Luigi has run faster than he ever ran before. Toad has to ride Yoshi merely to keep up. They say something to him, but it is all a blur to Luigi as he finally reaches his house. He tries to open the door, only to find it locked. Luigi in't going to give up that easily. The odd blur in his mind has ended.
Toad: What happened? It was like you were in another world.
Luigi: I get like that when someone I care about is in trouble. It's not important. Help me break in the window.
Yoshi: Yoshi help too!
Luigi smashes the window with his fists, Toad headbutts, and Yoshi throws eggs. It takes a couple tries but they break it. Luigi pushes the curtains aside, letting in light. He sees another one of these shocking scenes. Peach is unconscious, the shadow is in the air, and Mario is in shock in a corner. However, something unexpected happens.
Shadow: Ahh! Light!
Indeed, the light from Luigi's breaking and entering has apparently harmed the strange shadow. It falls to the ground, creating what looks like a puddle on the ground.
Mario: Is it dead?
Luigi: I don't think so...
Luigi notices that the puddle has started to stir. It rises up from the ground into a black ooze with gold glowing eyes and a fanged mouth.
Yoshi: Yoshi think that icky.
???: Well way to go, you ruined everything.
Luigi: Wh... Who- What are you?
???: Black Ghost's my name. Just call me Black. As for what I am, I'm pretty sure you could've guessed I'm a ghost.
Mario: But you're not like... a Boo.
Black: Bingo. I'm a ghost. I was born a boo, but I mutated.
Toad: How can a ghost mutate?
Black: I dunno, it just kind of happened, ok!
Luigi: Why are you doing this?
Black: I'm not doing this for me. I'm working for someone else. And I've already said too much. You see, while you were distracted with my history, I've been preparing a little gift from the boss. He gave me it just in case things didn't work out. I'll still be able to take care of you. Now look down.
Everyone looks down. Their legs are covered in vines!
Black: Now you can't move. And now comes the fun part.
The entire room blackens, but it's not just the room, it's as if the sun has been blocked out. The light is completely drained from the entire area. Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Yoshi are trapped as Black, who has reverted to his shadow form, chooses one to possess. Nobody sees who it is in the lack of light.
Later, light is restored. The vines have melted away to nothing. Peach comes to first.
Peach: Oh my gosh! That... thing, it... and...
Peach sees everyone else is knocked out.
Peach: Oh, no! I have to help them!
Peach looks through the house for something, anything that could help. The best thing she can come up with is to splash cold water on their faces. She does so to Luigi, and he begins to stir.
Luigi: Ugh... Peach?
Peach: Luigi! You're awake!
Luigi: What...? Black!
Peach: Who's Black?
Luigi: The shadow thing! He's a ghost and he possessed us and... Wait, one of those three are possessed!
He points to Mario, Toad, and Yoshi, who are still unconscious, except one is pretending.
Peach: What?
Luigi: He blocked out the sun, and now we don't know who's possessed, or even what he's planning. He's also working for someone.
Peach: King Boo!
Luigi: But we trapped him in a…
Peach: What?
Luigi: The painting was empty when I last went there. I think you're right. But... how did you know?
Peach: He talked to him while in my body. The details are kinda sketchy, but I remember the face. And something about redemption...
Luigi: Wait, how do you know who King Boo is? You never met him.
Peach: Ugh, I saw Bowser send him after Mario during the Isle Delfino fiasco. You told me about him after the mansion thing and I knew it was the same guy, although obviously Bowser kicked him out.
Luigi: Oh, gotcha. Mario did tell me about him.
Peach: We’d better wake up the others.
Peach splashes cold water on everyone. They all wake up, except one is already awake.
Toad: *yawn* What happened?
Mario: I don't know.
Yoshi: Who Black?
Everyone shrugs. Nobody knows which one is really Black, except Black of course. Luigi gets a call on his cell phone. He answers.
Luigi: Hello?
E. Gadd: Luigi! King Boo has escaped from his painting!
Luigi: We know.
E. Gadd: But that's not all! There's some shadow running around possessing people!
Luigi: We know that too.
E. Gadd: Oh. I have nothing else to say then. Good luck with the ghost and all that!
Luigi hangs up. He looks around the room.
Luigi: So which one of you is really Black?
Nobody says anything.
Luigi: No one's talking? Ok then.
Mario: Say, how do we know you're not Black?
Toad: Yeah, for all we know anyone could be Black! Even you, Luigi!
Yoshi: Yoshi no want anyone fight!
Toad: Stay here, Yoshi, you could be Black too!
Yoshi: But, Yoshi Yoshi, not Black!
Luigi: What about you, Toad? You could be Black trying to stir up trouble!
Toad: What? I'm not Black!
Luigi: That's exactly what Black would say!
Peach: Guys! Fighting won't solve anything!
Mario: What if you're Black? Trying to take suspicion off yourself by being the grand peacekeeper!
Peach: Grand peacekeeper? What does that even mean?
Mario: That's what you're acting like!
Luigi: I don't think it's Peach.
Toad: For all we know, it could be!
The argument heats up. Everyone except Yoshi is fighting.
Which one is Black? What is this "redemption"? What is Black planning? Why didn't E. Gadd tell Luigi about this until just now? Find out in the next chapter.