You are a resident of the Mushroom Kingdom looking for Peach and Mario in the woods. That’s where you last recall them going before they went missing.

Once there, you see Peach, but she does not have her face with her. She invited you to play hide and seek with her, with her being the seeker.

You hide in the forest before you catch a glimpse from your hiding spot, seeing Peach turning tall and thicker as wood splintered out of her body and her eyes go hollow. As you came to learn, that is not Peach.

But, in fact, the fabled Forest Queen who turns anyone who she deems unworthy into living statues. Scared shitless, you were about to run until you suddenly bumped into something, only to look up as she was looking down at you with that vacant look.