A/N: Wow... Another three months came and went by. It's not a shocker to me since I'm still bad at writing this story consistently. I can only appreciate the fact that you've been patient with me since the previous update. I'm really trying to piece together the next few parts whenever I can. I remember discussing future plans with one of my friends earlier. It's just a matter of time and execution of pulling it off, regardless of how long it takes me to finish this crossover.

Over the course of my hiatus, I want to thank AFWidget, LiamTheYoshi, Pradason, drashaan, BlueRaven192, 3ddarkness, Leisa 500, Yellow Caterpillar, BlackStar5078, Vgn Golley, CVGWJames, frankferter8088, and 2022 for leaving a follow and/or favorite on New Brotherhood. Alongside CVGWJames, shoutouts to him, Golden Eye, Oderus, and The Sensational SpiderDom321 for their latest reviews. Also, 98 favorites?! Based on my upload schedule and pacing, I feel like I don't deserve it, yet I appreciate every single one of you who has taken the time to read. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one!


Disclaimer: Anything related to Mario and Sonic is owned by Nintendo and SEGA, respectively. But real talk, Mario's gonna have to watch his back before Sonic sends him to Minecraft again...


Chapter 48: Snow-pokes

With Wario and Waluigi going down the main pathway of Shiver Mountain, they cackled to themselves after they managed to distract Mario, Sonic, Kamek, and the Koopalings with their sudden Bob-omb explosion. In the hopes that they were far away from all of them, the two were fantasizing about their future wealth.

"So, what's the first thing you're gonna do when you earn your share of the Emerald?" Waluigi asked his yellow partner.

"Either I'll invest it in my video game design, or I'll buy a humongous yacht. Heck, I'll purchase a cruise ship! It'll be better than Daisy's Cruiser!"

"Eh, I wouldn't say that. Her cruise ship is pretty extravagant. There's so much entertainment and things to do on it that I'd be willing to live there forever!"

"Are you saying that because you're still trying to make a move on her?"

"Maybe. But at least this time, I won't entice her with bee balms or any flowers. All I need are those juicy, gold coins. Then she'll come running after me!"

Wario rolled his eyes as they kept running down the slope. "We may be gluttonous, but don't let it pollute that crazy brain of yours. It's pretty conspicuous that she's not gonna go out with you anytime soon."

"Are you telling me that she's still grieving over Luigi? I mean, no offense, but it's time to move on from that! Why can't she find a new person to love, like moi?"

"Oh, she'll eventually accept his death. But my point stands; she ain't gonna come after you first."

"What makes you say that? She just doesn't understand how I'm the perfect man for her!"

"Hrmm... maybe Mario was right back at the hospital. Making a move on her was the dumbest thing you have done."

"That's not even what he said!"

"It's not verbatim, but it was implied by him."

"Oh, fuck off with all of you," Waluigi swore in disgust.

While the heroes crept closer, Luigi was barely able to hear Wario and Waluigi's constant bickering. The thought of Waluigi trying to get Daisy to date him disgusted his mind, but he couldn't stop thinking about the other thing they mentioned. As much as he missed Daisy, he figured that she deserves another chance at love, to be with someone that she'll care for as long as the other reciprocated those feelings. Even if that person was Waluigi, the green-hatted angel wanted nothing more than for the Sarasaland princess to be happy. The same thing went for all of his friends, especially his blood brother.

Luigi knew he had to tell Mario about his earlier thoughts at some point. But right now, snatching the purple Chaos Emerald was their top priority. He and Tails guided their older brothers overhead, watching the snarky duo from a bird's eye view.

"How should we plan our attack?" Mario gazed at his friends.

"We should probably drop you off at a reasonable distance so they can't spot us," suggested Tails.

"Or we can just land directly on their heads! Give 'em a good old spin dash and a hefty ground pound to sock them into the snow!" Sonic smirked.

"Well, whatever we do, we have to hurry if we want to avoid the avalanche behind us!"

Tails' reminder caused the other three to look behind. There was still a heap of falling snow running down the incline of Shiver Mountain since the Bob-ombs exploded.

"Tell us when it's a good time to let go," Luigi instructed.

"Almost..." Sonic prepared himself. Mario and Colombo were also getting ready. "Now!"

Tails and Luigi released their brothers while the Polterpup dove off the latter's back. As the red and blue heroes landed on a soft patch of snow, they quickly got up and rushed behind the snarky schemers, resisting against the slippery ice. Wario heard some squeaking from behind, prompting him to take a short glance. He was shocked to find their rivals right on their tails.

"Wah?! How the hell did you survive the massive Bob-omb explosion?!"

"An even better question, how did you even catch up to us?! There's no logical way that you made it here!" Waluigi growled.

Mario was fast to come up with a remark. "I never thought you two would resort to a lethal act just to get your hands on a Chaos Emerald. You're not only desperate and greedy, but you're also inane! For the last time, you're not going to get any monetary value out of it!"

"Says you, tubby!" Wario retaliated by hurling another Bob-omb from his knapsack. "Why don't you get buried in the snow by now? That way, we can bury you right beside-"

"I already know where you're going with that sentence, and if you dare finish it, I'm going to make you eat the ash out of that bomb until your stomach detonates!"

Sonic was a little taken back by Mario's harsh words, but he somewhat justified it with Wario nearly crossing a line. Considering how Wario and Waluigi knew the Mario Bros. far more than he did, the hedgehog could tell their rivalry was coming to a head. However, even if Luigi wasn't physically next to him, Sonic promised to be by his side, unlike what his possessed demon said.

"How about you eat this instead?! Ha ha!" Waluigi pulled out a pair of Bob-ombs from his own backpack. However, he didn't notice that he accidentally took out the purple gem, too. The second he hurled it into the air, it was too late to realize his mistake.

"Wah! Waluigi, you idiot!" Wario scolded. "You threw the Emerald away!"

"Uh... oops."

Mario, Sonic, and Colombo were able to dodge the Bob-ombs when one of them landed on the ground. A barren tree fell from nearby with tons of bark splitting apart from the impact. Their downward momentum made it harder for them to stop. Wario and Waluigi barely had any traction and slid into a wall, their faces slamming against the freezing ice. Meanwhile, the Guardian Angels were still flying above their friends, watching the scene unravel. As they were invisible, Luigi and Tails spotted the gem flying towards them. The man in green soared over to it, but he backed away last second when he saw the other Bob-omb blinking red. When Tails also tried to snatch it, Luigi pulled him back to avoid the explosion in midair.

"Sorry I had to do that, Tails. But I was trying to play it safe!"

"Honestly, I would've done the same thing! Thanks for saving me!"

The purple Emerald started rolling down the hill with snow completely covering the edges. It formed into a small snowball before descending at a high speed.

"Mario! There it is!" Sonic pointed.

"Arf!" Colombo went after it as he started sliding on his stomach down the slope.

The plumber glanced over to his right to see a bunch of thin bark planks from the tree that fell. He had a crazy idea, but he chose not to call for their younger brothers in case Wario and Waluigi see them.

"Hey, Sonic, how good are you at snowboarding?"

The hedgehog was a little confused by his question. "Um, I'd say I'm decent. I'm more of a speed rider on my hoverboard back on Mobius."

"You have hoverboards on your planet?"

"Totally! Thanks to Tails' inventions, we occasionally ride around for some hi-tech racing if we're not running with our feet! Knuckles usually joins us whenever we're in a match against this group called the Babylon Rogues. Not to gloat or anything, but I can pull off some sick ollies and some 360s in midair. I could do the same for snowboarding!"

"Okay, but going back on topic, I say we shred the slopes, if you catch my drift."

Sonic smirked at his idea. "Oh, I'm so down for that! But where are we gonna get our boards?"

Mario grabbed some wooden planks and got himself in position. He tossed one over to the Blue Blur. "This may look unconventional, but maybe we can shred some snow on these."

"Hmm... 'Ridiculous' is probably the word I would use, but let's give it a shot!"

The two went after Colombo who was already on track of the Chaos Emerald. Using their makeshift, wooden snowboards, Mario and Sonic carefully dodged the trees and rocks that were in the way. The latter hopped off a small ledge, sending him high in the air. He held the back of his plank and performed a front flip before landing back onto the mountain. Sonic whistled at his impressive trick and did one of his own. Jumping off a different ridge, the hedgehog twirled his body around, perfecting three full rotations while cleanly landing onto the snowbank. Mario gave him a thumbs-up for his trick.

"You weren't kidding when you said you could pull off some nice tricks. That was really cool!"

"Thanks! You weren't too shabby as well! Hey, maybe we should participate in the Winter Olympics someday," Sonic joked.

"Maybe we should!" Mario tagged along to his quip. His joyful expression was soon washed away when a snowball hit his face. Snow was smeared all over his right cheek and jacket, leaving a red bruise.

"Whoa! Where did that come from?!" Sonic's eyes widened.

The plumber looked behind and was completely bewildered at what he was witnessing. From above, Wario was chasing them with Waluigi right underneath him. More specifically, the man in purple was sliding on his stomach like he was a sled, withstanding the constant pressure and pain from Wario's weight. He was yelling profusely as his head nearly hit a rockslide. But Waluigi was already red in the face since he got knocked out by the ice.

"What the heck?!" Sonic shouted. "How is that possible?!"

"More importantly, how did they recover that fast?! Eek!" Mario ducked from another snowball and shifted to his right as he almost ran into a pine tree.

"That's exactly how we thought when we saw you halfway down Shiver Mountain!" Wario grunted. "We already ran out of Bob-ombs, so I'm using the next best thing for ammunition."

"WAH! JUST... MAKE... SURE... YOU'RE STEERING... THE RIGHT... WAY!" Waluigi screamed as the snow kept hitting his nose.

"This is technically your payback for throwing the Emerald down the mountain! You wouldn't be like this if you weren't stupid like the time you gave Daisy-"

"STOP... BRINGING... THAT... UP!"

Wario couldn't care less as he chucked some more snowballs from his backpack. Since he already landed a hit on his red-hatted archrival, he aimed right at his companion.

"Look out, Sonic!" Mario pointed as he was heading straight at a ledge protruding from the incline.

"Ahhh! Holy... Chaos!" The hedgehog was busy keeping his balance steady and dodging Wario's attacks that he couldn't hear Mario's warning. By the time he was facing forward, Sonic didn't have enough time to jump off the bank. He hurtled uncontrollably as he soared in the air. His wooden board fell to the ground, and he was just about to faceplant into the snow. However, Sonic felt something tug at his wrists. When he opened his eyes, his feet were barely dangling above the slope. The tips of his red sneakers skid across the surface with clumps of snow spreading lightly to either side of him.

"Huh?! How is he doing that?" Wario was now the one who became confused. On the other hand, Waluigi hardly noticed it as he was spitting out snow from his mouth at this point. He felt a searing pain in the back of his jaw.

"I'm NEVER gonna be your sled ever again! Especially since you're literally ten times my body weight!"

"Oh, shut up already!"

"Psst!" Sonic heard a murmur. He glanced up to see a translucent shadow of Tails. "I got you!"

The blue-quilled hero exhaled a sigh of relief, grateful that his friend was there to back him up as always. "You're the best, little buddy."

Meanwhile, Luigi was soaring beside Mario, keeping himself hidden from their yellow and purple foes. "Fratello, I can see Colombo getting closer to the bottom. I'm going to fly over to him and hope we can recover the Chaos Emerald."

"Sounds like a plan. We'll meet you there!" Mario tipped his cap, refocusing on the obstacles that stood ahead of him.

The angel in green fluttered his wings as he caught up to his Polterpup who had been sliding down the alp the entire time. Colombo noticed his owner and couldn't help but bark at him happily. In return, Luigi flashed a grin while winking back. They eventually reached the cave entrance at the base of Shiver Mountain. Several feet in front of them was the purple Chaos Emerald, resting on top of a heap after the snowball crumbled into a tree trunk. Colombo headed over there with his owner behind him. Before he could snag it in his mouth, they were surprised to see it get swiped in the blink of an eye.

"Ruff!" Colombo yipped as Luigi's eyes bulged. He used his powers to disappear, but his breathing got heavy as the intruder almost detected him.

At the moment, the Polterpup growled and leaped up to the one who stole the Emerald. He was back on his broomstick despite his robe and hat being covered in residue from the Bob-omb combustion.

"Rotten pooch!" Kamek scowled at him. "You're not gonna steal this from us!"

Lemmy and Iggy appeared as well, but they were standing in the snow since their Clown Cars were blown up. They were also filthy with soot covering their shells and bodies.

"Ha ha ha!" the green Koopa turtle. "Nice swipe there, Kamek!"

"Nyah nyah!" the smaller Koopaling teased the Polterpup. "You're too slow!"

"Hey! That's my catchphrase!" Sonic shouted as he approached the bottom. Tails quickly let him go at a safe height, watching him fall several feet away from Bowser's minions. He remained invisible before joining Luigi off to the side.

"Well, well... If it isn't our demon hedgehog in blue," the Magikoopa jeered.

"You're lucky that you gave back control of my own body. And how did you get to the Emerald before all of us?"

"Oh, Mamma Mia!" Mario narrowed his eyes as he landed beside the hedgehog. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"That's what I was thinking!"

"Wah! You're gonna break my spine!" Waluigi screamed as he couldn't stop sliding against the snow. His body propelled forward past the heroes, heading straight for the same tree that the Chaos Emerald hit. "Hey! Stop! I'm gonna crash!"

"I don't have any brakes! What do you want me to do?!" Wario grumbled.

"Like you do with a regular sled! Use your stubby feet before we-"

"ARRGH!"

Everyone cringed and closed their eyes as they heard a loud thud. The snow that was piled on top of the bare branches plummeted above them. Waluigi got the short end of the stick as his head collided into the trunk. It was arguably worse than sliding into the ice wall earlier but not as painful as getting stung in the face. Needless to say, he was completely unconscious. Wario popped his head out of the pile, shaking the snow off of his face.

"Urgh... Alright, I'll admit. Steering Waluigi is not as easy as driving my motorcycle," Wario grumbled as his head laid on the ground.

"I still don't know how he managed to do that," Sonic placed a hand on his hip.

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo got his attention when he noticed Kamek and the Koopalings getting away.

"We gotta get out of dodge right now!" Lemmy yelled as he ran with Iggy and Kamek.

Unfortunately, he forgot what Sonic was known for. He zipped ahead and blocked the Koopalings from progressing. Without saying anything, he rolled into a ball and dashed straight into Lemmy. He pulled off a chain reaction with Iggy, sending both turtles backward. Mario and Colombo pursued Kamek and went an extra mile by stomping on both their heads. They were just short of reaching the broomstick in midair. The Magikoopa sneered back at the red-clad man and conjured up a spell that struck Mario down.

"Oof! Damn you, Kamek!"

"Iggy! Lemmy! Hurry up now!" he ordered.

"Ehh... Five more minutes, Dad..." Iggy trailed as circles flew around his head before conking out in the snow. Lemmy didn't respond as he laid flat on his stomach.

"Mrrgh... You simpleton heroes never fail to get on my last nerve!"

"Hey, to be fair, I only faced you recently and all the way back in Mt. Yuruvius! I will admit, you may be an irritating henchman like Orbot and Cubot back on Mobius, but you got your perks laid out for you."

"Regardless, your quills are the equivalent to a thorn on my side. The same applies to Lord Bowser and Dr. Eggman, and I already know why the latter loathes you entirely."

A fireball was hurled straight at the magician, burning the straw bristles. Kamek didn't notice the surprise attack until the last second. He screeched and flailed his arms before landing roughly on the snowy pathway. Fire Mario, who was donning white on his signature cap once again, tossed another flame at his foe, singing more of his blackened outfit. The Magikoopa barely pulled a counterattack, sending a cloud of magic from his scepter as his defense. Both of them went at each other's throats, sending their powers towards one another.

"Give us back the Emerald!" Mario demanded as he chucked another blaze.

"Quite the nagging one, aren't you? How impertinent," Kamek retorted, dousing the fire with his magic.

At one point, Sonic dashed forward to pounce on the wizard's head, but he failed to execute when the Magikoopa teleported away. Colombo, however, was quick to reach his new location as he pilfered the wand from his claw. He didn't look back as he went straight to Shiver City.

"Gah! What did that stupid ghost dog do with my magic scepter?! When I find him, I'll-"

He wasn't able to finish his statement when Mario threw another orange fireball at him. He jumped in the air, holding his rear end from the searing pain. The purple Chaos Emerald fell from within his robe. The Blue Blur smirked and seized it from the ground before Kamek could recover. Plus, for good measure, he proceeded to spin dash him into the face. He was knocked into a deep blanket of snow with his blue hat slumping from the back of his noggin.

"Ha! I guess that makes you a snow-poke!" Sonic snickered. "That was quite a cool pun, am I right, Mario?"

"You're kinda pushing it a bit too far, honestly," Mario shook his head. "I just hope that you're okay."

"I'm feeling much better after you and Colombo saved me. Without you, I don't even know if I could get my body back! I owe you one, dude."

"Sonic, you already helped me when I nearly drowned in the Vanilla Dome and got captured by Metal Sonic and Metal Tails in the Ghost House. You don't owe me anything, but I should appreciate the fact that you're still by my side."

"Heh, I'm with you on that," he extended his arm out to him, closing his hand. Mario smiled and returned the gesture with a fist bump. As they observed the Koopas who remained motionless, they figured to leave the cold climate as soon as possible before either they or Waluigi and Wario could steal the Chaos Emerald again.

Before the heroes returned to the town, they heard a voice from behind.

"Mario! Sonic!" Tails shouted, prompting them to turn around. "Are you guys alright?" he couldn't help but ask.

"We're pretty chill, Tails, if you know what I mean," Sonic soon nudged Mario's shoulder. "I promise that'll be the last time I'll make a play on words."

"For some reason, I don't believe you."

"My sentiments exactly. He's just that kind of guy," Tails shrugged.

"Hey! You know you like my quips, little buddy! I always get you to laugh whenever you need some cheering up."

"Well, you're not wrong on that, I guess. The bottom line is, I'm just relieved that somehow worked out in your favor. Flying away from that avalanche was quite a thrilling, yet dangerous expedition. It almost reminds of the time we zipped through the Ice Cap Zone."

"Oh yeah! I remember that place!" Sonic recalled. "I may not be a huge fan of snowy landscapes, but we had some nice memories there just from our runs."

"Hey, whatever happened to the avalanche anyway?" Mario wondered.

"I'm pretty sure it died down after it fell three-quarters of the way down Shiver Mountain," the fox answered. "We got really lucky that we didn't get jammed in the landslide, or else we would be in serious trouble."

"Before I forget, thanks again for helping me glide down the slope, Tails. I didn't want to become a rolling snowball!"

"Heh heh, no problem, big bro!" he gave Sonic a high-five.

"What about Wario and Waluigi?"

"From what I perceived, they're still injured and wiped out from the crash. They haven't moved from their spot since then. I could say the same for those turtle guys you fought recently."

"Yeah, speaking of them, we should return to the Mushroom Kingdom before we have to deal with another wild goose chase," Mario shivered, his cold breath huffing in the air.

"Say, Luigi, you've been awfully quiet for a while. Is something wrong?"

The green plumber was too busy gazing at the snow that he didn't hear Sonic's question. He was frightened that he was spotted by Kamek and the Koopalings not too long ago. Whether he did or not, it was too close of a call. Yet Luigi had a horrible feeling in his gut that he jeopardized his secret identity. Having Tails carry Sonic down the mountain was suspicious enough for Wario and Waluigi to question the strange occurrence. Even back at the Forest of Illusion, either Metal Sonic, Metal Tails, or Yoshi could've noticed any paranormal activity that took place during their battle. So far, the only one who was even aware of his and Tails' presence was his pet Polterpup.

A part of him felt that he wasn't living up to the role that Grambi bestowed upon him. On the other hand, his previous thoughts that plagued his brain made him wish he never put himself in this scenario. He still had to tell his older brother, but he was afraid of how he would react, alongside Sonic and Tails.

"Weegie?"

The angel rapidly shook his head, fixing his eyes at the man in red. "H-Huh?"

"Luigi, you were spacing out. You didn't answer his question either."

"S-Sorry. What did you say?"

"Don't worry about it," Sonic dismissed the topic. "I just saw you hovering there without saying a word. I figured something was on your mind."

"Well, yeah. I do. But..."

"But, what?" Mario raised an eyebrow.

Unluckily, the Brotherhood Bracelets notified the angels that their time was nearly up for this particular session. Luigi's heart twinged at the alarm.

"I'll talk to you later the next time you call us. But if I can make a request, do it whenever you're by yourself."

"Why is that, bro?"

"I can't explain it now. It's too personal. Just promise me that we can keep it a private conversation."

"Um... okay. If that's what you want."

"Grazie. That's all I'll ask for."

The Mobians didn't know what Luigi had in mind either, but they shrugged it off as the angels prepared to return to the Overthere. However, Colombo came rushing back after he temporarily ran away. He was surprised to see Luigi glow for a second. Whimpering at the sight, he scurried up to the man, raising a paw to him.

"Sorry, boy. But I have to go. It's part of the rules of being a spirit."

His Polterpup softly whined, lowering his head while completely dejected. He didn't want his owner to leave right now. It had been so long since he last saw Luigi up close, and being unable to spend more time saddened him.

"Don't worry, Colombo. I won't be gone forever. Maybe Mario can bring you along the next time I'm here. It's complicated to explain, but just know that I can't be here permanently."

Colombo was enticed by his statement and panted happily. He licked his human's cheek, causing him to chuckle. The dog wagged his tail as he enjoyed the feeling of Luigi's gloved hands scratching his head. Eventually, he set him back in the snow before facing Tails. As they clasped their hands together, they bid farewell to their older siblings.

"We'll catch you guys later. We're always a button press away," Tails winked.

"You always come up in the clutch when we need it," Sonic grinned at the duo.

"Take care, you two!" Mario waved.

"Bark! Bark!"

Luigi didn't say anything, but he expressed a sad smile as he tipped his hat to his friends. A beam of light consumed them until they were no longer in the falling snow. Colombo whimpered again as he was torn to see Luigi depart. Mario comforted him by rubbing his back before they all returned to Shiver City.

"Hey, what did you do to Kamek's wand?" Sonic queried.

The Polterpup barked once as he led the protagonists to the frozen pond. Down below, they found the scepter at the bottom.

"Nice thinking! I bet that stubborn magician will have a tough time fishing it out of there!"

"Hi, Mario! Hi, Sonic!" The two Bumpties they met earlier approached them.

"Hey, Holden and Max!"

"I see that you're back from your adventure at the Crystal Palace. Did you find the Chaos Emerald thingy that you mentioned?"

"We sure did!" the hedgehog pulled the purple gem from his quills.

"Wow... That looks really cool!" Max marveled at the glow.

"It sure is! You said that it was helpful to get you back home, right?"

"That's right, Holden! This happens to be our fifth Chaos Emerald for our collection! We only need two more to go!"

"Dang, you've already made a lot of progress! I hope you collect the remaining ones soon!"

"Thanks! Mario and I have been through a lot lately these past several weeks, and I couldn't have asked for a better friend to be with right now. Well, except Tails, of course."

"You also look like you've been stuck in the cold weather for a while. Why don't I make a round of hot chocolate to warm you up?"

"Ooh, I love hot chocolate! I want some now, Holden. Please, please, please?" Max jumped for joy.

"Well, duh, you'll get some soon, Max," Holden chortled. "I just wanted to offer some to you guys before you go."

"Actually, I wouldn't mind stopping for a hot cup of cocoa," Mario rubbed his stomach. "Do you also have any mini marshmallows to go along with that?"

"You bet I do!"

"I'll go for some, too!" Sonic concurred as he placed the Emerald back in his quills.

"Ruff!" Colombo was also on board as they entered the Bumpties' residence.

The heroes took some time to relax and cope with the dramatic events that transpired at the palace. Mario was thankful that Sonic wasn't being a total blockhead when the reality was that Kamek bewitched him to act mean. The latter was also beholden that Mario didn't abandon him. Plus, despite Wario and Waluigi's surprise assault with the Bob-ombs, their younger brothers arrived at the best timing possible to catch the sneaky duo and prevent Bowser's Koopa Klan from getting their hands on the Chaos Emerald. They couldn't care less that they left them lying in the snow.

However, Luigi being hesitant to talk left a bad vibe for Mario. It wasn't the first time that he discerned his brother struggling to have the courage to speak up. Yet whatever was lingering in his thoughts must have been something important. He was a little upset that Luigi couldn't tell him why before he and Tails had to go. But they each made a promise to each other. At some point, they were going to have a moment to talk. It was just a matter of when that would happen.

In the meantime, Sonic made himself comfortable on the Bumpties' sofa as he remembered something vital. After Kamek restored his body, Iggy briefly mentioned about a black hedgehog and another Chaos Emerald. If his suspicions remained true, then there was no doubt that Shadow had somehow teleported to the Mushroom Kingdom as well. The chances that his other friends were also here sounded slightly minimal, but it was a possibility. Staring outside the windowpane, sipping his mug of hot chocolate, he could only wonder how they were faring.

"Sonic?"

The hedgehog glanced over to see his friend with his own steaming cup of cocoa. He was also carrying a soft, woolen blanket that Holden lent him for the time being. Mario covered both of them while the older Bumptie lit a fire in the furnace, allowing another source of heat to warm up their souls. Colombo was already sleeping in front of it after he got to taste Holden's hot chocolate.

"Thanks," he smiled.

"You're welcome," replied Mario, mirroring his expression.

Aside from the crackling fire, there was a moment of peace and silence within the cabin. Holden and Max retired to their shared bedroom to give them some privacy.

"What's wrong?"

He quickly glanced at the plumber's face – gleaming orange from the nearby fire – and stared for a few seconds. Just from the looks of it, Mario could tell that he, too, had something lingering on his mind.

"They took the Emerald Detector from me."

Sonic was somewhat afraid about how he would react. Despite what he confessed, Mario wasn't mad in the slightest.

"That's not your fault. If anything, I should've been more assertive and kept it myself."

"You had no way of knowing that I was possessed until you came to the rescue. But because of me, they can discover where the last Chaos Emeralds are. They might even know where our own collection is, and that's why I feel bad about it."

"I reiterate, you are not the one to blame. At this point, Kamek and the Koopalings have probably recuperated and left for the Dark Land with the detector. We'll just have to tell Professor E. Gadd and the others about the bad news. For now, we'll just stick to the fact that we have five of the seven Chaos Emeralds."

"Yeah, that's true. Not only that, but I think I know where another one is."

Mario blinked for a split second. "You do?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you feel so uncomfortable about it?"

"Well, you see..." Sonic glimpsed down at his hot chocolate. "It happened at the top of Shiver Mountain right after Kamek gave me my body back. While it took a while to adjust, I was conscious enough to recall what they said."

"And what was that?" Mario pressed forward.

Sonic stretched his lips to the side before facing his friend once more. "I think it's in Bowser's Castle."


Later that night, more snow continued to fall from the cloudy skies as the sky turned dark. From the snow pile, Wario regained consciousness as he sneezed off the flakes that tickled his nose. Grunting from the cold sensation, he shifted to his left to find Waluigi in the same position hours ago. His face laid on his side as snow piled above his hat and jacket. Somehow, he was still insensible.

"Hey, Waluigi. Wake up before you get hypothermia."

"Eh, what?" the purple man moaned. "Ugh, my head. What the heck did I just get hit by?"

"You slammed into the tree trunk, that's what."

Waluigi's eyes quickly narrowed at his partner. "Oh, I remember now! Your stupid pea brain thought it was a smart idea to use me as your sled! Well, guess what, genius! I wasn't built or born to be someone's Christmas toy, especially since my damn back is aching from you crushing my skin and bones!"

"Need I remind you about what you did to make us lose that Chaos Emerald?

"I'll have you know that I was the one who thought of the Bob-omb attacks in the first place!" Waluigi got up in Wario's face.

The fat man countered by going nose-to-nose against him. "You little twig! I was the one who came up with the idea! You were stupid to throw our plan in the dumpster!"

"You tubby son of a-"

Waluigi was inches away from smacking Wario in the face until both of them heard a low growl from nearby. As the two slowly cocked their heads towards the cave entrance. Their jaws instantly dropped when the same group of Gulpits appeared nearby. The next thing they knew, the walruses spat out a bunch of bones and rocks at them.

"Gah! Gross! That was from the leftover garlic chicken I made!" Wario complained.

"Forget about that! We have to run away as headless chickens!" screamed Waluigi, getting a head start.

"Wah?! Hey, wait for me!"

The leader of the Gulpits blew one last raspberry at the snarky duo before waddling back up the mountain. As for Wario and Waluigi, they didn't stop running until they made it back home in the Mushroom Kingdom.

END OF CHAPTER


Hopefully, I don't have to re-edit anything important since I made a few mistakes with the plot continuity. But this is the end of the Crystal Palace arc, and we'll eventually transition to the remainder of the Sonic gang breaking out of Bowser's Castle. We already know they still have the white Chaos Emerald they took from Shadow, so can they take it back from Bowser and Eggman's possession? Where could the final one be? And when will Luigi come forward with his personal predicament?

I apologize again for keeping you this long to wait for a new chapter. My motivation level for writing this story is just not the same compared to how I felt during the first two years of progress. I can't tell when I'll be able to crank out more chapters because of my outside life. Regardless, I want to thank everyone for making it this far, whether you discovered New Brotherhood since day one or very recently. I hope you all stay safe and take care until the next one. This is TGN, signing off.