A/N: It's that time of year! Instead of giving away candy to trick-or-treaters, I'm gonna be that kind of jerk to buy Luigi's Mansion 3 and play it nonstop... until I have to go to my evening work shift. Regardless, I also wanted to write a fanfic based on the game. To Nintendo's credit though, the game looks fantastic from the trailers that it can tell the story on its own, even without narration or a lot of dialogue. I mean, have you seen Luigi and Mario's interactions with each other? Charles Martinet, you make my heart want to explode.

I'll be playing through the game to help give me an idea on how to set up the narration. I don't know if I'll get the chance to update consistently, but I'll try my best (despite having two other projects to complete).

Post-Chapter Notes are found at the end of each chapter (if necessary) with references or explanations denoted by numbers in bold, italics, and parentheses. Ex.- (1)

With that being said, I hope you check in for a 'de-frightful' experience as I welcome you to my newest project – Luigi's Mansion 3: Hotel Horror.

*NOTE: After playing through the game, I was able to find the translated invitation from the introductory cutscene. Therefore, the writing on the letter has been edited.

Disclaimer: Nintendo owns the franchise of Mario, Luigi's Mansion, and the characters. I do not claim rights to any of this. I am only responsible for this fanfic.

Prologue: An Enigmatic Invitation

Location: Mushroom Kingdom

It was another long yet peaceful Friday in the Mushroom Kingdom as Luigi strolled to the green pipe near the entrance of Toad Town. Earlier, he and his older brother, Mario, finally finished rebuilding Peach's Castle after an accident caused the whole palace to collapse. Although it was an arduous, time-consuming task, the Mario Bros. and their Toad friends finished the job in about four months. (1) While Mario decided to stay with Princess Peach, who thanked everyone for the help, Luigi opted to get some rest at home. Mario and Peach respected his decision, but they promised to visit him later tonight.

Once he got home, he fumbled around with his overalls, hoping he didn't lose his keys – for both his go-kart and the house. (2) Patting down his hips, he sighed in relief when he heard a metal clink. He took the keys out, nearly dropping them after they slipped out of his hand. As he unlocked the entrance, Luigi was immediately greeted by his pet Polterpup. He jumped a little since he didn't expect him to be sitting near the front door. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but admire his eager face.

"Hi, Colombo!"

"Arf! Arf!"

He first met the ghostly dog in Evershade Valley, chasing him through several mansions to retrieve some key items that he needed in his Dark Moon quest. Polterpup was an unpredictable anomaly, but he was more affable and frisky than mischievous and harmful. After Luigi repaired the Dark Moon, defeated King Boo, and saved his bro, the ghosts reverted to their normal selves, including Polterpup. That was when he chose to adopt him as his pet.

Luigi scratched the Polterpup's head with his gloved fingers. The dog closed his eyes, panting joyfully as his hind leg tapped on the wooden floor.

"Heh heh, you like that, Colombo?"

"Ruff!" The dog followed with a lick on his face. Luigi couldn't help but laugh as he wiped off the ghostly drool.

They played around for a little while before heading upstairs to his bedroom. Luigi removed his hard helmet and hung it on one of the hooks of his wall rack. Then, he unbuttoned the green overalls, removed his yellow, long-sleeved shirt, and put on his usual plumber attire. By the time he threw his beloved, green cap on his head, he heard Parakarry from outside.

"Mail call!" the Paratroopa yelled.

"Eh, it's probably more bills again. Ma questa è la vita," Luigi sighed. (3)

Luckily for Colombo, he doesn't have to deal with the stress of paying the bills or anything humans and Toads have to do on a usual basis. He's a dog after all. A spectral canine, no less.

Luigi returned to the front lawn to grab the mail. He briefly scanned each letter until he received something that caught his eye. He held out a golden, square envelope with a silver line around the border. It was addressed specifically to him. Taking in the details, the letter appeared to be some kind of invitation. 'An invitation to what?' was the question.

The Italian plumber went back inside, shutting the door with his foot. He was still entranced by the letter that he wanted to know what it had to say. Setting the rest of the mail down on the table, Luigi took a seat on the couch. Colombo delightfully hopped beside him as he watched him tear the envelope open. Once he pulled out a golden slip of paper, Colombo instantly went to grab the edge with his mouth.

"Aah! Colombo, no!"

He had to tug it away, which wasn't easy for Luigi to do. Colombo, however, was too curious that he wasn't mad at Luigi's actions. The mustachioed man took a moment to read the contents of the invitation out loud.

...

Congratulations, Luigi!

You're the lucky winner of a free stay at a world-class hotel, The Last Resort!

We look forward to dazzling you with first-rate hospitality and service. Please be sure to invite any friends or family that you'd like to bring, as well!

I have also attached a map to the location of our lavish retreat. Please be sure to RSVP as soon as possible to let our staff be aware of your coming arrival. I hope to see you here!

~Hellen Gravely

(XOX) OXO-XOXO (4)

...

The thought of spending a vacation at a five-star resort intrigued Luigi. He felt like he needed one to ease all his stress from the construction. Albeit, he has never heard of The Last Resort before, nor was he familiar with the general landscape. Luigi saw another paper inside the envelope. He opened it up to reveal the map of the hotel and its destination in relation to the Mushroom Kingdom. From what it showed, The Last Resort was located up north in the mountainside. It wasn't too far that a plane was necessary to travel. But it was still a relatively long distance from where he lived.

Polterpup was able to understand the message from the letter, barking enthusiastically.

"I don't know, Colombo. This does sound like quite a great experience. But do you remember the last time I was given a mysterious letter for something only to be tricked by it?"

The Polterpup gave a neutral face, tilting his head to the side.

"Oh, right. You weren't there for that adventure. Mamma Mia," he scolded himself, slapping a palm on his forehead. "Well, long story short, I got a letter saying that I somehow won a mansion. So, I invited Mario to check it out. He went ahead, only to be trapped in a painting by King Boo. The mansion was nothing but a ruse."

Colombo genuinely forgot that Luigi explained this story once before, just days after he was adopted. It was during a stormy night when he and Luigi were stuck indoors with nothing to do. The plumber did depict his first mansion adventure that day. The problem was that Colombo was too tired that he slept through most of his storytelling. Now, the memory came back to him. However, he thought that Luigi was being paranoid. He barked twice, trying to convince him otherwise.

"You don't think this is another scam?"

If Colombo could physically talk, he would say to him, 'I don't think so. Staying at a beautiful hotel? That sounds like fun!'

Luigi glimpsed the mysterious invitation once more. Before he could think about it again, he heard the front door open. He got slightly spooked that he fell off the couch cushion. Mario and Princess Peach entered the living room, the former of whom was still wearing his own builder's outfit.

"Hey, bro! I was going to- Uh, why are you sitting on the floor?" Mario raised an eyebrow.

"Ugh, it's a long story," Luigi complained. Colombo tried to ease the tension off his shoulders by licking his face again. After settling down, Mario lifted him up on his feet.

"Thanks again for helping with the castle repairs, Luigi," Peach appreciated. "Here, I have some leftover strawberry cake that I baked earlier."

"Oh, thanks, Peach. I'll save it for later," he set the plate down on the coffee table.

Mario observed his sibling's facial expressions. Because he knew him too well, he couldn't help but ask the obvious. "Is something up, Luigi? You look a little tense, to be honest."

"I'm not sure if tense is the right term. But I'd say you're in the right ballpark."

"Why do you say that, Luigi?" Peach wondered.

He presented the letter and the map to his friends. "This was dropped off in the mail recently. It's an invitation to invite me on an all-expenses-paid trip to this place called The Last Resort. At first, I thought it was a trick like the time I 'won' that mansion. Then, I figured it was spam from some business trying to con me for money. But looking at this again, it looks like a legitimate invitation. An enigmatic one, nevertheless."

"I don't think this is peculiar," Mario scrutinized the paper. "In fact, this would be a great opportunity to kick back after finishing with the castle repairs. We could all use a break."

Peach nodded her head. "I can agree with that. Besides, you two have done so much for me and my kingdom. A vacation sounds both deserving and essential."

"Well, I might as well ask – would you two like to join me on this getaway?"

"Of course I want to join you, Weegie!" Mario patted his shoulder.

"I'd love to go, too! Ooh, but I'm going to have to pack a lot of luggage," Peach placed a hand on her cheek.

Colombo was already on board from the get-go. "Bark!"

"I guess that answers my question. I'll accept the invitation!" Luigi smiled before shifting his mouth into a frown. He didn't even notice Polterpup trying to tug on the letter in his hand again.

Mario easily detected the distress on his face. "What's wrong, bro?"

"I was thinking about inviting Daisy as well. But I remembered she told me that she had some royal affairs to attend in Sarasaland this week. Aw, man. I never had a chance to spend a vacation with her."

The red plumber understood why he was upset. Thinking of a way to console him, he patted his back comfortably. "Well, at least you'll have us to accompany you. I don't think spending a vacation alone would be a lot of fun. And maybe someday, when the two of you have some free time together, you'll get to enjoy a holiday with each other. It could happen sooner than expected. You never know."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, bro. Hey, maybe if this hotel is a fabulous vacation spot, I could take her there sometime!"

"That's a wonderful idea! I'm sure she would love that!" Peach grinned.

"So when should we get ready?" asked Mario.

"How about tomorrow?"

"That early?" Luigi furrowed his brows. "I mean, Mario and I don't have any plans now that the castle is restored. But that means we'll have to prepare for this vacation at the last second."

"It'll be alright," Mario reassured him. "Besides, we don't have to leave first thing in the morning. We can get ready by the afternoon, head down to the resort before sundown, and get a chance to check out the hotel before staying in for the first night. Then we'll have the rest of the week to enjoy ourselves!"

Colombo, letting go of the letter, liked Mario's plan.

"That sounds terrific!" Peach coincided.

"If you guys say so, then I'll call this Hellen Gravely person and tell her that we'll be arriving tomorrow. After all, she did mention to respond back as soon as possible."

"I better return to the castle and let everyone know that I'll be away on vacation with you all."

"Good idea, Peach. I guess we'll meet at the castle tomorrow then," said Mario.

"Sounds like a plan! Oh, this is going to be so exciting! I can't wait to see what the hotel looks like!"

After Peach said goodbye to the Mario Bros. and departed their house, Luigi tucked the contents back in the envelope. Because Colombo was still fascinated by the invitation, his owner distracted him by giving him a Gold Bone. (5)

Mario stretched his arms out wide, yawning. "Mamma Mia, it's getting late," he took off his helmet. "I'm gonna retire to my room and get started on packing. You need anything, fratello?"

"Not at the moment, thank you. I'll start packing later."

"Okay, Weege," he began climbing the stairs before turning to him halfway up. "I mean, just think about it. We were about to spend a lazy Saturday here in the Mushroom Kingdom only to be invited to a luxurious hotel in the mountains. I'm really psyched! Hopefully this vacation won't get ruined like the ones on Isle Delfino and Pi'illo Island."

"You know I wasn't there for the first one, right?" Luigi muttered while rubbing Colombo's back.

"Oh, sorry about that."

"Nah, it's okay. I was just playing with you."

Mario chuckled at the taller bro. "Good night, Weegie."

"Good night, Mario."

Luigi fixed his gaze down at his spectral pooch. Polterpup paused from gnawing on his treat to glance back at him. With two enthusiastic barks, the man grinned. Maybe he, Mario, and Peach were right. He could use a vacation to relax and unwind. Plus, his friends will keep him company. The man stood up to walk over to the telephone on the other side of the living room. Typing in the numbers on the golden invitation, he waited for a response on the other end.

"Ahem, thank you for calling The Last Resort. Front desk speaking."

"Hello, my name is Luigi, and I'm calling about an invitation I received from a Ms. Hellen Gravely. I want to let her know that I will accept it and that we'll visit the hotel sometime tomorrow in the late afternoon."

"Oh, splendid!" the concierge delightfully replied. "I'll let the caretaker know right away. I'm positive she'll be ecstatic to hear about your arrival. Don't you worry, sir. We'll make sure you and your friends will have the best vacation ever, guaranteed! Our staff will arrange accommodations for you and your rooms instantly."

"That sounds great! Thanks!"

"It's our pleasure. Heh heh heh, I'm sure you'll never experience a vacation like this. See you tomorrow!"

"Okay, bye!"

Luigi hung up the phone, feeling content that the hotel reservation was set. He returned to Colombo who was now lying on his back, curling his body to entice his owner. The plumber knew what his dog was going for, so he began rubbing his belly. Satisfied, the Polterpup whined happily as he and Luigi played around for the rest of the night.

Despite his earlier thoughts, Luigi was anticipating that he'll get to enjoy a relaxing trip at an extravagant hotel. No villains, no Bowser, no evil, and no tricks to spook the denim overalls off of him.

What could possibly go wrong? It's not like his dream vacation will be a nightmare come true. (6)

END OF CHAPTER

For those following me since Hidden Bravery, you should know that 'Colombo' is the name I've given to Luigi's Polterpup. If this is the first story by me that you've come across, then that explains it. (I didn't feel like putting this in the Post-Chapter Notes again.)

Nonetheless, that marks the end of the prologue of my Luigi's Mansion 3 fanfic! What do you guys think so far? Is there anything I need to fix or improve upon? Let me know in the review box down below, follow and favorite this story for new updates, and I'll see you all in Ch. 1 when Luigi and his friends check in at The Last Resort! This is TheGameNguyener (TGN), signing off.

Post-Chapter Notes:

(1): I sort of tied Super Mario Maker 2 to the prologue, mentioning the time difference between that game and Luigi's Mansion 3.

(2): Apparently, Nintendo said the reason why Luigi was absent in Mario Kart Tour until recently was that he lost his keys. Personally, I think it's because he has a better game to star in compared to another mobile game wanting to rip you off.

(3): Italian for "But that's life."

(4): UPDATE- I found the invitation greeting in the game under the menu when you go to Guide/Settings – Guide – Prologue. Nintendo provides the text of the letter sent by Hellen Gravely. The ending is something I added as its own thing. I also didn't provide a 'real' phone number. I just used random letters similar to how Paper Mario writes out dates and exclusive information. (I couldn't use symbols or Wingdings.)

(5): The Gold Bone was introduced in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, serving the same purpose as a 1-Up. If Luigi earns enough gold in a mission, he can find one of these. And if he happens to lose all of his health, Polterpup can revive Luigi by taking the Gold Bone. Surprisingly, I didn't know this was a thing until three years AFTER I finished the game. They also return in Luigi's Mansion 3 for the same reason, except you can buy them from E. Gadd with the money he collects in the game. Plus, you can hold more than one bone at a time.

(6): That's a callback to my oneshot.