Four years later, Peppy felt that Fox was ready to make friends. He, however was only able to do it on a different world unbeknownst to Andross. So, he took Fox to the friendliest preschool in the universe. Fox: "Peppy, are you sure about this?" Peppy: "Sure I am. This is the friendliest preschool I know out of the Lylat System. Besides, it's not safe for a youngster like you to attend school with that scoundrel Andross on the loose, especially after he did to your father."
Fox dropped his head. Fox: "Yeah…I know…I… never had a chance to meet him." Peppy: "I know, kid, I know. He was a great man. I'll never forgive that backstabbing crook Pigma for making your father succumb to his horrible fate." Fox: "Yeah…" Peppy: "Now don't you worry, kiddo, I'm sure you'll be able to fit in to this school. Just focus on getting along with the other kids and you'll be just fine." Fox: "Oh…OK…" Peppy: "Now then, I have some work to do, so I'll see you in the afternoon. Make some friends while you're at it." Fox: "OK…"
Fox walked into the school as Peppy returned to Corneria. He sat into one of the empty seats. Fox: "It's OK, Fox. Just try to take it easy on yourself. You'll make it through this."
At that time, a young girl was looking at him. She wore cute, white and pink shoes with light pink socks, a pink overall skirt and a white blouse. She had long blonde hair and a golden crown to match it. She walked up to Fox. Girl: "Hello, what's your name?"
Fox looked up at her. Fox: "Huh? Oh! My name's Fox. What's yours?" Girl: "My name is Princess Toadstool Peach. I heard about what happened to your father. It's very sad." Fox: "Yeah, I know." Peach: "Who was that rabbit guy with you?" Fox: "That was Peppy. He was a good friend of my dad before my dad…"
He paused. Peach her hand on Fox's shoulder. Peach: "I'm so sorry." Fox: "Thank you, Peach." Peach: "So, what is he doing with you. Is he like your stepfather?" Fox: "Kind of. He's watching over me until I become an experienced pilot and get back at the monster who took my father away." Peach: "Oh, um, that's nice. He seems like a really good guy." Fox: "Oh, he is. He told me stories about my dad when he was still alive. He told me that my dad of one of the best pilots he has ever known. Peppy said he was proud to be my dad's wingman." Peach: "Sounds great, Fox. You know what? I think you're cute." Fox blushed. Fox: "Oh, shucks, Peach." Peach: "Anyway, I also heard about the terrible things that happened to your home world. I'm sorry about that, too. That must have been a horrible experience." Fox: "Well, I was still a baby when my planet was attacked. I don't have any memory of that catastrophe." Peach: "Oh, well, that's a relief." Fox: "Yeah. Enough about me, tell me about you." Peach: "Well, my parents are king and queen of the entire Mushroom Kingdom. They look over our peaceful kingdom until I'm ready to look over it, myself. I know I'm going to do a great job. I can hardly wait till I'm a grown princess. Maybe after school, I can show you around the kingdom." Fox: "That sounds great." Peach: "Splendid. How about I'll introduce you to some of the kids here." Fox nodded. Peach: "OK, let's go."
And so they walked off and looked around at some of the other kids. She moved on to the first kid in the red cap and blue overalls. Peach: "That's Mario, the dumb kid. He brings a bag of shoes to school each morning; he thinks their his lunch money. Go figure." She then moved on to the next kid in the green cap and blue overalls. Peach: "That's Luigi, Mario's younger brother. He's smarter than Mario, but he's weird. He once said something weird, like C, C is for C, CEEEEEEEEEEE, or something like that." Fox: "Weird." Peach: "Yes, but no one's as weird as…"
She then faced another kid with a big headed kid with a yellow cap and fuchsia overalls. Peach: "Wario. He told everyone that one day, he'll raise an army of Bob-ombs to blow up stuff." Fox: "That is weird." Peach: "Yeah…"
She then leaned in closer towards Fox and whispered to him. Peach: "He also has a crush on me." Fox: "Yikes, that's not very pleasant." Peach: "It's not. Let's move on."
And so, she introduced Fox to more and more of the kids, including the teachers, who were Yoshis and Toads. Soon enough, they sad down together on a table. Peach: "So, how do you feel now that you have met some of the kids in the school?" Fox: "Um…I don't feel very confident that I'll be able to fit in very well with a lot of the kids here being so weird, but, I'm glad to have met you, Peach. I think we're going to get along just fine." Peach smiled. Peach: "You know what? I feel the same thing. In fact, I feel like we're becoming best friends already."
Fox and Peach smiled at each other.
Soon enough, it was lunchtime. Fox and Peach were talking happily on a table until Peach spotted someone. Peach: "Oh, no!" Fox: "What's wrong, Peach?" Peach: "Don't look now, but there's an unpleasant kid here."
Fox looked over and spotted an avian-like kid. Peach then pulled Fox under the table with her. Fox: "Who's that kid?" Peach: "That's Falco Lombardi. The meanest kid in school. He picks on the other kids because he's in kindergarten." Fox: "Yikes!" Peach: "I know. Whenever you see him, be very careful. He picks on a lot of the boys here, but for some reason, he would never bully any girls." Fox: "Huh, I wonder why that is. Wait a minute, why are you hiding under the table if he wouldn't pick on you?" Peach: "Because I'm scared for you, Fox." Fox: "What? Really?" Peach: "Yes, rumor has it he has a dad who supports that Andross guy." Fox: "WHAT!?" Peach: "Sh! Do you want him to find you?" Fox: "N-no…" Peach: "Follow me and you'll be able to get out of here without him seeing you." Fox: "OK…I'll follow you…"
As Falco picked on other kids, Fox and Peach slowly crept out from under the table and quietly snuck away. Just then, Falco spotted them. Falco: "Well, well, well, if it isn't that McCloud kid!" Fox: "Gulp!"
Falco walked up to Fox and Peach. Falco: "You know, I always wanted to meet you, McCloud." Fox: "What…what do you want from me…?" Falco: "Nothing…nothing but you." Fox: "W-whatever you do to me, I'm…I'm not afraid of it…!" Falco: "Ooh, we've got ourselves a wise guy here. OK, I'll give everything I've got."
He then lifted Fox by the shirt. Fox: "Hey! P-put me down!" Falco: "Don't move, cause this is going to hurt." Peach: "Stop! Please! Have mercy on poor Fox!" Falco: "What do you want, Peach?" Peach: "Put him down this instant, Falco. I don't want anything to happen to him." Falco: "Listen, Princess, I just want to teach McCloud here a thing or 2 about being a wise-guy. So, if you could just…"
Just then, the bell rang. Fox: "Saved by the bell." Falco: "You may have been lucky this time, Fox, but next time, I'll get you. I guarantee that."
He then put down Fox and walked away. Peach walked up to Fox. Peach: "Are you OK, Fox?" Fox: "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for defending me, Peach." Peach: "Don't mention it." Fox: "I don't get it. Peppy said that this was the friendliest school he knows, but I don't see anything friendly about it, except for you, of course." Peach: "Yeah, my father told me the same thing. What's up with that?" Fox: "Adults can be so difficult to understanding sometimes." Peach: "I know."