more than mad.  She could suddenly recognize it instantly as a chain chomp, a horribly carnivorous creature from her own kingdom.  She swallowed through a large lump in her throat, her numb legs feeling like nothing more than jello.
"You," said a very silent, yet very clear, voice. 
"Huh?" Peach gasped, panting horribly, her arched eyebrows speckled with beads of sweat. 
"Girl," said the strong whisper again.  The princess then realized that this was the chain chomp speaking.  She gazed into its crazy eyes as it said,  "You are supposed to be in bed; you left your pillow without a head.  Either go back right now and dream well and sleep tight; or perhaps stay here, though prepare for a fright.  I am the Riddler Chomp, with a chain that is strong; to get past my bulk, you can't get a question wrong.  If your succeed you can go on with your sinning; but if you get wrong, I'll take you for the winning.  So answer me now with either a yes or a no; will you be sticking around for this frightful show?" 
                                             

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 18:  Riddles Come Naturally

Peach gazed into those crazy rolling eyes, her breathes heavy against her meek chest.  The Riddler Chomp didn't emit a sound as it stood there condescendingly.  His victim looked around in a paranoid manner, scanning her eyes across the shady walls and dark corners.  She looked for any wandering eyes that might have met upon her guilty act, drawn to the scene by her foolish shriek.  There was not a person nor ghost in the flickering sight of her dripping candlestick.  She let out a long, reserved sigh, closing her eyes for a moment to build herself back up.  Her heart was unsure of what action to take.  Would she face off against this strange monster, or play it safe and return to her room?  She analyzed her options, thinking of the pros and the cons of both possible decisions.  The right choice was clear, for it determined whether or not she would face the rest of her horrid adventure alone or not.  Either she swallowed her fear and faced the chomp, or she curled her quivering tail under her fleeing legs and took back to her room.  The conscience had an easy say in such predicament, and, being the fair princess she was, Peach could do nothing else but listen to it.
She turned to the gruesome teeth that gave her the most terrifying mute growl that she would ever witness.  With her hair on end and her eyes in a quiver, she opened her mouth to make her answer.
"I will stay," said she, swallowing hard and feeling her red blood run hot at the words that came from her dry lips. 
"Very well," said the chomp in a monotonous sound.  "You will hear my questions come at ease, and you shall take as much time as you please.  The answer varies not, for there is only one that's true; for each riddle there is only one guess for you.  Get three right without a stall, and you may walk onward tall.  Get three wrong, and, instead of waking; you, my sweet girl, will be all for the taking."
Peach nodded at him, her gut almost bursting in anticipation, and said a timid, "Alright..."
The giant ball of teeth grinned a horrid smile and proceeded with his riddles.
"My stature is tall, and my arms are long; upon me does nature make its soft song.  In the morning sweat covers my head, while at night I shake it instead.  Though I don’t have much a brain, I always know to follow the grain.  What am I?"
Peach suddenly felt her breathing ease and her shoulders loosen.  This riddle, to her, was quite simple.  The witty princess cleared her hoarse throat.  "Well that's easy," she said confidently.  The enormous monster continued to roll its great, lazy eyes in the maiden's direction.  "It's a tree," she continued, "because it's tall, and has even taller branches.  In the morning, there’s dew over the leaves, and at night the wind shakes them.  And as far as that last part goes, its speaking of the grain that runs through the bark of the tree!"  She now stood tall with a spark of hope in both her eyes. 
The Riddler Chomp didn't make any movement, though Peach was almost positive that she was right.  His wide mouth slowly detached itself and he growled the soft, yet strong words, "Your answer is the tree that grows strong, to this I say that your guess wasn't wrong."  Peach smiled to herself as her heart skipped a beat in excitement.  The great riddler continued, "Your next riddle is:  My white face looks down to you; with a bashfulness that opposes a boo.  Around my head fireflies stay; waiting to be gone by the break of day.  If you missed me from my lack of sound; don't fear, I'll catch you next time around.  What am I?"
Peach lowered her head for a moment, furrowing her brow.  She was almost certain that she knew the answer to this riddle as well.  She looked to the Riddler Chomp and said confidently, "It's the moon."  When the giant creature remained silent, she continued, "Because it's face is white, and you can never see the back of it, which is just the opposite of a boo.  The fireflies around its head are the stars, which always disappear at night, and the moon orbits around the Earth, so you'll always see it coming around." 
"Your answer is the moon that turns blue," the large chomp said silently as Peach's ears buzzed red.  "I will tell you that this is quite true."  The dear princess would have beamed if her reserved spirit and cautious ways would've ceased.  She listened to him in better spirit.  "You've answered two right, you have one more out of three, answer this correctly, and you I'll let you free.  The riddle is told as such:  I wait for your presence to come to my door; where you may finally rest your feet that are sore.  My name for this purpose is known only to you, and anyone else you care to give to.  Whether beneficial or not, here I stand, waiting to see you on your command." 
His large jaws came to a shut as Peach stared at him with an unsure look upon her face.  This riddle, to her, seemed unfulfilled.
"Is that all there is?" Peach stuttered quietly, her face slightly reddening.  When the Riddler Chomp remained still and unconscious, Peach knew that the full riddle had been spilt and that he wasn't to speak until she guessed.  "Why, that is so vague," she said.  "I suppose the only clear answer would be my destination..." 
"Your destination is the answer, you say," started the chomp as the princess gasped.  "Such response is correct in many a way.  However, for me to let you go on with your sinning, a specific is needed if you're to be winning." 
He stopped again, staring down at the meek girl as she cradled her arms nervously.
"A specific?" she repeated.  "Well...I'm headed towards the library."
"The library is your final say," said the chomp.  Much to Peach's horror, the beast proceeded to roll forward a little in order to get a very clear and precise look into her dazzling blue eyes.  She stepped back and brought her hands to her face.  He stared intently, finally showing a sign of consciousness by saying, "You are correct, now be on your way."
Without another word said, Peach heard the rattle of a chain, and the Riddler Chomp was pulled back into the black passageway from which he came.  The stairs fell back down unto the chomp's den, and all took the same look as it had when Peach had spotted the stairs in the first place.  Switching the candle between hands, Peach took hold of the front of her gown and trialed up each step, her bare, stubbed feet hurrying along as if afraid the stairs would fall.  When she had reached the top, she let go of her gown as it dropped to the floor.  She was now inside the foyer, the main room of the Licknot Manor.  It was the very same place that she had been in on her first night here, only now without the many ghosts hovering about the room, and without the glowing lights.  Instead of looking black, the room was a very mellow navy blue, being very easy on Peach's tired eyes.  She gazed about in awe, being suddenly aware of the great artwork in the room.  It seemed as though every bit of the wall was carved in some sort of wonderfully crafted scuplture of an amiable spirit.  She had no idea how she had failed to notice this wonderment before, and was actually in question of whether or not such fine sculptures had been carved when she had first entered on that surreal night.
Whether it had been or not wasn't the case, though finding the whereabouts of the library was.  Peach shook her head as she made for the flight of elegant, ruby stairs at the end of the hall.  In her mind she relfected upon '01124' again and again through her busy head.  As she touched each soft step with only the tips of her feet, the sound of bellowing clock chimes reached her ears, their great rings ehoing throughout the enormous house.  She jumped at the enormous sound being so suddenly present, but then eased her shoulders to listen.  Peach counted after each bell struck, numbering them as hours.  1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9...  10... 11... 12.
It was 12 o'clock according to the Manor's clocks, and Peach was relieved at the idea.  If it had been any earlier then there would surely be a spirit awake, though any later and she would feel rushed not to run into very early morning.  The princess was, after all, unsure of how lengthy the time would be until her meeting was to end.
She felt cold as she eyed the walls for any numbers, searching the morose blue sculptures for any signs of a plaque or key of some sort.  She made her way across the balcony to where she eyed a door.  Next to the grand-appearing door was, indeed, a silver plaque.  Upon it read numbers '01124 ~ Library'.  The princess heaved a sigh, as this was it!  The very room she had been searching for!  Without wasting any time she turned the doorknob with a hand full of haste, and entered inside the library, not sure of what she would find other than books and a very patient portrait ghost.                         

[Ultima Shadow]

I just got back into this story...

I really like it! It keeps me on the edge of my seat, and has a very interesting storyline. I've seen a couple of spelling errors, but nothing too major. Keep up the good work! :D

[The Blue Toad]

Thanks! And yeah, I should probably stop typing so fast; when I do I tend to miss most of the spelling.
I'll update this later.
I seriously can't wait until this stupid story is over with!... -_-' 

[The Chef]

Don't worry, it'll be worth the effort.

[The Blue Toad]

I know, I've just lost most inspiration for this, I guess.

Chapter 19:  The Gargoyles Have Ears

Peach closed the door behind her, a small click resonating throughout the library.  Her observant eyes scanned the walls of the intimidating place, finding that the same artistic hand had carved even more figures into this room than in the foyer.  There were boos carved of marble that swirled up from the large glowing torches, which hung upon the walls.  Upon the boos' faces were looks of cruelty, and deceit, which reminded the princess of her own Booregard.  There were also statures of shadow sirens, full of lust and mystery.  They rose from the thick wooden floors like snakes, spiraling into a beautiful figure of a woman.  Between each bookshelf a stone gargoyle stood, with eyes as blank as night and a mouth curled into an angry cry.  Their silent guard put Peach into an uneasy hunch as she circled the lonely library in search of a friend. 
The ceiling was painted with the same mural as the foyers', with was a dark blue, swirled with a mixture of mellow colors.  Spots of light stood out in the ceiling as painted stars, the work of impressionism in their color making a strange impact on the open-minded princess.  As she continued to walk along, gazing into the ceiling, her thigh bumped a hard slab of something.  She looked down at a wooden table, occupied by a transparent old man with a beard of silver and two eyes of starlight.  She stood puzzled as she hadn't seen him there before.  He was bent over a load of opened books, all equally thick and heavy, looking over each page with a surprising speed.  As he scratched his beard he looked up at her, the smell of dust and wet pages present in his air. 
"Uh..." Peach cracked as she gave a violent hum through her dry throat to clear it.
"Why, you showed up after all," said the low-pitched reed instrument.  His easy personality and slow way of speaking calmed Peach, and she sat down at his table with a clear mind.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Peach spoke, "I ran into a bit of a...obstacle."
"Yes, I am so very sorry."  Peach swallowed and was about to question his apology when she eyed his old lips opening to hear him say, "In my terribly old, and quite forgetful age, I seemed to have misplaced the deed in my mind, when it was the night of our meeting, to tell you the ways that this house works at night."  Peach nodded and sat patiently, though couldn't help but look over her shoulder at the eerie ring that seemed to echo across the library's walls.  As she looked right into the eyes of a grinning gargoyle, she quickly turned back around to listen to her guardian, chills residing in her spine.  The ghost continued, "You see, as the moon rises here at this horrible property which belongs to the one who presides in the uppermost floor, things begin to change as all things do when night comes.  The spirits take rest from their days of doing activities of which I am oblivious to, and the house, here, grows dim.  The portrait ghosts are then, only, allowed to leave their frames at such hour, where we may roam the halls of our entrapment.  It is the time when we stretch out of the dank, heavy oils of our easels, and curse the fate which we were born in to.  Never may we see the true light of the moon, or the silent twinkle of the stars above, or feel the soft night breeze rush through our forever transparent bodies."
"Why, that's horrible," Peach whispered. 
"We are bound to our own dust until time ends, here in the horrid house of the one whose broken heart still beats for lust.  But night is not only the time for freedom, but for escape.  Many times there have been said reports of servants leaving their beds empty to make an endeavor of running away.  Most of the poor souls have gotten lost in the many corridors of this mansion, though I'm not sure what happened to the others, for I am not very much around when news is spoken.  However, the point I am bringing myself to is that Booregard felt it in his own responsibility to put a stop to this.  Being a ghost of strange magic ability, and questionable witch crafting skills, he managed to convert nine ferocious chain chomps, escorted from the Dry Dry Deserts, into a group of tamed, intellectual riddling beasts.  I am very sorry, sweet girl, for I must have caused you a deep impact of fear upon your poor soul by not preparing you for such encounter."
"Oh, it's quite alright," said Peach quietly, directing her eyes from the floor to the ghost.  "I've always claimed that I held a knack for riddles, and it's true."
"Well, I'm glad to hear such," said the ghost with his dust-clearing laugh.  "And now that I have told you of the information I should have run by you on our first meeting, I will patch up another mistake of mine.  Being lost of much, or any, social contact for a great amount of years, I am sorry to say that I have forgotten to show myself to you not only as a portrait ghost, but as a gentleman."  He reached out his arm to Peach, extending his long, spidery hands.  Peach gazed at it for a moment, and then reached out her own and shook it in his.  "My name is Professor Alfred Inkblot, at your service, my dear.  And you?"
"Hello, Professor.  My name is Peach Toadstool.  It's a pleasure to meet you."
"And the same to you," he huffed, withdrawing his old hand.  "And now that I have exhausted my apologies to you, my dear Peach, I will proceed unto proper business."
Peach nodded as she straightened her posture, looking eagerly into the old books before her, not taking it a word of what was on the page and yet feeling excited of what it said.  Her fingers folded together and she placed her hands politely in her lap, licking her tired lips. 
"I have been doing research in this library for more moon laps than I can count," Professor Inkblot stated.  "I have found the most interesting pieces of information between some of these covers than anyone may come to understand.  The history of these walls, and the tricks of the ghouls that room within them.  I know of basically all of the secret passageways that this place has to offer, and all of the hidden rooms, ideal treasures, and unknown exits.  If I may humbly say so; I know more of this Manor than its owner does!"  The whole time he spoke with a very secretive voice, hushed underneath the thick anxiety residing in the air.  The princess felt almost frightened at his soft tone, and wished that he would speak more openly.  The professor continued, "Though this is not the point.  What I have learned that may sincerely benefit you, my dear, is how to get out."  Peach's heart skipped a beat.
"Oh!" she exclaimed breathily, true excitement wielding her voice,  "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear this!"
"Shhhhhhh..." Inkblot hushed as he brought a long finger to his mustache.  He looked over Peach's shoulder, eyeing the gargoyle.  Peach's heart was still beating with excitement, but now fear kept it going.  He leaned in closer to her and said, "The gargoyles have ears."  Peach pursed her lips as she swallowed a pack of butterflies into her stomach. 
"Hm?" she questioned.
"These stone gargoyles are spies to Booregard," Professor Inkblot hummed.  "They're awoken by sound, and are nasty things when in motion."
"Did....  Did it hear me?" Peach whispered nervously. 
"No, dear Peach, it didn't, and I am sorry for allowing myself to forget my duty of warning you.  Again, I feel ashamed of my forgetful ways."  Peach did away with his shame, and he continued, "So, as I have said, I have figured the way for any person imprisoned in this place to let himself, or herself, free.  It is really quite basic, actually.  The boo's prison is cast under many strange, dark spells, and is often very hard to tamper with.  Trying to undo the spells over this horrid place would be more than extremely tricky, and it has overall been defined as a bad idea (or at least according to my book) and should not be attempted.  However, the easier way to free oneself of this prison would be to simply do away with its inheritor.  In this case, my poor Peach, the one way that you can unlock the gates of this bird cage and set yourself free is to destroy the horrible soul that forever has haunted this mansion."
"You mean Booregard?"
"I speak of the very one."
"...You are asking me to kill Booregard?" Peach asked with a gaping mouth, suddenly feeling unsure of her capability of setting herself free.
"You say kill with a thought of knives and blood, am I correct?" asked the ghostly professor.  Peach nodded, even though such violent thoughts actually had not taken place in her mind.
"Well please, think not of it, for no such act using said tools will ever come to play, especially not with a ghost.  No, the witty spirit living in this haunted mansion is very keen in his magic, as you may or may not have noticed.  He has cast himself under more than enough spells, trying to make himself immortal to any form of murder.  Though he has succeeded in none of his many trials, the determined boo did find a way.  By drinking the saliva of a Shark Plant, the lonely spirit has preserved himself against all enemy touch, so that he may not be killed."   
"Well then what use is it to tell me that his death is my key?" asked Peach, her amiable, light voice contrasting to Professor Inkblot's oboe.
"My explanation was not yet finished, my young listener, for I was to say that there is a loop hole in this extraordinary success for a certain upstairs spirit.  While he had granted himself with immortality, he was still unsure of whether or not this was true happiness.  As an escape to this plan, he found of a way to concoct a potion that would cancel the effects of the saliva, and actually proceed to kill him.  It was a potion of only three ingredients, yet powerful enough to overrun the first."
"So, what you're saying is that I need to find this potion, and feed it to Booregard!  Then I'll be free from this horrible place!"  Peach's face lightened up a bit, but she quickly quieted down a she gave a nervous look to the gargoyle over her shoulder.
"Not exactly," Inkblot said as Peach looked back, "for this potion was never actually made.  It was thought out, and planned, but never made.  You see, this is the reason I asked you here tonight."  The old professor opened up one of the side books to a page that was marked by a black crow's feather.  His bony finger scanned across the dusty page, and he read aloud, "The stream of my establishment, the liquid once used, and the tears of my heart."  Peach felt something within her gentle heart tear at these words.  There was some sort of feeling that was so very final about them, as though they were part of the script of Booregard's last bold statements.  "These three things," said Inkblot, "are the ingredients for the Manor master's potion of death."
"So....  What....  What you're saying is..."
"Yes, dear Peach," said the slow professor.  "You are going to need to collect all of these things, and bring them back to me."


Peach gave him a troubled look as she tried her hardest not to look down.  Her meek body stood high from the ground atop one of the tallest bookcases in the library.  Her trembling hands grasped the curvy hips of a stone shadow siren, whose curly locks of tossable hair swam about her body of lust.  Professor Inkblot faced a portrait that hung on the wall at the same height as Peach, above the very bookcase of which she was now perched.  The portrait contained a very fat ghost woman, who wore a violet dress and had black and curly hair all tied into a bun.  Her eyebrows were very slick and high as though she was annoyed. 
"Excuse me, Miss Natalie Noteprick," said Professor Inkblot politely.  "Would you mind speaking for a moment?"
The green, emerald eyes of the portrait ghost, Natalie, stirred, and she gave a very annoyed glance to Inkblot.
"Alfred!" she said in a very melodious, full voice that sounded as though in belonged in an opera.  "What do you want with me now?"
"Please, quiet yourself Natalie," said Alfred, "I don't want the gargoyles to stir!"
"Oh, and you assume that I do?" said the vexed spirit.  "I say!  How absurd is it that they put such a beautifully singing ghost portrait in a library?  It's ridiculous, Alfred, ridiculous!"
"Well, my dear, be grateful that you're not in a broom closet," Professor Inkblot hummed.  "But that is besides the point.  I would very much like entrance into the pipeline, please."
"The pipeline?" Natalie repeated, not looking any calmer.  "Why would you want to go into those filthy sewers? - It's dirty in there!" 
"Again, I must ask you to keep your voice down," said Professor Inkblot as he continued to try and woo the disgruntled Natalie Noteprick.  Peach noticed, as she stared into the disturbingly keen eyes of a nearby gargoyle, that both of its eyes had sparked red for a moment.  When they had, it had sent a shiver through her whole body, and she regretted ever looking at its disgruntled mouth and disfigured, sharp teeth.  Its shoulders were hunched and its great, muscular arms were posted to the floor before it, the claws of its hands too crowded to be folded comfortably.  Its hind legs were hunched and looked ready to pounce, with its confined wings prepared to open wide, ready to engulf its prey.  Peach was entranced by the horribly demonic figure, and was too terrified to put her eyes away from it.
"...well, thank you, Miss Noteprick.  Come now, Peach," Inkblot said.  "It is time!" 
Princess Peach turned away from her horrible viewing to heed her ghostly friend. 
"Yes, what is it?" she asked, eyeing the fat lady with curiosity. 
"Miss Noteprick, here, has agreed to open herself up to the pipeline of Licknot Manor.  It is now that you must travel down through the pipes, and retrieve the sewage from the main waterway.  After that, you will come back here and I'll escort you back to your room.  You'll be done for the night."
Peach felt very nervous as she watched Natalie hover out from her portrait so that it was left with only a scenery of fresh violets growing upon a garden arch. 
"And... you're sure that this has to be done now?" asked Peach nervously, feeling very reluctant to go anywhere else but back to her room. 
"Oh, yes," Alfred replied.  "I am sorry, dear Peach, but there is only one time to do this, and that is now.  After tonight, there will be no more visiting the library at late hours for you.  Now come, and try to be brave, my dear." 
Peach stepped forward as Natalie took hold of her picture frame and swung it open carelessly, revealing a secret entrance that was walled with pipes, and dripping with random spots of water.  Peach felt it in her best interest to try and debate against going inside.
"Now, Peach, I will give to you this small container."  Professor Inkblot lowered himself down a bit to hand the princess a clear glass bottle, no larger than her thumb.  She took it in her gentle fingers, and examined it while turning it about.  "With this I ask you to cradle the sewage that you find when you reach the mainstream.  Once you have a full bottle of the gurgling mixture, you rush right back here."
Peach looked into his eyes, wondered at their star-like shine.  She gathered all the courage that she could, and nodded, finding it suddenly very hard to swallow. 
"And once I have this," she said, "I'll be one step closer to finding all three indgredients?"
"You'll be a third of the way there," Inkblot confirmed.
".....Alright, then," Peach said as she slowly stepped inside the secret entrance, being careful as her bare feet hit the cold, metallic ground within.  She turned back to look at her portrait ghost guardian.  His sorrowful eyes gazed into hers and he nodded slowly. 
"Good luck," he said with a small wave.
"...Thanks," Peach said quietly.  With a lazy hand Natalie swung her portrait shut with a small thud, and Peach was now locked within the pipes of Licknot Manor.  She looked down the long, pipe-built tunnel, noticing how it was lighted up only my meek light bulbs, which hung loosely on strings from a wide pipe that vertically ran throughout the long tunnel.  The air was damp, and the sounds were nothing but echoes.  Taking in a deep breath, Peach said to herself, "...I'm definitely going to need it..."                 

[The Chef]

When this is finished, it should be stickied.

[The Blue Toad]

Wow, thank you!  ^_^
Update will be soon, I hope.

[The Chef]

Your quite welcome. I really need to write an award-winning fan-fic myself. Or at least make a comic.

[The Blue Toad]

Yeah, comics are pretty fun to write.

Chapter 20:  Red Pearls

The tense princess shuddered at the empty sound of her bare feet stepping across the cold, metal flooring of the long and lonely tunnel.  With each tiny bit of sound there came a hollow echo to mock it, flooding its eerie call all throughout the pipeline, bouncing off the metallic tubing like rubber balls.  The lights flickered like electric candles, giving off just enough light to permit gruesome shadows between each hum of radiation. 
Peach firmly kept her eyesight directed in front of her, reluctant to see the wall of pipes at her side, knowing that she would only be haunted with her own imagination of what may lie between its mysterious gaps.  Her tongue was wet with nervous saliva, though she remained very thirsty.  It was as though the damp smell of the air and the sound of dripping water simply mocked her, tempting her weary mind with nothing.  Peach hummed to herself as she continued to conquer the mysterious path before her, feeling her blood tremble as she turned each corner, and her heart quake at each untold sound.  There would be the random hearing of a popping noise every once in a while, which seemed to make Peach's skin crawl.  As she ventured further and further, the valiant princess could only notice that it was gradually getting colder, and, to her own discomfort, darker.  It was as though the power of the light bulbs decreased as the tunnel wore on, and the warmth subsided more and more along with it. 
Peach sniffed loudly, her small red nose slightly contrasting with her pale face.  Her locks of hair were all on end, look frizzier, now, than usual.  Her poor, smooth arms held each other in the damp cold, and her feet moved quickly, making a respectable endeavor as not to touch the icy metal floor.  The glass bottle, which she held firmly in her hand, grew a jacket of frost around its smooth surface, sharing the same blurred look as Peach's soft eyes.  She continued to only stare forward, her chapped lips open in a small pant.  She moved very quickly now, her bare feet pumping through the tunnel, slapping over the cold platforms.  Peach's breathing became nervous and loud as she began to run, her nose doing the same.  Her pink gown bellowed behind her, and her wiry hair clung to her clammy, pale face.  Her heart quickened and her sad eyes widened, seeing the tunnel before her grow smaller, colder, darker.  Her mind raced as her ears met with another loud popping sound, and her feet sped up, the cold blood that ran through her veins pumping harder.
She turned corners without hesitation, and began flailing her arms into space before her.  Her hyperventilation echoed throughout the tunnel like a ghost flying behind her, and she found that she could not stop.  At the gaps between light, Peach leapt over the darkness, feeling her heart beat at each intersection.  Peach could hear the sound of crawling in the gaps of the pipes beside her, and could've sworn that she saw strange things peering out at her.  Peach refused to stop as she bolted through the cold, damp pipeline, not sure of where she was even going. 
Peach turned another corner, and found herself stopping against her vows stated through her mind earlier.  A few yards away, she found what she had been searching for.  An intersection rested at the end of her view, where, instead of metal flooring, there was a stream of gurgling water.  Peach eyed the frosty bottle in her quivering hands and swallowed a mouthful of thick nothing.  The strange noises stopped, and her mind began to ease itself.  Peach sniffed and shook her head, wiping her watery eyes.  She silently chuckled to herself at how her overwhelming fear had been for nothing.  She stepped forth to the stream, gazing into the mysteriously thick water.  It gave off a silver glow, though maintained a blue reflection, which hinted green.  It was a very strange source of water, and as Peach looked down on either side of the long, bubbling waterway, she saw nothing too peculiar other than a place where the stream dropped to her left, accompanied by the thundrous sound of the water hitting the surface below. 
Her soft hands pulled at the cork of the bottle as she felt her fingers begin to strain.  Her grip slipped a couple of times through her frustrated endeavor, and she grinded her teeth as her hand began to cramp at her immense tugging.  With her elbows directed outwards in opposite directions, and her face clenched, Peach pulled at the cork with all her might.  With a slight grunt and a small pop, the cork suddenly eased its way off as Peach's hands shot off in opposing paths, the bottle held in her right hand, and the cork in her left.  She tossed a lock of hair out of her face as she bent over the stream, dipping her right hand into the moderate moving water.  She faced the bottle's mouth to the current, and kept it there until the strange water began to spurt over the bottle's top.  Peach took up her hand and pushed the stubborn cork back into her glass container, smirking at the blue-green water inside.  With a hand to push her back up, Peach stood over the water and let her eyes give it a final farewell.  She proceeded to turn back around calmly, prepared to make her journey back out to the library.
Peach gazed into a pair of glowing red eyes.  They were within inches from her face, and they stared directly into her own.  Without thinking, Peach let out a tremendous scream, and threw herself backwards.  She toppled into icy cold water, letting herself be engulfed by its streaming blue presence.  The strange, thick water flooded her ears and her nose, touching her wide blue eyes with a hand that stung.  Peach quickly swam back up to the surface, coughing and sputtering, all the while trying not to be dragged away by the swift current.  She opened her eyes, stung by contaminated water, and looked up to where she once perched.  She looked into the same glowing red pearls, and saw that they both belonged to a demonic beast, who gazed down at her with a snarl.  It was the stone gargoyle, with his horrid snout curled into a cruel laugh at Peach's terrible misfortune.  To Peach's utter horror she watched as the stone monster tossed its satanic head into the air, cackling with a menacing smile, and proceeded to spread its bat-like wings.  The demon flew into the air, dangling its mangled, claw-wielding body above the poor princess, preparing itself to attack her.  With another blood-curdling scream, Peach let herself float away with the waterway, her heart in a fury of beats as she stared at the gargoyle, who was flying right behind her.  Her head, heavy with her soaking wet hair, sank underneath the cold, bubbling water, and her body was again engulfed below, her head pounding with fright.  The water washed inside her ears, and all seemed calm beneath the small, bubbling waves.  Peach suddenly felt her stomach leap and her head soar as her body came to a very sudden plummet.  She was suddenly hurled downwards at immense speed, still being sucked into the water.  Peach was falling rapidly down the pipeline waterfall.  She screamed in free fall, feeling her throat tear under her horrified cry.  The sound of incessant thunder grew closer and closer to her the farther she dropped.  Her stomach ached uncomfortably, and her head stung with dizziness.  With a violent splash, Peach was plunged deep under water, the eormous sounds that were once around her suddenly nothing but scarring echoes.  Peach felt all of her breath leave her body, and all her muscles became suddenly relaxed.  Her eyelids hung loose over her blank, blue eyes as she stared into nothing.  Her head stung, feeling as though it was spinning, and pounded wrecklessly, hurting dangerously at any bit of movement.  Peach's sight blurred as she sunk deeper an deeper into the dark, cold waters, her shaken body twitching in the thick liquid, until everything finally turned black.                                               

[The Blue Toad]

And now, shedding a nice appearance on my story, an old friend from Super Mario 64!

Chapter 21:  Engulfed in Wet Dreams

The princess could hear the sound of water stirring, and the soft echo of a shell to one's ear.  Her eyes examined blackness, though her mind put together the vision of a beach.  She was lying upon a warm slab of rock overlooking the blue ocean waves, with reserved seagulls gliding on the hands of the wind above her sun-toasted face.  However, to break this, there was a sudden sound of a single drop of water falling into a deep puddle, the resonating sound of the soft ring greeting one place of the room, and then leaving to greet another.  She instantly found herself lying down in that horrific pipeline.  The metal flooring was at her back, and the dripping water echoed over the long lines of pipes.  Two red, gleaming eyes gazed down at her, staring into her very soul!  She stirred nervously in her sleep, bringing her hands to cradle her pounding skull.
"Girl..." the cruel gargoyle spoke.  It stayed in the shadows like a menace, though spoke calmly.  "Girl..."
"No..." Peach whispered in a hoarse voice.  "Leave me..."  She kept her eyes locked into those tenacious, sinister eyes, watching them flash at her every heart beat as she let her body lay on the metal floor as a limp doll.
"Girl, you are dreaming...." the stone demon said.  Peach knew this not to be the gargoyle's voice.  The voice she listened to was far too hollow, and endless, rather than snarling and evil.  No, the soft voice she was listening to rang with each syllable, and made a small, mellow song out of a sequence of words.  It was as though a whale was speaking to her in the deepest blue of the sea.  Peach took in a deep breath to smell damp air that was heavy and cold, and her mind set to place a puzzle piece.  She remembered where she was, and what had happened only moments earlier.  Her eyes cringed and her legs curled up at her chest.  She didn't want to see the horrible place she had fallen to.  It was nothing but a horrible mistake.  Her location was completely unnecessary, and, as she claimed in her own mind, stupid.  Deep frustration crawled through her cramped veins and eased its way up her tight stomach and into her raging throat.  Her fingers clenched firmly at her own ignorance, and her mind buzzed with the memories of being tossed from the peak of a waterfall. 
She felt her throat vibrate.  Whether she was moaning in agony or growling of frustration, she couldn't say, but as she did so she suddenly became aware of where she lay.  She could feel her burning cheek resting on a damp, rubbery surface.  For an instance Peach was positive that she in fact was in the presence of a whale, though when she opened her dizzy eyes, she saw otherwise.  She looked down at her dripping night gown and pale feet, finding that they were helplessly resting upon a wet blue back.  At the end of this back, she saw a long slippery tail, and each side of the back, there was a huge pair of flat, rubbery flippers that were both rowing along through the water, maintaining much grace.  Looking backwards, Peach found the longest neck she'd ever seen, and resting at the top was a round, blue head that looked as though it belonged to a dinosaur. 
She was on the back of a sea monster!  Peach would have gasped if it was not for the sharp pain singing through her head.  She turned to face the front, feeling in awe of the mammoth beast.  She looked down to see that the monster's fins were swimming through an eerie, black water, that looked bottomless and cold.  Goosebumps ran across her arms as she gazed into the dark sea, and she ran her clammy hands across them as an attempt to warm up, her jaw quivering violently.  The strange room of which she was being held brought nothing much to eye other than shadows and enormous cylindrical pipes that erected at the edges of the circular pool like towers. 
"Where am I?" Peach asked herself in a panicked voice, feeling too frightened to remain silent.  As the great sea monster stirred and began to speak, Peach let out a sudden shriek and jumped back to the beast's tail.  The monster stopped his incessant swimming and twisted his long neck to gaze back at Peach, his large, glossy black eyes looking innocent to the ever-pure princess. 
He have a heavy snuff from his large nostrils and spoke,  "Please, do not fear me," he said, speaking in the soft, endless voice that Peach had heard earlier.  "I am Nessie, the sea monster, and I am quite gentle." 
He craned his neck to show the princess the top of his gleaming, blue head.  Peach cowered for a moment or two, simply staring at his damp cranium.  Her eyes flashed images of her hand being ripped off by his mighty teeth, used again to guzzle down the rest of her poor, panicked body.  Peach simply gazed, glossy-eyed, and unprepared to move. 
"I'm quite gentle," the sea monster repeated. 
With a swallow full of fear, Peach nodded, as though confirming his statement.  She put up a quivering hand, and quickly brought it to the monster's head in a flash of a movement.  Just as fast, she brought it back, holding it at her heaving bosom.  Peach saw that Nessie had not even stirred a little when she had touched him.  She brought up her hand again, and stroked the monster's cranium with more courage this time.  His head was slippery against her pale, cold palm, that she slid her hand all around the top of his head, scratching him, even, at the neck.  Peach couldn't help but crack a smile at the monster's gentle nature, and was soon thankful for the company. 
Nessie brought back up his head and looked at Peach, saying, "I found you at the base of the waterfall.  What were you doing there?"
"Oh," Peach said, feeling her stomach go aflutter and her mind race at the thought of that horrible gargoyle.  "I was...well... it's quite a long story... I was simply trying to..." Peach suddenly stopped and looked down at her hands.  Her heart leapt into her meek throat.  She quickly looked around her, eyeing every little spot that was by her presence.  "Oh no," she said morosely.  The bottle was gone.  Peach groaned heavily as she brought her face into her quivering hands and let out a sob.  This all meant that she would have to go back to that horrible ghost and get another tiny bottle.  Oh, how she felt as though she was the most miserable soul in the universe.
"What's wrong?" asked the gentle giant, resuming his peaceful swimming in a circle.
"Oh, it's nothing," Peach sighed into her palms, sounding quite full of tears.  "I've simply lost something dear to me... you didn't happen to see any glass bottle, did you?"
"A glass bottle?" asked Nessie.
Peach nodded her reply.
"Why, yes, actually," he spoke.  "When I went down to pick you up out of the water depths, I noticed something kind of sparkly a little ways farther down.  Being as infatuated as I am with things that sparkle, I went to pick it up."
"Oh, that's wonderful!" said Peach, feeling a great deal of relief.  "May I have it back, please?"
"Of course you may," he replied kindly.  "I'll swim us to it right now!"
Peach felt her spirits lift slightly, and she let out a soft, shuddering sigh.  Nessie suddenly jolted forward, and swam in between two of the enormous pipes, drifting into what appeared to be a long, dark tunnel.  The princess grasped unto the monster's slippery skin, crawling up to the neck of the beast as something to hang on to.
"Where are we going?" asked Peach as Nessie continued down the long tunnel at a rather quick pace. 
"We're going to my den," he replied.  "It's where I keep most of the things I find that are interesting... it shouldn't be too long of a trip."
Peach was happy to see that there were torches up ahead, blazing up in the darkness like stars in the dark night.  She felt rather comfortable with the gentle giant to keep her safe, though she couldn't shake the feeling of paranoia, chilling her blood into a fit. 
They traveled on through the black river for quite a while longer.  Every once in a while they would come to a dark intersection, in which Peach would look down the other long, dark tunnels, feeling fright crawl upon her bones.  She wondered what she would possibly do if Nessie hadn't come for her, or if she would even be alive if her hadn't picked her up out of that cold coma.  Whatever the unfortunate outcome, Peach was grateful all the same. 
As they continued down a long corridor, which was lit up nicely with more torches than any other they had crossed yet, Peach began to feel much more confident.  She leaned back on the rubbery back of her water-dwelling friend, and looked up at the arching ceiling.  The torches creating flickering shadows upon the ever-stretching arch-way, and they strangely entranced Peach.  She watched the shadows dance with a placid look on her eased face, until she saw something which she had been dreading all along.  Two red pearls stung the darkness atop the ceiling, staring directly into her.  Peach let out a horrific scream that tore her throat.  Her body jumped and she grabbed on to Nessie's long neck in horror, her heart thumping in her chest as she looked unto those two blood-thirsty, demonic setting suns.  Nessie looked up with a start, in just enough time to see the horrible gargoyle detach itself from the ceiling and flap its stone wings sloppily in the narrow tunnel, freeing its blood-chilling laugh from its wicked, stone lungs.  Peach was in horror as she watched that horrible snout curl into a gay smile, brought to horror by its evil eyes. 
The sea monster looked directly at the stone demon, and, raising his head, let out a loud, low screech.  It echoed throughout the tunnel more loudly than anything else Peach had heard, and she covered her ears in the presence of it.  Peach watched the gargoyle open its fangs in deep pain, and, in an instant, fly out far down the tunnel, and out of sight.
Peach gazed after it into the darkness, afraid of its return. 
"It is alright, girl," Nessie said suddenly.  Peach quickly turned around to look into those two, large black eyes.  "He is gone... and he is not to be back."
He proceeded to turn back around and continued his voyage through the canal.  Peach still felt her breaths heavy and quick, her heart still acting aflutter. 
"Nessie..." she said after catching her senses.  "May I ask you a question?"
"Yes, girl, go right ahead," he replied.
"Why...exactly...are you here?" Peach looked at the back of his blue head with the utmost curiosity. 
"Why?" he repeated.
"Yes... well, I mean... There must be a reason, right?"
"Oh, yes, of course.  I help to stir the water around down here.  The energy pipes catch the energy that I produce by stirring the water, and it helps to run the house..."
Peach nodded as she looked down and rubbed her soar neck.
"...but as far as the question goes for why I'm down here... I can't really... remember..."
Peach looked back up at him with an intrigued look on her pale countenance.
"Oh, look!" he said, "Here we are."
The great sea monster gave a large stroke that pushed himself into a new room.  It was a small, circular room, and it had a landing at the far end.  This, however, was not what caught Peach's attention.  She was distracted by the enormous amount of items that simply stormed the room!  They lined the walls and completely covered the landing floor.  Each one gave off some sort of glitter, whether it was meek, bright, sharp, or glowing. 
"My..." Peach exclaimed, "this is...amazing!"
"Why, thank you," Nessie replied.  "I like to call it my collection." 
Peach was in absolute awe of it.  She could just imagine how long it must have taken him to find all of these treasures. 
"And, there it is!" the princess said as she pointed to her glass bottle.  It was at the very edge of the landing, and still held that strange, blue-green liquid inside of it. 
"Yes, it was my newest treasure.  But now, I am happy to present it to you," the monster said politely.  Peach leaned over as far as she could without slipping and falling into the water below, and took hold of the small bottle.  Her blue eyes gazed upon it with victory.                                           

[The Blue Toad]

Special points to the person who can tell me what each ghost represents!

Chapter 22:  The Seven Deadly Ghosts

"Thank you so very much, Nessie.  Really, I would've been lost without you!" Peach exclaimed earnestly. 
"You are quite welcome," came his candid reply.  "I am more than happy to share my treasures with friends."
Peach wondered how it was that this monster considered her own bottle to be his, and it brought to mind of how long she might have been down here.  Thinking of this, she said, "Nessie, may I ask, how long have I been here?"
"Hm?" he snorted.  "How long have you been in the sewers, you mean?"
"Yes," Peach replied as she cupped her little bottle anxiously. 
"Well... I would say a mere couple of hours." 
Peach looked into his eyes blankly, thinking of how it had seemed as though she had been asleep on his back for days!  It was strange what the thick dreams of unconsciousness could bring one to believe. 
"Well then there still might be time," she said to herself as she gazed down at her treasure.  "Nessie, is there any way I could leave here?"
"Leave the sewers?  Why, yes, of course there is!  It's a long trip, but I can get anyone out who has a strong lung capacity," said he with an assuring tone in his throat and a placid look over his sincere face.
"That's wonderful!  You see, I needn't be down here.  In fact, this bottle has a very important mission to fulfill, so if you could bring me back to where I came from, I'd be much obliged."
"Hm?" Nessie said, eyeing the bottle miraculously.  "Why, of course.  I'll take you this very instant."
"You will?" Peach asked excitedly.
"Yes, dear girl, any time you would like!"
"Now would be fine!" Peach said happily.
"Well, then I suggest that you hang on to me strongly!" the sea monster said.  Peach murmured an accepting reply and positioned herself firmly at the base of Nessie's neck, wrapping her pale arms around his rubbery throat until they ached, and holding on to the bottle just as hard.  As he swam around to turn his tail towards his sparkling treasure, Peach decided to take one last look at what wonderment he had collected.  She gapped at all the random jewelry and mysterious crystals, her stomach warming and curling at the sight of old memorabilia.  Her eyes were not quick enough to see all that the small, round room had to offer, but she had been effected by its containments ever since. 
"Get ready, girl.  Take a deep breath," Nessie said as more of a strong suggestion rather than an order.
Peach's stomach churned nervously as her arms tightened, and her legs wrapped around his chest.  Her fingers pressed so hard onto the bottle that her joints cramped and her knuckles turned white.  She took in one deep breath through her quivering nostrils, and then, after emptying her lungs, inhaled deeply, feeling air flood through her throat until her mouth was dry.  She closed her mouth, and in an instant, she was sent plunging into the black water beneath her, feeling its cold hand slap her in the face, and play with her locks of blonde hair.  Her whole body was pulled upwards, though she gripped even tighter around Nessie in a quick struggle of her muscles.  Her legs were now sent out straight behind her, only her already tired arms still in place to keep her tied to Nessie.  She could feel his heavy, muscular movements through the water, the thick currents pushing against her cringing face.  He soared through the water like a bird through the air.  Peach heard nothing more than his flippers rowing strongly, and the echo of her plunge.           
Feeling fear of the dark, cold, mysterious waters, Peach brought herself to open her eyes.  She found, much to her relief, that her eyes were not met with any sting.  Rather, she only felt the cold water's thick presence touch with its wet hand.  Peach could see her straining arms wrapped around Nessie's bobbing neck, and, much to her amazement, another loot of treasure below the water also stunned her eyes.  She was instantly awestruck when she gazed upon pearls, diamonds, rings, and tons of other sparkling fines littering the bottom of the canal like sand.  They glowed brilliantly, reflecting through the water and on to Peach's face.  She hadn't expected such rare and beautiful fines to be seen in such black water.  It almost made her want to swim to the bottom herself, and run her hands deep into the miscellany of coins and precious metals, feeling their illuminate presence run across her pale body. 
Nessie swam along, not taking much notice to his underwater treasure, and suddenly took to even deeper waters.  Peach saw that they were now headed down a long, black tunnel, which dove directly down into the earth.  With a straining neck, Peach said goodbye to the glimmering treasure on the sea floor, and then swam closer to Nessie's neck as cold, dark waters, and fear, engulfed her.     

*                   *                   *                   *

Booregard hovered over his very cushy, very tall armchair, gazing into the blazing fire across from him, which was bordered by a deep marble fireplace.  His elbows rested on the surface of his well-polished desk, which gave rest to many other things; a fine container of quills, a stack of well-organized parchments, an ash tray with a box of long cigarettes, an aristocratic table lamp, which craned its fine neck over the stack of papers, and a few decorative ornaments.  Around this room was a load of strange, yet very detailed and abstract arts.  It is to be believed that Booregard, as well as being a sophisticated aristocrat, was also in to fine arts.  Though fine, they also tended to look rather disturbing in appearance.  They all maintained a shadowy, full look, and colored mainly in mixes of dark red and dark blue, along with violet, a deep green, or other very dreamy colors.  The things about the room consisted of a variety of such, such as very tall vases that reached the ceiling, as well as lamps that barely gave of a heavily yellow glow, receiving a background of a random, very thick red curtain, which hung across each wall.  The occasional mask hung from the ceiling, grinning down upon whoever set foot in the rather eerie room.  The floor was made of red wood, but was covered by a very large carpet, which was a dark blue with interesting blood red designs across it.  Booregard appeared waiting patiently, in somewhat of a daze as he continued to be entranced by the fire. 
The door across the room from him, positioned next to the fireplace (though hard to spot due to all of the shadowy, artsy detours) suddenly swung open, shedding light into the dark-pitched room.  The rose-colored boo closed the door behind her, as the red-hot fire resumed its place as a main light source. 
"Master," she stated calmly, "the ghost lords and ladies are here."     
"Then send them in," he stated as he pulled his eyes away from the fire and looked about his desk as though he had been doing something.
"Yes, of course," the rose-colored boo said as she re-opened the door and stated into the light, "He's ready for you."
One by one the ghosts entered into the room.  First appearing was what seemed to be a floating suit of armor, though on further inspection was actually a blood-red ghost, hovering inside the suit to occupy it.  The ghost was rather burly, and had thick black eyebrows over his violet eyes.  After him, came a tall, lanky green ghost.  Her straight black hair reached her waist, and around her long body she wore a yellow gardening apron over a long, deep green dress.  Her sorrowful yellow eyes were almost hidden by the wide rim of her straw sun hat. 
Following her was none other than Lady Caprishriek.  Her silver eyes stung the room as they burned out from her purple, puckered face, with her violet locks trailing off behind her.  After Caprishriek was Lord Von Vougore, his smug face looking more humble in the presence of Master Licknot.  His body was so large that he stomach would never have fit through the door if it weren’t for the fact that he was transparent.  Behind his enormous wake was the small black ghost that Peach had seen in the closet, with his green eyes looking sharp about the room.  He wore a dark blue suit jacket with a green bow tie.  The forked tail of his jacket acted rather as a second ghostly tail.  After him was a rather stout ghost, who was a bit short, and overall, looked like a pug.  One of his keen ruby eyes sported a monocle, and for dress he wore an elegant violet robe with a red scarf peeping out from the neck.
Following this pompous ghost was a light blue ghost, who appeared as though she was fading away.  Her hair was very feather-like, much like her own appearance.  Her eyes were a very sleepy purple, and she wore a shimmering turquoise dress, which was laced with puffy frills at the bell.
"I present to you, oh master," said the rose-colored boo, once all of the seven ghosts were lined up facing Booregard.  She announced their names in order of appearance.  "Lord Bloodclot, of security.  Lady Chillweed, of gardening.  Lady Caprishriek, of maintenance.  Lord Von Vougore, of cooking.  Lord Mousewhick, of the clerks.  Lord Rubeshire, of treasury.  And, Lady Dazzleweb, of entertainment."
Each of the ghosts presented themselves respectively to Booregard, the ladies making a curtsey, and the lords bowing.  Booregard looked at them with curiosity for a while, as though he were counting them through. 
"Thank you for coming, all of you," he said traditionally as the seven ghosts replied by nodding.  "Now, I must ask, which one of you maintains a young girl with blonde hair?" 
There was a silence throughout the room as the question had been asked so suddenly.  The largest, most portly ghost spoke up, "That would be me, monsieur."
"Ah, the head of chefs..... So, she is a cook?" Booregard said to himself as the seven ghosts eyed each other curiously.  "Tell me this, Mr. Von Vougore, is she a pest while working for you?" he asked with a keen smile. 
"A pest, monsieur?" he repeated, his little mustache pointed upwards higher than usual.
"Yes.  You know, an annoyance," Booregard said.
"Why, no, no she is not, monsieur.  I find her to be a hard worker!  In fact, monsieur, I find that she may, in fact, be le best chef in my kitchen!  Yes!  Just the other day, for example, she was working on le dough as usual, right, when-"
"Quiet!" Booregard stated with a scowl.  Lord Von Vougore shut his small mouth and looked shamefully at Booregard through his very narrow eyes.  "You mean to say that Peach is doing just fine doing work?!  You mean to say that she's doing fine... without me?!" 
The seven ghosts could tell that Booregard was getting heated.  The masks atop the ceiling grinned down at them from the safety of the pillar tops, grimacing at their poor predicament. 
"Excuse me, master," stated Lady Caprishriek.  "I had this girl you speak of as one of my workers before Von Vougore.  She was a fool girl!  She did horribly as a maid!  In fact, master, she broke a vase on her first day!  I suppose that it simply must have been my kind heart that let her go for that one, master, though she surely should have been dropped."
"Ah, but she will not be!" Booregard said, seeming rather cheered up at this.  "Or at least.... not yet..... I need this girl to realize what she gave up when she refused me.... I need some way to make her come back!"
"Well, master, if I may," Lady Caprishriek began.  "Upon breaking the vase, I gave her punishment of maintaining the Big Room on its next customer... perhaps... that might be enough..."
Booregard looked into the silver eyes of the ghost siren, not feeling effected, however, by her ghostly beauty.  He took in what she said, stoking his chin, and then nodded with a small chuckle.
"Yes....the Big room," he said, cruel intentions residing in his voice.  "Rubeshire!   Who is our highest paying guest?"
"In current placement, sir?" asked the yellow ghost, Rubeshire, adjusting his monocle.
"No, no, our highest paying customer ever!  In history!"
"Oh, right, right... uh... I believe that would be the King Boo!"
"King Boo?"
"Yes, he paid us mighty find gold coins!  Oh, how I remember it well..." Rubeshire looked up in dignity, remembering the money he had received. 
"Hmmm... yes... would you say he was a demanding customer, Caprishriek?" asked Booregard, turning his eyes to the violet ghost.
"Oh, yes!" she said, knowing what his intentions were, "One of the most demanding!"
"That's good..." Booregard said.  "Yes!  Mousewhick, I want you to offer the Big Room to King Boo as soon as possible.  I want Peach to come crawling back to me when she's through with him!"
"Uh," the small black ghost spoke up, "there's a problem there!  King Boo, being the picky fool he is, only comes to stay here when the nightly theatre is playing his favorite, and when the main dish being served is what he likes best."  His green eyes sparked as he saw Booregard raise an eyebrow.
"So, that can be taken care of.  What are his favorites?" he demanded.
"Phantom of the Opera with buttered lobster on steamed potatoes... that sweaty pig," Mousewhick replied.
"Von Vougore!" Booregard said loudly as the round chef looked to him attentively.  "You will make buttered lobster with steamed potatoes at King Boo's arrival, understood?"
"Oui oui, monsieur!" he replied respectively. 
"And, you, Dazzleweb!"
"What?" spoke the sleepy looking Dazzleweb as she cast her dreamy gaze unto Booregard as though she had been busy thinking of something else.
"You will put on the Phantom of the Opera for nightly theatre when King Boo arrives, understood?"
"Yes, master," she replied, a slight look of reluctance in her eye.
"Good then..." Booregard said, seeming rather satisfied.  "Now I want you all to leave and get on it right away!  Be gone!" 
And with that the seven ghosts fled from the room, beginning work on whatever they were told to do.  Booregard cast his sleepy gaze into the laughing flames.

[The Blue Toad]

Chapter 23:  Back Before Daybreak

The angry water pushed against her body like a mammoth fist with ever stroke Nessie made.  Her eyes strained to gaze at the blurry, wet distance before her, teaming with small bubbles, which trickled like rain from the sewer monster's nostrils.  Her hands ached a bit more than her stretching arms, which were being tugged out to their maximum length, and her fingers trembled under pressure. 
Her great locks of blonde hair swam all about, rubbing her face and tender skin with bristling, but tickling, hands.  As Nessie trudged on through the black waters, she could feel her breath wearing out.  It was that horrible feeling that you always get when you dive down too deep, without taking enough air with you.  Her lungs were beginning to tighten up, and she could feel her throat begin to plug along with her nose.  She squinted as she maintained a tighter grip.  She was absolutely horrified at the idea of letting go.  But then again, who wouldn't be?  To be lost in a black underwater corridor, not knowing which way was up, or which way was down.  But of course, up or down didn't matter, because either way you'd hit a dead end.  What a nightmare to think about.  Hanging on, at the moment, meant life or death.
Even then, however, Peach reminded herself of confidence.  It was what the ministers had always told her; confidence exceeds talent.  It's times like these when those old reminders came in handy.  When you are looking into the eyes of disaster, knowing what's to come, or, even worse, what could come, it's good to have something to stand on.  She would've held her chin up then, if it were not for the fact that she was hanging on for the ride of her life, fighting the water's friction as much as she could. 
Peach could then feel it even worse.  The burning.  When the lungs start to ache and moan like a hungry dog, she knew it was time to surface.  As if to help her scaly friend, she kicked her legs with all her might, feeling her heart beat like a drum.  She could hear the sudden, rapid kicks echo through the water, and Nessie noticed it contrasting with his powerful, but calm, strokes.  It was time's warning that the whick was burning out, and the sewer monster sped up with this knowledge, determined to quit his incessant paddling soon. 
Peach's stomach became tightened, as though readying for a punch, and her neck strained.  Her throat buzzed a helpless groan, which, afterwards, proved to make her loss of air feel even worse.  She closed her eyes in great hope, her heart pounding, her lungs aching, and her legs pumping.  Her mouth screamed to be open, ordered by her collapsing lungs, though told otherwise by her spinning brain.  She could feel blood draining from her skull at the very moment, and exhaustion was knocking at her door.  Leaving her legs to be, she opened her mouth in a gape, feeling no more air left in her for another moan.  If she could only meet air again, oh, how she would never take it for granted again.   
With a heaving chest and a beating heart, Peach noticed that the direction they were going was suddenly changed.  They were going up, which could only mean towards air.  She felt life in her numb legs once more as she pumped and pumped, her mouth open, tempted to breath like a child to candy.  Her lungs were pounding, and her stomach was completely depressed like a balloon under pressure.  She felt as though her whole body was aching, trembling, crying!  Her insides were beating at the exterior of her skin, demanding air to rush through her purple veins!  Until...
"Huuuhhhhhh!" she gasped deeply for air.  Her lungs expanded in an instant as she let them deflate again.  Her hyperventilation did not mark the satisfaction of which she thought was to come.  However, it was air nonetheless.  Her body, soaking wet, and absorbing the frigid air around her, was lying helplessly on the back of Nessie, only her arms seeming to be intact, with hands in fists, and quivering biceps.
"Dear girl!" said Nessie, saying it with a voice that recognized it as her name.  "I am so sorry!"
"Wait," Peach said, implying that he should not go back under.  Her eyes remained closed with her stringy hair clinging to her clammy face like seaweed.  Her chest heaved more slowly now, as she took in deeper, but still rapid, breaths.  Her fingers twitched in tiresome journey atop Nessie's rubbery, dolphin skin. 
"I have forgotten how small the lung capacity of a human is... it's been... well..." Nessie suddenly stopped as if to remember something, but then simply looked into the air with a blank stare and a furrowed brow, as though there was really nothing to remember in the first place. 
Peach could just then feel the temples in her head pounding, though not of aching, but rather as an echo to her heart. 
"Are... we..." Peach began as she tried to bring herself upright.  She felt herself collapse when she tried propping herself up by her forearms, so she simply craned her tired neck to see what was around her, water dripping into her eyes from the loose hairs of her forehead.
The mysterious creature had taken her to yet another rounded room, only this time with a different colored water, and a current.  No, it was not the eerie, still, black water that she had met with at the same time of acquainting herself with Nessie, but rather an intoxicating, stirring water of blues, greens, and even silvers.  It was the same water that was held in her bottle. 
"We are very, very close, Dear Girl," spoke Nessie.  "We took the course that leads back up to where this whole place begins."  Peach then noticed that this strange, round tower room, which they seemed to be in, had an enormous pillar in the middle that almost resembled a pendulum.  It took up much of the space in the already small room, and hung from the ceiling like a strong stalactite.  There was a large entrance to the north, the destination of the water's current current. 
"All you have to do now," Nessie said softly.  "Is rest.  I'll guide us back to where you started from... don't worry."
"Thank... you..." Peach stated as she closed her eyes and eased her lips into a relaxed opening, breathing softly as Nessie slowly began his travel.
And it was as thus that Princess Peach Toadstool managed to prevail over another step to freedom, in which she collected the waters of the establishment.  She was now a third of the way there, with only two more important matters to contain. 
Nessie swam down the main pipeline at a respectable speed, sometimes even turning against the current in the places where its velocity increased.  He craned his neck, and looked at the princess with curious eyes as she lay asleep on his back.  Though he was not quite sure what it was, Nessie felt a strange familiarity whenever he looked to her.  He had lately been struggling with incessant oncoming memories of some sort of past life, though never could he recall upon it without thinking of it as a dream.  He could often remember clear, blue waters, with temperatures cool.  And, he could always picture some great, shining presence.  He always seemed to try to relate this to his collection of shiny objects.  However, they never truly seemed to match up.  It puzzled him so, as, after all, he was a serpent of little brain.  Even every now and then, though, he'd catch himself beginning to say something that he didn't know the ending to.  An analogy would appear out of his mouth, as his words are often capricious, and would make sense to him at first, but once half way through, he'd turn back on them.  He suddenly wasn't sure of what he was going to say...
*             *            *            *            * 
Peach stood atop the familiar edge.  The metallic bank of the strange-colored waters.  Her cold feet pointed inwards, her toes curled, as she faced her good friend, Nessie.  He was halted in the pipeline, his great flippers opposite the current.  His friendly neck rose up from the stream, the palm tree to his crescent island back. 
"Thank you so very much, Nessie.  I shall not forget you," Peach told him, feeling honest in her words.
Nessie's kind, innocent eyes sparkled as he spoke quietly in his whale-singing voice, "Nor shall I forget you, Dear Girl." 
"I only wish," Peach said, "I could free you from this place..."
Nessie hummed.  He looked to the walls around him, as if examining the area with a humble taste.  Peach bowed to him, holding onto the glass bottle as a treasure in her two hands.  Nessie nodded his head as well, arching his great neck.
"Farewell," he said, "and do not fear.  The monster that haunted you once is now gone.  This, I guarantee."
"It must have been your sweet note," said the princess, referring to Nessie's long, obnoxious holler back in the water corridor.  "Oh, sweet serpent, may the waters flow to you."
"And to you, may the winds..." Nessie began, only to stop in the middle with a sudden oblivious look.  "...May you be protected, forever and always."
With a final goodbye, Princess Peach watched the lonely sewer monster depart.  He swam down the current, which had once to Peach been cruel, and let himself drop down the waterfall, head first.  She waited until she heard his splash, and then gazed into the black darkness beyond the edge of the stream.  With a whispered blessing, Peach turned and ran.                         
     

[The Blue Toad]

This is going to be my last chapter!
No, just kidding.

Chapter 24:  A Promotion Gained

Peach ran through the metallic halls, her bare feet slapping against the cold floor.  As brittle strands of damp blonde hair blew across her face, she could hear her heart beating against her chest.  Even though she had basically just been through an entire nightmare, she felt rather refreshed.  Fleeing from a gargoyle and getting a good swim really wore her out, and she felt as though a good night's sleep was soon waiting for her.  Her eyes gazed on the bottle of liquid, which bobbed in her fist.  She could feel the water's weight shift from one side to the other. 
So much fuss for a simple bottle of water.  Couldn't she have simply turned on the nearest faucet?  Her frustration with Professor Inkblot was rising.  How could he have expected her to do all of this?  In fact, why didn't he just do it?  Yes, what a question to ask.  Why didn't he just do it?  He's a ghost, after all, nothing's to bother him.  He could've just flown right in, and then flown back out. 
She finally reached the familiar scene from where she had begun this strange journey of hers.  With cold palms, she pushed at the portrait door, with, strangely, the sudden feeling that something was behind her.  In a frightened leap she bounded onto the other side, finding herself back in the library, atop the bookshelf where the statue of the shadow siren loomed.  Peach almost lost her footing as she exited in a rush, closing the door behind her, and would've fallen had she not grabbed onto the portrait frame. 
"Ahem," spoke a smug voice from behind.  It was Natalie Noteprick, looking rather condescending.  She spoke, "Where have you been?"
There was a pause in which Peach turned to the two portrait ghosts, blissfully hovering next to the bookcase, worried about gravity as a dunce worries about schoolwork. 
"Where... have I been?" Peach repeatedly, sounding a bit out of breath. 
"Oh, Peach," spoke a low, oboe voice, "I'm so very sorry you had to go through there... I would have gone with you... if not for that anti-ghost curse..."
Peach looked to them with a cross countenance.  "Do you realize... that... there are gargoyles... in there?"
"Again, Peach, I apologize," spoke Professor Inkblot through his dusty throat.  "I knew very well of the conditions beyond Miss Noteprick's painting, though I feared, that, if I told you of said conditions, your heart would skip, and you would refuse to enter.  Fear overwhelms us at times, Peach, it is no lie being told.  I warned you not, not out of cruelty, not in the least bit, but because ignorance is bliss."
"I was attacked!" Peach said, still hanging on to the frame.
"I'm terribly sorry for that.  Those stone beasts guard that river under the orders of their master... I had hoped they wouldn't wake..."
"Well..." spoke Natalie with a giggle.  "Looks as though they did!" 
Peach scowled at the enormously fat opera singer, as, she was well aware, was laughing at the condition of her hair, which looked scraggly and damp.
"Oh, hush, now, Natalie, it is no laughing matter.  Peach must've taken a fall, it is quite alright."
Peach continued to scowl at Natalie, whose pudgy fingers touched her red lips as if to stop their giggling, though without much effort. 
"You know, Alfred," she said.  "Being a library ghost, I know... some of the ghosts tend to rise at this hour."
"Yes, it doesn't surprise me..." said Inkblot.
"Rise?  Wait a second," Peach spoke, "how long have I been... gone?"
"Oh, about four hours, or so," Natalie responded carelessly. 
"Four hours?"
"Yes, young one, it has been a while.  I see that you retrieved the water, and this is good.  Give it here," Professor Inkblot said as the weary princess handed him the bottle. 
"I hope it was worth the effort," she said, though, she already knew the answer.
"Oh, yes, it very much was," the portrait ghost replied, his droopy eyes stuck on the thick water.  "I will contact you again, Peach, at another time."
"What?"
"In your room... what reads upon the plaque on your door?"
"Uhhh... zero, zero, zero... eleven," Peach said, trying to remember how many zeroes there were.
"Alright, now, be off, Peach, we can't have you seen!  This is security's time to prowl."
"Okay!" said the girl as she clumsily began her descent down the bookcase.  She tried not to think of her actions too much, as that always slowed her down.  Her stubbed toes simply cupped in any of the book gaps that were convenient, and, before she knew it, she was back on the ground, running to the library door.

*       *         *        *         *        *

She yawned, trying to make it as unnoticeable as possible.  It curled up in her mouth like a tired cat, stretching after a long nap.  Peach hadn't managed to get much sleep.  It seemed to her that as soon as she reached her room, and as soon as she found the comfort of her bed, she was already being met by the familiar sound of harsh knocks upon her door (only this time accompanied by her voice being called out, called by a familiar tough, though still feminine, voice).
She hadn't groomed herself with the fork nearly as much as she had hoped, though found herself not caring too much.  The Toad next to her seemed to be wooed by her either way. 
Peach's tired hands, curled more in soft comfort rather than hard work, lazily beat at the dough before her.  Her upper back and lower neck were cramped with stiff knots, causing her more strain than necessary.  She felt another soft cat beginning to stretch halfway up her throat, when there came a sudden boom from behind.  Peach jumped, startled, and with her eyes fully open for the first time since yesterday.  She turned to see an embarrassed tanooki stumbling away from a blackened burner near the opposite corner of the kitchen.  His chef's hat was blown off, and the hairs of his face were singed black. 
"Nook!  What'd you do?!" cried a red shy guy as he looked at the burner, which was giving off a thick trail of black smoke. 
"I'd...unno...  It just... blew up!" Nook said, still lying on the floor with a paw on his burnt forehead.
"Well.... uh.... you're in trouble!" the shy guy said as he scampered away, leaving the kitchen through a swinging door. 
Just as he exited, Lord Von Vougore entered through a larger, leather-coated swinging door (one that he actually fit through). 
"What ees going on heere?" he said with a snarl and a twist of his greasy little mustache. 
"Er..." said Nook, feeling petrified upon the kitchen floor.
"You!  Why are vou on le floor?  And... wait.... what did vou do to my oven?!     
"Er..." he said timidly, "er.... me?"
"Oui!  Vou!" Lord Von Vougore bellowed as his enormous, round body hovered menacingly over the little tanooki.
"It was... I was... she had.... there was...." he was trembling, and his tongue was stumbling for words.  Without more to be said (whether he could or not), Nook bolted from the kitchen, tripping over himself on the way to the door, only to quickly pick himself back up.
"I need a replacement!" spoke the French ghost, as though what had just happened didn't surprise him in the least.  His beady black eyes scanned the room as all the chefs held still, and, as if Peach couldn't have predicted it herself, Vougore's pupils landed on her.  "Le fleur!"
She blushed and held her head down as he hovered over to her, actually running over another chef. 
"Uh..." Peach spoke softly as he loomed over her. 
"Vou will be promoted to take hees place, my fleur, since, after all, you are le best chef in my kitchohn!"               
"Er... promoted?" Peach repeated shakily.
"Ouiii.... vou weell start tomorrow!"
And with that, and a laugh, Lord Von Vougore fled back through the door from which he came, leaving a very still silence throughout the room.
Peach repeated it in her mind... promoted...
Was this a good thing? 

[GiftedGirl]

This is really good! *claps for you* I give it five stars!

[The Blue Toad]

Oh, yay!  Thank you!  ^_^
I'm just about to leave for the whole week, so I don't have time to write.  Good thing I checked in on this.

[The Blue Toad]

Hooray!  The first chapter that begins and ends with the same sentence!

 Chapter 25:  The Special Guest

The doorknob clicked.  It had been a confusing day.  She was supposed to begin her work in a whole new kitchen tomorrow, and leave behind her easy job of simple dough beating.  After much thought, Peach concluded that, as you might have already guessed, this promotion was not a good thing.  Going to work each day to punch simple substance really allowed her to release her angst, and let her think. 
Oh, and she was going to have to leave behind her infatuated toad friend.  He wasn't actually very much of a friend as he was an acquaintance, though.  A silent, boyish acquaintance.  She could only imagine the new chefs she would meet up with.  Surely they'd be a bunch of brown-nosers bent on out-cooking their neighbors, truly believing that cooking was a sport rather than a delight. 
Or maybe she was wrong and they were just as down to earth as she.  Though she realized that was impossible, for Peach firmly believed that she was the only person alive in Licknot Manor who still dreamed of the outside world anymore.  Everyone else was brainwashed; so used to their current life that they've forgotten the one they were fated in.  Or at least... the one that she believed that they were fated in.
Peach sighed at these destined thoughts.
Wasn't it Toadsworth who once said: "It is only our will that decides our fate."?
But, wait... does that make sense?
It must've been something put better, but with the same basic concept that she held in her mind.  Fate is the road before us, and it is our choice whether to follow it or not. 
She stripped herself of her doughy uniformed and slipped comfortably into her nightgown; the only bit of clothing she possessed that didn't rise up too high in the armpits.  With a sigh she crawled up her bead, feeling fret start to swell up in her heart already.  But her eyes were drowsy and her muscles stiff.  Her golden hair was thrown around her neck like a wiry scarf, the only texture that she felt certain of.
The blankets were tickling her with small strands of static hair that reached out to touch her like a hermit crab on the beach.  The pillow under her head felt silky, but a bad silky.  Not one that felt elegant, but rather, too much like something a tired host would simply throw under your head to keep you quiet until morning.  As she touched it with the back of her hand, she could picture herself lying on a cot behind a row of steel bars.  A prison bed, with the very same pillow.  With this in mind, Peach unintentionally fell asleep and was soon hunted down by nightmares looking for a person who dozed of with a feeling of discomfort.  It's a mistake the most tiresome of people often reluctantly make.
She was jailed in her dream, just as was foreshadowed.  It was one of those dreams that you view through your own eyes, not as a movie.  The more nightmarish way to see it.  Outside of her prison bars was nothing, apparently.  Just the color black, and nothing more.  The sound of breathing was intense, along with an irresistible urge to swallow.  Swallow, just swallow.  The lump in her throat was willing to plop down to her stomach if she would only swallow.  Why couldn't she?  Sweat was beading her brow, her face was beating red, and her chin was straining up towards the ceiling, her neck veined.  She was almost there; she could feel the lump bobbing as though there was a fish inside her neck, playfully pulling at it.  Then, there was whispering.  Small hisses from outside that seemed to shoot tiny jets of cold air at her.  Her effort to swallow was given up.  Facing the iron bars before her, she saw nothing had changed. 
What were these hushed voices saying?  Were they even speaking to her?  They sounded more of guilty rumors behind her back rather than mere counsel with low volume.  Then Peach noticed the two eyes that were glaring at her from afar.  Two, horrible, blood-shot eyes.  Staring.  Observing in the dark.
She awoke with a start, hand to her throat in a panic.  Her smooth neck felt sticky with damp sweat, and she could feel her pulse pumping through her tired veins.  She swallowed loudly to satisfy.  Her mind, she felt, was still spinning, and as she looked before her, into the darkness of her room, she could've sworn that she saw them.  Two blood-shot eyes watching her every move. 

She hadn't gotten too much sleep that night, as one might have guessed.  She could hardly close her eyes without feeling a sudden haunt as though someone was there.  Next to her bedside, or beneath the heavy matress.  Outside the door, standing, waiting.  Inside the cold bathroom hidden by the tolerable curtains of the shower.  Wherever her mind went, the eyes seemed to follow.  It was almost as though she had a sudden and unexplainable sixth sense, and even though she never saw the eye's soul carrier, she knew who it was.
In the morning, she had been greeted more strangely than expected.
Eyes fluttered open.
That was it.
No pounding at the door, no calling of her name or rustle in the hallway.  Nothing.  And yet, she felt as though she had slept the proper length of time, in which any more would be out of pure laziness.  She checked the clock; she was late!  This didn't make any sense.  Wait, she was late?  She had slept in an extra two hours and no one had come to wake her?  Peach leapt out of bed, quickly turning on the lights, and, with a cold chill in her blood that was both exciting and nerve-racking, she peered outside of her door.  Only her head showed, with her wiry blonde hair swinging down from her face full of girlish charm.  A blank knowledge of the presence filled her eyes.  There was no one, the halls were all vacant.  And yet, there was the faint sound of whirring, buzzing, if you will, that traced to present inhabitants.  Peach quickly hid herself in the bathroom and, while remembering her nightmare, yanked back the shower curtains at full force to show no fear.  She began by relieving herself with a cool shower (which was actually as warm as it could get).  She hadn't taken the time to wash herself yet, and it felt rather refreshing to feel the 'almost' comforts of home. 
The water rinsing her thick hair, taking a while to seep in as though its frizzy surface was that of a sponge.  The soap against her tired skin.  Slippery, sudsy, and sliding.  Maybe the friendliest thing she had laid her hands on since arriving.  She towel-dried herself, trying to get her hair back in as normal shape as she could.  The towels, though, were unfriendly.  Unwilling, and perverted was their touch.  Rough, like a carpet, and strangely full of static. 
Peach tied her hair back into a ponytail, afterwards wondering why she hadn't chosen to every day (later remembering her excuse of comfort), and prepared to dress.  Upon opening her drawers, however, the unexpected princess found something missing.  What, you ask?  Why, her uniform.  There was no white dress willing to wear dough, but rather, an old friend.  The prissy French maid's outfit; black and frilled like a gothic pom-pom.  Peach's stomach gave quite a heave at the nasty sight, feeling her eyes squint in an unwilling flinch.  She opened each and every compartment the room had to offer, holding either nothing, a random tool (such as candles), or maid clothes.  Weird place, Licknot Manor.  Stranger what was to be found in its drawers.
Unsure of what this meant, Peach simply decided to get dressed into what was ready for her.  Actually, she didn't decide, as, in all honesty, she had no choice. 
Well, the dress did cover her feet...
Should she wear the toe-pinching shoes?
Peach wandered out into the hallway, half-expecting to run into some ghost, or, even worse, the two glaring eyes from her night haunt.  But, no, there was none of that, just an empty morning hallway.  The lamps were lit and there was the hint of something cooking in the air.  Peach was curious of how strong the scent was.  Should she simply head to her post as a chef and act as though nothing was wrong?  Would that seem foolish?
Still, the scent that was carrying out through the corridors was truly enchanting, and she tried hard to place a finger on what it was.  But besides that, this morning was ridiculous!  What did those ghosts want her to do?  Be a maid, or be a chef?  She was practically choking at the thought of being so embarrassed in her confusion.  The one raised eyebrow that you get when everybody knows something but you don't.  That air of awkward silence filling the room at your expense. 
But what more was there to do?  She couldn't just stand around doing nothing all day...
That would be cheating, and deceiving...
Surely only a person without any morals at all would commit such a selfish crime while everyone else had to work...

Peach snuggled up in her sheets, feeling her warm breath absorb into its soft feel.  Her eyelids hung low, guilty of sloth, while her body was wrapped together like a snake.  The lights were all off.  Hopefully no one would realize that she was still in her room.  But, oh, how comfortable a position she was in.  There was something about going to sleep when you know you aren't supposed to that makes it that much better.  But, I suppose that was the same for many things, really.  Such as, food stolen tastes better than food earned.
Peach wondered why there hadn't been any wake-up call for her this morning.  Perhaps there was something that she didn't know about?  She humored herself thinking: a surprise party just for me?  She could feel her mouth lift into a smile as she said it to herself, her eyes still shut in half-dream.  Though not sure of what it was that made it so, Peach felt that this was a sign of oncoming victory.  A change in daily routine only happened once every rare while.                 
But that soon came to a depressing end.
"Peach!  Peach!" cried a voice on the other side of the door.  Peach could feel her knees scrunch up harder to her chest, and the grip on them grow tighter.  Her toes were too cold.  She had to stay in today.
"Peach!  Are you in there?"  It was Aubrey with her voice full of attitude. 
She felt herself groan.
"What?" she called out from her blankets reluctantly.
"PEACH!  Get up right now!  You have to tend the customer in the Big Room - Hur-ee- UP!" Aubrey yelled in the vacant hallway outside.  Peach's eyes widened.  She leapt out of bed, and, in a swift movement, drew herself back out of her pajamas and into her poor-fitting French maid's dress.  The distressed blonde threw open the door.  There was no time for chat, even a glance her way, for Aubrey had grabbed Peach by the wrist and rushed her into the halls at a galloping speed.
"Why didn't you get up?!" she cried.
"No one woke me!" Peach yelled back, her face flushing in humiliation and frustration.  She only saw the back of Aubrey's bobbing head as the strict-voiced mouse guided her roughly.  Turn this corner, sprint down this corridor, run up these steps. 
"Curse those boos to the..." the gardener began angrily, mumbling off into a string of curses.  "Everyone got up early this morning, the rose-colored boos made sure of that.  Whenever there's a special guest coming to stay, they always be sure to alert everyone before sunrise!"
"We always get up before sunri-"
"WAY before sunrise," Aubrey said impatiently.  "Now, come on, you're the hostess of this one, you have to be ready!"
She lead Peach up one last flight of stairs in which they were suddenly within the same room that Peach had been on her first day as a maid.  She looked nervously around, having thousands of questions on her mind and asking none.  The rampaging mouse took the princess out into the foyer, the main room, where there were many ghosts hovering about eerily, waiting.  A lot of them were actually boos, the very ghosts who Peach had (strangely) seen few of.  They giggled at her as her small, black gardening friend busily pushed her forward.
"Peach, I can't believe you're about to go through this whole thing without proper explanation!" she said with wide eyes that made Peach even more nervous.  "Just hope to God that you do okay!"
"Uhh-hh," Peach stuttered with a dry mouth and shaking legs. 
"Now face the door, and just do as he says!" were Aubrey's last words of advice as she tidied up Peach's dress by tugging it at separate places, and then left to blend in with the immense crowd behind her. 
Peach's pale face shot towards the door.
Her eyes quivered nervously.
Her throat clogged up.
The doorknob clicked.             

             

[The Blue Toad]

  Chapter 26:  Dangerous Flight

Peach could feel her self-esteem bubbling away in the great churning of her nervous stomach.  Oh, why, why had she broken that vase?  Is only she hadn't been so careless on the first day and had watched where she was going.  Then none of this would be happening. 
The door of Licknot Manor swung open, revealing a sudden radiance that beamed across the entire entryway.  It was a neon type of brightness that blinded Peach, causing her to shield her eyes and gaze at her pathetic black dress while the humble ghosts began to cheer all around, spiraling up into the great ceiling above and swimming around the peaks of the pillars as though they were bats flying around stalactites.  Within all the cheering, Peach thought that she could hear Aubrey yell,
"HEAD UP!" amuck the horrific cries.  Peach did as she heard (or rather, did as she thought she heard) and picked up her chin, squinting into the silver brightness that slowly began to fade.  And, as it did so, movement caught the sapphire eyes of the lovely princess.  Boos, not rose-colored and haughty like Booregard's, but silver and elegant were dancing about the ritzy flooring, carrying a violet ribbon in each hand.  They seemed like a much more professional, honest, and higher class of suitess boos than the ones roaming around here.  Their eyelashes so black, and mouths so thin.  A complexion quite blinding that they entranced you like fire.
And then the many plumes of silver began to sing.
"Laugh and taunt,
Spook and Haunt.
Fill mortals with fear,
and then disappear!

Bow down on your tails,
Oh ghostly mists,
And uncover your veils,
Oh Shadow fists,
For one hovers close,
too big for words,
Too rich for spoils
and fat for birds.

The ghost of the past,
to come, and of now,
So please don't hold back,
your humble bow,
And everyone cheer,
take your bells and ring,
For here he is,
Our ghostly king!"
At that moment the silver boos all turned obediently to the doorway, their ribbons at rest by their sides.  Peach quaked with fear.  King?  Ghostly king?  The ghosts and night creatures all around seemed ecstatic, laughing, moaning, and, as the poetry spoke of within the song, ringing eerie chimes. 
A mist balled up at the foot of the great door.  It was powdery white, like snow picked up from the ground by an eerie wind.  It swirled together, and eventually turned into a damp, cold fog, like one that you would see hanging over a lake about to freeze.  Peach half-expected to hear a fog-horn off in the distant darkness of the night, signaling its grand approach. 
Then they appeared to her, like they had within the dream.  Two eyes, crazy and bloodshot, opening within the heavy fog, soon followed by a grin full of teeth.  Somewhere amidst the crowd a violin was clawed at.  A crown, rich and red like blood, with diamonds to encrust it like ice; a bloody nose with frost slowly beginning to attach.  Finally, the enormous figure of a boo appeared, a boo that was, one could say, far larger than most.  With its mouth in a gap at the sight of meek Peach, the dumbstruck maid before him, his fat red tongue drop out of his giant mouth as though it was a heavy burden in his mouth. 
"King Boo!" Booregard said happily from behind with a charming smirk and a tip of his hat.  Peach scowled at his voice.  "So nice of you to come."
"Ahhh, Lord Booregard," spoke the king slowly, as though time, to him, was as worthless as his servants.  He laughed like a boo, his voice resonating throughout the entire hall, and apparently catching on to the giddy ghosts. 
"So very glad that you could join us," Booregard continued, as Peach could tell that he was gradually growing closer behind her. 
"I wouldn't miss this stay for the world, since it is... after all... promised to be filled with lobster and fine theatre, am I right?" asked the King.
"And you are, King Boo.  Here to make your stay a pleasant one," Booregard's big seductive black eyes and boyish smile suddenly greeted Peach's close-up view, "is Peach."  The princess wasn't afraid to glare at him.
"Peach, eh?" said the fat Boo.  "A new maid, eh?  Very well, then!  Seems appropriate to me, if she can keep up."
Peach swallowed hard as Booregard escaped her view so she could gaze awkwardly at the apparent monarch of these filthy, dead creatures. 
"Good, then," Booregard said with a giggle.  "I believe you know where your room is, up the stairs and to the left.  If you have any problems, just bother Peach!" 
Two blood-chilling laughs of the boos.   
"I'll just settle myself in there right now!" he said.  Peach was about to heave a silent sigh when, to her surprise, the Boo King had suddenly made a bold movement towards the staircase.  It was like pushing a gigantic snowball through the room, only hoping that would wouldn't be run over.  He glided up the small stairs, not worrying about whether or not he could fit between the stair railings, as he was transparent.  As he began to roll through a wall, he suddenly disappeared into thin air.  Peach rubbed her eyes at the area where he vanished.  A staircase filled with the presence of a fat, greedy boo the one second, and suddenly vacant the next.       
"Alright, Peaches," Booregard said as the room began to filter out boos and ghosts, leaving the two opposite-thinking brains in the room together.  Peach; gentle, pure, hopeful, independent.  Booregard; cruel, perverted, ghastly, love-sick.  "The Big Room is on the top floor."
"What?"
"GO!"
Peach let out a shriek of confusion, much to the delight of her tenacious suitor.  He giggled feverishly.  Peach responded with a scowl and a red face.
"I'm kidding.  Just take the elevator," the dirty Booregard spoke. 
"What elevator?" she said with a sigh.
The pale boo flipped off his hat, a very slick and stylish move, and held the rim in his left hand, throwing it in the air to catch it in his right.  He then threw it up with both hands, and out from the hole came, not a rabbit, but a glass phone-booth.  Peach yelped as she jumped away, the elevator coming to a dangerous crash at her feet. 
"This elevator!" Booregard said happily.
It's glass surface seemed unharmed from the fall, with it's golden frames that weren’t dented, even with their malleable look. 
"I'm not getting in that thing!"
"Oh, you are!" Booregard persisted.  With a poof, and a giggled, he disappeared from plain sight and reappeared behind the poor princess.  Peach looked back at him with shock and question.  An unseen door suddenly slid open on the glass elevator, inviting Peach to walk inside with a crooked smile. 
"What?" Peach questioned to no one in particular.
"Heh heh, be good, Peachy," with a push and a lick to the cheek, Booregard forced her into the tall, thin shimmering box.  Before she could possibly protest, the sliding door slammed shut on her.  There appeared to be no door handle, or no place for fingers to reach.  Trapped like a rat inside a questionable "elevator". 
"Booregard!" Peach yelled.  She was going to ask him what was expected to happen, but the loud echo of her panicked voice told her that his invisible ears couldn't clasp the sound.  He simply grinned at her, and, with his stubby, ghostly little hand, pointed behind her. 
Half expecting to find some sort of frightening creature trapped inside with her, Peach turned quickly with her hands held up near her face.  On the other side of the box, there was a large plague of gold, riddled with little glossy, purple buttons.  There seemed so many!  And beside each button was a room number (skipping all of the rooms in the basement).  She looked back to her undead enemy.  He raised his eyebrows up and then down again.  Out of nowhere, a white piece of paper appeared in his hands, sort of like how the flowers did on Peach's first encounter with him.  He pulled a black marker out from his top hat, as though attempting to be charming.  Upon the white paper he furiously scribbled something, all the while maintaining his ridiculous grin.
Once he was done he turned to Peach and held up his sign.  It read a sequence of five numbers, written in, what seemed like, rather childish handwriting.  30000.
"30000?" Peach said to herself.  Booregard could at least read her lips and gave her a confirmed nod.  She groaned to herself as she let her arms hang limp, her head rolling to her left shoulder with her eyes looking to her fluffy bangs of gold. 
As she returned her gaze to the golden plaque, her eyes scanned the buttons vertically.  In the very bottom left corner, the last button of the bunch, the numbers "30000" were imprinted there.  With a sigh, her eyes closed, Peach pressed the flat, glossy button with the tip of her index finger, feeling her finger nail slide across its smooth, slippery surface.  A little bell sounded inside, ringing like a polite doorbell.  Within the box a voice sounded.  It was Booregard's.
"Room 30000," it spoke, "Peach's doom!" followed by immense laughter.  Peach wanted to growl at this, but felt a bit too scared of what she was bound to meet up with on this top floor.  She felt the little glass box rise into the air, and, instantly, "Oh God," popped up inside her head.  She wasn't exactly surprised, but she had been hoping that she would be wrong about the elevator's transportation.  She could see Booregard just below her, or, actually, literally below her.  He was looking up her dress, drooling.  Peach's eyes widened.  She instantly grabbed the bell of her dress, closing her legs.  As she glared at the little pervert, she saw him burst into a fit of laughter.  Before she could stomp upon the clear glass floor as a sign of anger, the dangerous box blasted off, literally, flying through the cold air of Booregard's haunting, aristocratic mansion.
She felt her lose her balance and, to her horror, fall unto the glass wall behind her.  Scared that it would break open and send her falling to an unknown floor below her, she quickly stood up, her hands plastered on the glass located at both sides of her.  Her palms were sweating, and the heat of her hands pushed as hard as they could against the glass.  Her eyes gazed in great amazement before her, hardly being able to follow the path that she was taking because she was going so fast.  At sudden turns her adrenaline would leap like a toad into water, and she would stumble twitchingly.  Not able to take it much longer, her eyelids shut tight over her dazed blue eyes.  Her teeth clenched and her mouth tied into a knot.  She could feel the great speed of the elevator, and actually touch the heavy vibrations emitting throughout the glass walls, feeling weaker by the second, and ready to shatter.  There wasn't much she could do other than hold on for dear life and pray that she didn't die. 
As this thought crossed her mind, a voice suddenly struck through the hollow containment of this horror booth.  It was Booregard again, and he was apparently informing her about something in a calm, professional fashion.
"Now approaching room number 30000," he said.  "Please stand there, or crouch in fear, or remained fainted, or continue whatever your doing, and prepare for departure."
Peach opened her eyes, feeling them dart from window to window.  The walls of the elevator shook dangerously.  The glass was trying as hard as it could to escape from the elevator, held in only by the stern golden frames that surrounded Peach like a phone booth.  She swallowed hard, feeling blood instantly rush to her head.  She sighed, and, suddenly, without any much warning, the flying phone booth came to a stop.  This stop was so sudden, and so unpredictable, that Peach let out a scream as she was sent flying out of the death box as fast as she had been traveling.  Luckily, the door had flown open as well, or the princess would have shot through the glass like a bullet.  Her body tumbled across a rough, angry carpet, and her heartbeat was that of a startled mouse.  She came to a stop due to the friction of the rug and laid upon the ground with lungs that looked as though they were trying to break out from her chest.  She remained there, with her eyes  in a flutter and her mouth in a gap, looking dizzily at a shadowy, well-painted ceiling.  It wasn't even close to being as high or as large as the ceiling in the grand foyer (as this was the ceiling of a high-class hallway instead) but it was painted wonderfully nonetheless.  The colors of thick paint swam inside her head, repeating soft words into her red ears, which were muffled greatly by her hard breathing and panicky heart.  She felt as though she had just fallen down a steep hill, not ready yet to face the world.
But then, that certain smell met her small, dainty nose.  The scent that had infatuated her this morning, when she walked out into the abandoned hallway; it now greeted her senses a second time.  Peach closed her exhausted eyes, breathing in the fumes.  Her spinning brain began to ease, finding something to concentrate on.  It took in the smell, drawing back memories, until Peach suddenly realized what that scent was.  It was the rich scent of butter, melted gluttonously over a fat, fluffy lobster.  Peach furrowed her brow. 
She reluctantly sat up, rubbing the back of her head.  Before her was the elevator.  She gave it a cold glare worthy of Booregard.  It simply stood there, still and mockingly, with its door swung open as if daring Peach to step back inside.  She denied its offer by spitting at it angrily.  As she stood to her feet, she felt a buzz run through her body, as though it was not used to being still.  She swayed a little bit as she turned around to see exactly where she was.  Behind her was a large red door, encrusted with gold carvings and superior brass knockers.  It was built with an arch at the top, and stood tall like a king.  On either side of the door was a tall, thin vase, crafted smoothly and with great care.  They were each a dark violet, like the top of the night sky as the sun went down.  Great shadows loomed around this door, as though it was ancient, and shouldn't ever be touched, or even gazed at, by anybody other than the master who created it. 
Peach hesitated, slowly stepping forward with a lump in her throat and a scattered mind that wouldn't let her think clearly.  There was a knocker.  Yes.  That must be used.
She raised a shaky hand and, before grasping the brass handle, checked the gold plague next to the door to make sure it was the correct room.  It read 30000 very boldly, which assured Peach to give a loud pounding to the great door.  She swung the knocker and let it fall.  The thick brass hit the dense wood, canceling out the sound of brass so that a great thump was heard.   
Almost instantly a silver plume of a boo emerged from the door, not opening it of course, and faced Peach with half-closed eyes and a sassy mouth.
"Yes?" she asked Peach quickly.
"Oh!" Peach said loudly, jumping back in surprise.  She recovered with a clearing of her throat.  "Uhhh.... I'm... here to serve the... resident."  Calling this great boo "King" seemed like far too much of a stretch for her. 
"Oh, right you're the maid girl," she spoke without hesitation, "then come in."           
The bold door swung open, and, with a sigh, Peach entered the Big Room.                 

[Virtual_Boy]

This is a great story so far! Although there's one thing I don't get.

 "She began by relieving herself with a cool shower (which was actually as warm as it could get)."

Is that a metaphor, or was she doing what I think she was doing?o_0

[The Blue Toad]

...

Haha, uh, I was saying that the warmest water the shower could emit was still cold, meaning that Licknot Manor doesn't allow any of the servants warm water.  I was saying that in a literal sense, as though Peach had the shower knob turned all the way to 'hot', only to be greeted, still, by a cool shower. 
But, anyway, thanks for commenting!