HEADS-UP

Hey, everyone. It's nintendoscript15. Earlier this year, I came across an article on the Super Mario Wiki website that talks about this chapter book called "Mario and the Incredible Rescue". After looking over the synopsis, I thought what better way than to base my next story off the aforementioned book. So, if everyone's ready, let's begin.

Chapter 1

1A - Bowser's Ghost Army

It's 3:02 PM on January 13, 2006. Over at Peach's castle, she was sitting on her bedroom's balcony overlooking the green fields behind the castle. Peach was wearing her formal pink dress, which was unlike her regular dress in terms of decorative design. However, she wasn't wearing her crown on her head.

"I'll never get used to this view," Peach said with a smile. "It always reminds of the plains on a mountain range. I wish there were mountains in this area, though." Peach let out a sigh before going back into her bedroom; she then put her crown on after finding it on her dresser.

"I can't even remember the last time I was kidnapped by Bowser. How long ago was it?" Peach thought it over for a few seconds. "You know what? That doesn't matter. I'm just glad everything's been normal for such a long time. I think Bowser may have run out of ideas already."

At the same time Peach left her balcony, Bowser stood in a partially lit-up room in an unknown location in the Mushroom Kingdom. There was a large mass of shadows moving in front of him.

"All right, my fellow ghosts! Reveal yourselves!" Bowser announced. Right on cue, twenty Boos appeared into view, cackling with glee. "Remember when I said my next plan would have a 0% chance of failure? Well, this is the one! Princess Peach is going to have the nightmare of her life thanks to you!"

"And I know for a fact that Mario and Luigi are gonna turn their backs the moment they come upon my hideout," Bowser went on. "You happen to be their biggest fear, so do everything you can to fend them off after bringing Princess Peach to me. I have high expectations for all of you, so don't be afraid to chase those Mario Bros when you have the chance. Got it?"

Most of the Boos nodded in agreement to Bowser's orders.

"Great! Now on toward Princess Peach's castle! I'll be waiting for you ghosts right here!" Without hesitation, the Boos disappeared completely with their shadows not visible anymore.

"At least I have backup if Mario and Luigi are brave enough to plow through the scary traps I've laid out," Bowser said with an evil grin. "But regardless of what happens, I can see them running away for their lives."

"What do I do now?" Peach asked herself. "I have nothing on my to-do-list..." Suddenly, someone knocked on her door. "Coming!"

Peach hurried to her door and opened it to see Toad standing at the doorway. "Well, hi there, Toad! What's up?"

"I need a bit of help," Toad answered. "I can't reach this one book in your library, and you're taller than me, so it would be nice if you could get that book."

"What is it called?" Peach asked.

"20 Different Ways to Spook Your Friends."

"Wow. Sounds scary to me," Peach remarked. "What bookshelf is it in?"

"Um... Before I tell you, I'd like for you to go in the library first," Toad said.

"No problem." Just as Peach started toward the library, she expected Toad to follow her, but Toad stayed in place. She turned around because she didn't hear Toad walking with her.

"Toad? Is something wrong?" But Toad didn't say anything and stood still. "Is it the book that's scaring you?" Peach approached Toad. Suddenly, Toad's face morphed into a Boo's face within half a second, making Peach scream with fright and fall on her back.

"TOAD?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!" Toad's body blew up in a white cloud, revealing a Boo as his true form. Peach got scared even more. "NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!" She got up and started to run for the door leading to the first floor, but two more Boos blocked the door, causing her to scream again.

"THIS ISN'T REAL! I'M DREAMING!" Again, Peach turned the other way and tried to hurry to the third floor's door, but three more Boos appeared in front of the stairway.

Meanwhile, the real Toad left the kitchen, having gotten himself a banana and water bottle as a light snack.

"Man, am I hungry," Toad said to himself. Before he could walk another step, Toad heard Peach screaming from upstairs and dropped his snack. "Princess Peach?" Toad ran upstairs to the second floor's door.

"I'M TRAPPED!" Peach shouted. She couldn't get herself to run anymore, as she knew by now that the Boos are not letting her go anywhere. Seconds later, the remaining 14 Boos Bowser sent appeared in an instant and started laughing really loud.

"SOMEONE HELP ME! WHERE'S ANYBODY?!" The Boos started surrounding Peach and picked her up. "PUT ME DOWN! DON'T HURT ME!" The door behind Peach quickly opened, but Toad was too late as Peach and the Boos disappeared in a giant white cloud.

"N-no!" Toad yelled in a scared tone of voice. "N-not th-the B-Boos...! I-I got t-to t-tell M-Mario and L-Luigi...!" Toad didn't hesitate to run out of the castle to Mario's Pad.