Chapter Text
Luigi's nose twitched at the taste of laboratory-like essence, a sharp, antiseptic tang that clung to the back of his throat like an unwelcome guest at a Toadstool banquet. It was the kind of smell that screamed "sterile" and "unfamiliar," nothing like the earthy aroma of the Mushroom Kingdom's lush grasslands or the savory waft of Mama Mia's famous spaghetti back home. His eyelids fluttered open slowly, heavy as if weighted down by a stack of ? Blocks, and the world around him swam into focus through a haze of dizziness. Where... where am I? he thought, his mind groping for memories like a clumsy hand fumbling for a lost coin in the dark.
He lay on what felt like a firm, padded surface—not the soft, familiar bed in the cozy house he shared with his brother, but something cold and clinical, vibrating faintly with a low hum that resonated through his bones. The room was dimly lit, bathed in the soft glow of overhead panels that pulsed with an otherworldly blue light, casting long shadows across sleek metallic walls adorned with blinking consoles and holographic displays. Tubes and wires snaked along the edges, and a faint beeping echoed from somewhere nearby, like the rhythmic chirp of a persistent Buzzy Beetle. This wasn't Peach's Castle, nor the bustling streets of Toad Town. No, this felt... spacey, like one of those wild dreams after eating too many Super Mushrooms.
Luigi tried to sit up, but oh, mama mia, what a mistake that was. A searing chill shot through his limbs, as if Bowser himself had dunked him in a frozen lake from the Frosted Glacier world. Frostbite—that's what it had to be. His body ached from head to toe, wrapped in bandages that felt stiff and itchy against his skin. Or... was it skin? Everything felt wrong, off-kilter, like he'd been spun around in a Dizzy Shell. Grunting softly, he pushed himself into a sitting stance, his muscles protesting every inch of the way. It took all his effort not to flop back down like a defeated Goomba. Beside him, still unconscious, lay his brother—Mario, his big brother, the one who always led the charge, the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom with his unyielding courage and that infectious cheer. Even in sleep, Mario looked ready for action, though his form was bundled in similar bandages, his breathing steady but shallow.
While scratching at an insistent itch on his neck—probably from those darn bandages—Luigi's gaze drifted downward to the reflective floor beneath him. The surface was polished to a mirror-like sheen, gleaming under the artificial lights, and what stared back made him freeze solid, his heart skipping a beat like a missed jump over a bottomless pit. A bandaged squirrel looked back at him. Not just any squirrel—a scruffy one with green-tinted fur peeking out from the wrappings, big round eyes wide with confusion, and a twitchy nose that mirrored his own movements. Whiskers quivered, and tiny paws clutched at the edge of the bed. Luigi blinked, then blinked again, his mind reeling. This... this has to be some kinda funny mirror, right? Like those warped ones in the carnival levels of Super Mario World, where everything gets stretched and silly. A giggle bubbled up from his chest, dizzy and disbelieving, the sound high-pitched and nervous, echoing off the sterile walls. "Hee hee... oh, that's-a good one. Must be the dizziness from the wounds," he muttered to himself, his voice trembling with that familiar nasal timbre, thick with his Italian accent. Still chuckling weakly, he reached out without looking to shake his brother awake, his hand—wait, paw?—extending toward Mario's shoulder.
But as his digits made contact, Luigi finally glanced down at them. Paws. Actual, furry paws with little claws and pads, not his usual gloved hands. The giggle died in his throat, replaced by a gasp. "W-what? No, no, this can't-a be... Eek!" He flexed them experimentally, watching the fur ripple, and a wave of panic washed over him, colder than the frostbite itself. His mind flashed back to the Mushroom Kingdom—home to Toads with their mushroom caps, Yoshis with their colorful hides, and all manner of quirky creatures—but squirrels? And him as one? This was straight out of one of those bizarre warp zones where reality twisted like a pretzel.
The touch stirred Mario, who groaned softly and stirred, his eyes fluttering open. He was a slightly shorter squirrel, his fur a vibrant red hue beneath the bandages, with that same stocky build compressed into a bushy-tailed form. Mario's blue eyes—still unmistakably his, bright and determined—locked onto Luigi's, widening in shock. For a moment, he didn't recognize the creature before him, his brow furrowing in confusion. But then Luigi spoke, his voice cracking with fear: "M-Mario? It's-a me, Luigi! Your superior brother... I mean, what's-a happening? Look at us!"
Mario's expression shifted from bewilderment to recognition at the sound of that voice—the timid, loyal tone he'd known since they were baby bros tumbling through the Mushroom Kingdom's grassy plains. "Luigi? That voice... yeah, it's you, bro! But... what the—? You look like a... a squirrel? And me too?" He sat up with a wince, ignoring the frostbite's bite as best he could, his courageous spirit kicking in like always. Mario was the headstrong one, the leader who charged into danger with a "Yahoo!" and a stomp, but even he felt a flicker of uncertainty here. Memories flooded back: the last thing he recalled was a freak accident in the Mushroom Kingdom, perhaps a mishap with one of Bowser's portals or a rogue Power Star, hurling them through some cosmic chaos. Frosty winds, biting cold, and then... nothing. Now this? Transformed into squirrels, stranded in who-knows-where. But Mario pushed the panic down; he had to be strong for Luigi, like always.
They huddled closer, paws clasping in a brotherly grip, whispering frantic questions. "How did we get here? Where's Peach? The Toads? The whole kingdom with its hills and pipes?" Luigi whimpered, his timid nature amplifying every fear. He thought of Toad Town's bustling markets, Peach's Castle towering over the landscape, the diverse worlds from Acorn Plains to Soda Jungle—all so far away now. Mario, ever the optimist, patted his brother's back. "Don't worry, Luigi. We'll figure this out. We're the Mario Bros.! We've beaten Bowser a hundred times; this is just another level."
But they realized they were not alone in the room when a mocking "Hmphh..." cut through the air, dry and laced with sarcasm, like the scoff of a Koopa Troopa who'd just dodged a fireball. The brothers whipped their heads around, their bushy tails flicking involuntarily in alarm. There, leaning against a console with winged arms folded across his chest, stood a bird-man. He was tall and lean, with blue feathers that gleamed under the lights, sharp eyes narrowed in amusement, and a beak curved in what could only be described as a smirk. His posture screamed confidence—bordering on arrogance—legs crossed casually, as if observing two lost Goombas was just another boring day in his high-flying life. He wore a flight suit that hugged his avian form, complete with what looked like pilot insignia, and his wings, tucked neatly, hinted at incredible aerial prowess.
The bird-man unfolded his arms slowly, pushing off the wall with a casual grace that belied his brash nature. Upon seeing them fully awake, he tilted his head, those sharp eyes scanning them like a predator sizing up prey. "Well, well, look who's finally up from their beauty sleep. You two nutcases from some backwater rock? Which planet you hail from, anyway? Spill it before I lose interest."
Luigi, ever the polite one despite his clumsiness and fears, straightened up as best he could in his squirrel form, wincing at the frostbite's pull. He stammered, his voice hesitant but respectful, "Uh... M-Mushroom Kingdom, sir! That's-a where we're from. It's a beautiful place with Toads and Yoshis and—"
The bird-man's beak twisted into a smirk, the kind someone wears when gazing upon an utter imbecile, his eyes rolling skyward as if begging for patience from the stars. He muttered under his breath, just loud enough to be heard, "The Mushroom... what? Jolly... Addicts..." A chuckle escaped him, dry and mocking, his winged arms refolding as he shook his head. Mushroom Kingdom? Sounded like some hallucinogenic fever dream to him—no wonder these strays looked so out of it. In his world, planets like Corneria or Zoness were the real deal, with wars and mercenaries, not whatever fairy-tale nonsense this was.
Mario, sensing his brother's discomfort, piped up defensively, his shorter squirrel frame puffing up with that headstrong determination. "Hey, it's-a true! We're from the Mushroom Kingdom—grassy plains, Warp Pipes everywhere, ruled by Princess Peach. And we weren't always like this... we were humans! Plumbers, actually. Heroes! We've saved the kingdom from Bowser more times than I can count!"
The bird-man's smirk deepened, his blue feathers ruffling slightly as he stepped closer, pulling a small vial of medicine from a nearby shelf—something glowing with a healing essence, as per orders from his team leader. He didn't know what a "human" was; sounded like some made-up species from a bad holo-novel. In the Lylat System, it was avians, foxes, toads, and hares—not these "humans." He uncapped the vial with a flick of his talon, holding it out with exaggerated patience.
"Humans, huh? Never heard of 'em. Well, truth be told, I only see two nut-munching strays right now." His tone dripped with sarcasm, eyes glinting with that cocky amusement he was known for among the Star Fox team. He was the ace pilot, after all—the one who took daring risks and flew rings around enemies, not some babysitter for frostbitten furballs.
As he handed over the medicine, forcing it into their paws with a patronizing nudge, he added, his voice laced with that rebellious edge, "You should be grateful for Fox McCloud, that he took you in. Guy's got a soft spot for strays—me, I would've left you to freeze out there in the void. But hey, orders are orders. Drink up, nut-munchers, and try not to make a mess of the medbay."
Luigi hesitated, sniffing the vial cautiously—his nose twitching again at the lab-like scent—while Mario eyed the bird-man warily, his mind racing. Fox McCloud? Who was that? And this ship—the Great Fox, perhaps, based on the sleek design and humming engines that spoke of warp travel and plasma power? The brothers exchanged glances, the frostbite's chill fading slightly as the medicine's warmth spread through their veins. But questions swirled like a tornado jump: How had they ended up here, transformed and lost? What adventures—or dangers—awaited in this starry realm so far from the Mushroom Kingdom's coin-filled skies?
The medbay felt smaller now, the holographic displays flickering with star charts of unknown worlds—Corneria, Venom, Titania—worlds that made their home seem like a distant dream. Luigi shivered, not just from the cold, but from the unknown, his timid heart pounding. Mario, ever the leader, squeezed his paw reassuringly. "We'll get through this, bro. Just like always." But as the bird-man—Falco Lombardi, though they didn't know his name yet—turned to leave with another scoffing "Hmphh," the brothers couldn't shake the feeling that their greatest crossover quest had only just begun.
The medicine worked its magic slowly, easing the frostbite's grip, but the dizziness lingered, clouding Luigi's thoughts like fog over Meringue Clouds. He remembered fragments of their last moments in the Mushroom Kingdom: a routine rescue mission gone wrong, Bowser's latest scheme involving a mysterious portal that shimmered with starry lights instead of the usual fiery reds. One wrong step, a whirl of cosmic energy, and poof—hurtled through space, battered by icy asteroids, crashing onto... what? The hull of this massive ship? The Great Fox, as the bird-man implied, a dreadnought-class carrier with its plasma engines and hyper lasers, far beyond anything in their world of power-ups and castles.
Mario, meanwhile, inspected his new form with a mix of curiosity and frustration. His bushy tail swished behind him, and he flexed his paws, testing their grip. "Not bad for jumping, maybe," he mused aloud, his cheerful nature peeking through. But inside, worry gnawed at him—for Luigi, for Peach, for the Toads who relied on them. The Mushroom Kingdom was vast, with its eight worlds of deserts and oceans, but this? This was the stars themselves, a Lylat System teeming with threats like Andross or Aparoids, if the wiki-lore whispers in his mind were any indication.
The bird-man lingered by the door, his sharp eyes watching them sip the medicine. His brash personality couldn't resist one more jab. "You two done gawking? This ain't a zoo. Fox'll wanna talk to you soon—try not to embarrass yourselves." With that, he sauntered out, wings rustling, leaving the brothers alone in the humming medbay.
Hours seemed to pass—or was it minutes? Time felt warped here, like a Time Block glitch. Luigi paced awkwardly on all fours at first, then tried standing on hind legs, wobbling like a newborn Yoshi. "Mario, what if we're stuck like this? No more plumbing, no more saving the princess... just scampering for acorns?" His voice cracked, emotional as always, tears welling in his squirrel eyes.
Mario hopped down from the bed, ignoring the twinge in his frostbitten limbs. "Hey, superior brother, chin up! We've been turned into frogs, cats, even statues before. This is just another power-down. We'll find a way back—maybe this Fox guy can help." His encouragement was genuine, drawn from years of leading charges against Koopas and Goombas.
As they explored the medbay tentatively—poking at consoles that beeped warnings in alien languages, peering at vials labeled with symbols reminiscent of Star Bits—the door hissed open again.
***
"Boss, look!" Falco exclaimed upon entering the cockpit. "I've got your strays."
The doors to the bridge of the Great Fox hissed open with a pneumatic sigh, revealing the sleek, high-tech command center that served as the beating heart of the Star Fox team's operations. The room was spacious yet functional, dominated by a massive forward viewscreen that displayed a mesmerizing vista of swirling stars and distant nebulae in the Lylat System. Control decks lined the walls, humming with holographic displays, blinking consoles, and tactical readouts monitored by ROB 64, the team's robotic operator, whose metallic frame stood rigidly at the central station, his electronic voice occasionally droning status updates. A cluttered couch sat off to one side—rumored to be Slippy's favorite napping spot amid scattered tools and magazines—while personal desks bore the marks of the team's downtime: Peppy's messy pile of old mission logs, Falco's discarded gaming handheld, and various gadgets in various states of repair. The air carried a faint hum of plasma engines far below, and the overhauled interior gleamed with a post-Sauria upgrade sleekness, though it still felt lived-in, like a mobile home hurtling through the void.
Fox McCloud swiveled in the captain's chair at the center, his orange fur catching the soft glow of the overhead panels. The anthropomorphic fox was the picture of focused leadership—sharp green eyes, a red scarf tucked into his flight jacket, and an air of quiet determination that had carried the team through battles against Andross and the Aparoids alike. He rose fluidly, his boots clicking on the polished deck as he faced the entrance, one brow arched in curiosity.
Trailing behind Falco were the two guests: a pair of bandaged squirrels, their frostbite wounds mostly healed thanks to the medbay's advanced treatments, though patches of fur still peeked through wrappings. The shorter one, with vibrant red fur and bright blue eyes brimming with unyielding optimism, scampered forward with a bounce in his step despite the unfamiliar quadrupedal gait. Beside him, taller and slimmer, was the green-furred squirrel, his movements more hesitant, whiskers twitching nervously as he took in the overwhelming technology around him. Their bushy tails flicked in unison, betraying a mix of awe and anxiety—these were no ordinary rodents, but transformed plumbers from a world of pipes, princesses, and perpetual peril.
The rest of the team turned from their stations. Peppy Hare, the veteran rabbit with graying fur and a fatherly glint in his eyes, leaned back from a console where he'd been reviewing old Venom mission data. Slippy Toad, the excitable green amphibian mechanic, hopped down from his workbench cluttered with half-assembled gadgets. Krystal, the elegant blue vixen with her telepathic staff resting nearby, paused her meditative scan of distant signals, her cerulean fur shimmering under the lights. And lounging against a bulkhead—perhaps dropping by for one of her occasional "visits" that always seemed to coincide with Falco's shifts—was Katt Monroe, the pink-furred feline pilot, her cocky grin flashing as she eyed the newcomers with immediate suspicion.
Falco strode in with his usual swagger, blue feathers ruffled just enough to look effortlessly cool, his winged arms crossed as he jerked a thumb back at the squirrels. "Told ya they'd wake up eventually. These nut-munchers say they're from some place called the 'Mushroom Kingdom.' Humans turned squirrels or whatever. Figured you'd wanna see 'em before I toss 'em out an airlock."
Fox approached cautiously, his leadership instincts kicking in—always ready to assess a situation, whether it was an enemy fleet or unexpected strays pulled from the icy debris field near Titania. "Easy, Falco. We don't toss anyone out without hearing them out." He crouched slightly to meet their eye level, his voice calm and reassuring. "I'm Fox McCloud, leader of the Star Fox team. You two look like you've been through a warp storm. Mind telling us your names and how you ended up floating out there?"
The red squirrel puffed up his chest, his shorter stature not diminishing his headstrong bravado one bit. "It's-a me, Mario! And this is my superior brother, Luigi," he said affectionately, clapping a paw on the taller squirrel's shoulder with a cheerful grin that revealed tiny buck teeth. Mario's voice carried that unmistakable Italian lilt, thick with enthusiasm, as if introducing himself before leaping into a Goomba-stomping adventure. "We're-a from the Mushroom Kingdom—plumbers by trade, heroes by-a calling! We were fighting Bowser—big spiky turtle king—and wooosh, some-a crazy portal sucked us in. Next thing, we're freezing in space, turned into... this." He gestured at his furry form with a dramatic paw wave, tail swishing.
Luigi nodded timidly, his taller frame making him hunch slightly to avoid towering over everyone—though in this room of anthropomorphic animals, it wasn't as noticeable. "Y-yeah... eek. Not sure about-a the squirrel part. Maybe a curse? Or a bad Poison Mushroom? But thank-a you for saving us, Mr. McCloud. We owe you big time."
Peppy Hare hopped forward with a warm chuckle, his older, wiser demeanor shining through like a mentor recalling his days with James McCloud. He adjusted his flight vest, eyes twinkling as he regarded the duo. "Well, I'll be darned! Look at you two—tree cousins, straight outta the branches!" He beamed affectionately, seeing every rodent-like creature as distant bloodkin in his quirky, familial way—hares and squirrels shared that bushy-tailed, scampering vibe, after all. "Reminds me of the old days scampering through Corneria's forests before I joined the Army. Welcome aboard, fellas. Any kin of the rodent family is kin o' mine!"
Mario and Luigi exchanged glances, Luigi blushing under his green fur at the warm welcome, while Mario laughed heartily. "Tree cousins? Hee hee, that's-a new one! But sure, why not?"
Slippy Toad, however, wasn't as amused. The green toad waddled closer, peering up at the squirrels with a mix of scientific curiosity and clear annoyance. Even in their squirrel forms, both Mario and Luigi stood taller than him—Luigi especially, his lanky height making Slippy crane his neck. "Hmph! What's with these guys being taller than me? I'm the mechanic here—I build the Arwings, the Landmasters, everything! And now we've got oversized squirrels cluttering the bridge?" He crossed his arms, excitable nature turning pouty, though his inventor’s mind was already whirring about scanning their anomalous biology.
Krystal stepped forward gracefully, her telepathic senses tingling from the moment they entered. As the team's advisor and Fox's close companion, she extended a paw in greeting, her voice kind and melodic. Mario, ever the chivalrous hero—habituated from years of rescuing Princess Peach and planting grateful kisses on her hand—instinctively took it without thinking. He bowed awkwardly in his squirrel body, nearly toppling over on all fours, and pressed a quick, gentlemanly kiss to the back of her paw. "Enchanted, bella signora," he murmured with a wink, his daredevil charm shining through despite the fur and tail.
Krystal blinked in surprise, then laughed kindly—a genuine, warm sound that lit up the bridge like a Saurian sunrise. "Oh my! That's quite the old-fashioned gesture. You're full of surprises." She didn't pull away harshly, amused by his earnestness, her telepathic probe gently brushing their minds as she spoke.
But that probe hit a wall—or rather, a whirlwind. Mario and Luigi's thoughts were... unique. A literal fever dream of colorful platforms floating in skies, endless coins jingling, fireballs hurled from paws, and giant turtles breathing flames. Pipes leading to underground worlds, stars granting invincibility, and yes—mushrooms. So many mushrooms granting power. It was chaotic, whimsical, utterly alien to the Lylat System's wars and mercenaries. Krystal furrowed her brow slightly, withdrawing her senses with a puzzled tilt of her head. Were these squirrels abstinent and sober, recounting a genuine alternate reality? Or perpetually drunk on some hallucinogenic substance? Their minds swirled like a bad warp zone—impossible to discern delusion from truth.
Katt Monroe, meanwhile, pushed off the bulkhead with a sassy flick of her pink tail, sauntering over to stare directly into their eyes. The feline pilot, with her cocky demeanor and history tied to Falco's Hot Rodders days, had a knack for spotting trouble—or in this case, something off. She leaned in close to Mario first, then Luigi, her gaze piercing. "These two are high on mushrooms," she declared flatly, smirking as she straightened up. "Look at those eyes—glazed over like they've been chowing down on Cornerian contraband. What'd you guys snort before crashing into our hull?"
Mario tilted his head, confused but undeterred. "High on mushrooms? Mamma mia, no! But mushrooms are-a great! Super Mushrooms make you big and strong—boom, double size, smash bricks!" He pantomimed growing taller, paws expanding dramatically. "Fire Flowers let you throw fireballs—pew pew! Tanooki suits for flying tails, Propeller Mushrooms for spinning up high..."
Luigi, emboldened by his brother's enthusiasm despite his timidity, chimed in nervously. "Y-yeah... and 1-Up Mushrooms give extra lives! We've eaten hundreds. Keeps us going against Bowser's army—Koopa Troopas, Goombas, Lakitus throwing spines..."
The bridge fell into a stunned silence, broken only by ROB 64's monotone: "Query: Fungi-based physiological enhancements detected in vocal patterns. Recommend medical scan."
Falco snorted, wings ruffling. "Told ya—jolly addicts from Mushroom whatever."
Fox rubbed his temple, glancing at Krystal for insight. She shook her head subtly, still baffled by the mental chaos. "Their thoughts are... vivid. Like nothing I've sensed before. Not lies, but not exactly sane either."
Peppy chuckled again. "Ah, let the tree cousins spin their yarns. Reminds me of my wilder days—do a barrel roll through a story or two!"
Slippy grumbled, hopping onto a stool to regain some height. "If they're taller and claiming mushroom powers, maybe I can invent a shrink ray..."
Katt crossed her arms, flirting a glance at Falco. "Your strays, bird boy. You deal with 'em."
Mario and Luigi huddled closer, tails entwining brotherly. The Great Fox's bridge felt like a new world—Arwings in the hangar below, stars outside, a team of animal pilots staring at them. Far from the Mushroom Kingdom's grassy hills and ? Blocks, but with heroes all the same. Mario grinned at Luigi. "See, superior brother? New friends already!"
Luigi whimpered softly. "As long as no ghosts..."