Luigi
Backstory:
Luigi is Mario's younger, taller, and thinner twin brother. He is a major protagonist of the Mario series. Luigi has helped and fought alongside his brother on many occasions.
Throughout his life, he has lived in Mario's shadow, developing both cowardly and heroic tendencies. Mario Bros. marks his first appearance in the Mario series and his debut in general. Originally a palette swap of Mario, Luigi was created to facilitate a second player option. Since the two-player mode was dropped from most main Super Mario games beginning with Super Mario Land, Luigi has gained his own identity and personality.
This is especially noticeable in installments for the Luigi's Mansion series of games, as well as the Mario & Luigi series.
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics,
Genius Intelligence,
Self-Sustenance (Type 1. Shown to consistently be unaffected by the vacuum of space and being underwater for prolonged periods of time),
Toon Force and Elasticity (Can survive being cartoonishly flattened and is able to recover immediately),
Existence Erasure (Wiped Wendys castle from existence),
Hammerspace (Various power-ups and items),
Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant (Being around for as long as his brother, Luigi has acquired a vast amount of knowledge when it comes to fighting. Contrary to his cowardly demeanor, Luigi has proven that he's more than capable of fighting side-by-side as equals with Mario, matching his level of skill with his own. One good example of this is during their final battle against Cackletta's soul, in which both of the Bros. were able to consistently predict when she would attack, despite her usage of time stop in the process. Alongside Mario, Luigi is capable of fighting both Bowser Memory M and Bowser Memory L, identical copies of the bros based on how Bowser "fondly" remembers them),
Expert Acrobat (While not showcasing his expertise in acrobatics as much as his brother, Luigi is still shown to be quite the athlete. As a playable character in Mario Party 7, he's capable of performing the same acrobatic flips as any other character. He can even jump higher than Mario, as he's able to flutter his feet to gain extra air time),
Self-Perception Manipulation (Can slow down his perception of time normally, or with Zone Speed, to time attacks correctly),
Afterimage Creation (Naturally leaves behind afterimages when using Zone Speed, and can even do so without it),
Attack Reflection (His Hammer and Spin can reflect projectiles),
Status Effect Inducement (Can perform the same spin jump Mario can, which can stun enemies. His Hammer can also cause dizziness to an enemy),
Adaptation (Easily adapted to the gravities of different sized planets),
Weapon Mastery (Sharing the same adventures as his brother has allowed Luigi to become a master at utilizing any weapon, such as: hammers, a revolver, sword, bombs, and much more. Can use a crossbow to shoot at targets),
Weapon Creation and Energy Manipulation (Luigi can create a weapon out of energy to attack an enemy),
Air Manipulation (With Tornado Ball and Tornado Swing, Luigi can create human-sized tornados when either throwing an object or batting away an object that can temporarily stun anyone it hits),
Electricity Manipulation (After obtaining the Thunderhand, Luigi gained the ability to use electrical attacks),
Statistics Reduction (Using the move "Thunder Bros", Luigi can lower the defense of an enemy, while using its Super Attack variant allows Luigi to lower the attack power of an enemy),
Dizziness Inducment (Luigi can use the Thunderhand to perform a First Strike, allowing him to render enemies under the Dizzy status effect),
Free Movement (Water Walking. Luigi is capable of walking on water for a time before sinking),
All previous abilities.
Extreme Heat (Can withstand the heat of Bowser's artificial sun while battling him inside it)
Extreme Cold and Cosmic Radiations (Can easily endure the coldness of space and its hazardous elements. Can navigate through World 6, which was stated to be sub-zero in temperature and can freeze Bowser's army),
Light Manipulation (Was rendered only momentarily dizzy from the strong flash of his Strobulb),
Transmutation (Is a playable character in Super Mario Bros. 3, and should thus, remain unaffected by the Koopaling's magic like Mario),
Gravity Manipulation (In Super Luigi Galaxy, he's adjusted his gravity to walk normally on hundreds of different sized planets and can resist the strong gravitational pull of black holes),
Petrification (Can break free from the Koopa Clown Car's petrification),
Ice Manipulation (Is a playable character in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, thus allowing him to break out of solid ice like Mario),
Sleep Manipulation (As a playable character in Super Mario Bros. 3, Luigi is also capable of remaining unaffected by the Music Box, which puts enemies such as Hammer Bros, Fire Bros, and Boomerang Bros. to sleep when played),
Fire Manipulation (Wears "fire-proof" gloves and, like other characters in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, can easily endure being set on fire when eating a Flaming Tender),
Electricity Manipulation (Remained mostly unaffected by touching the Thunderhand spark, despite Thunderhand implying those unworthy of its power would perish, and like other characters in Mario Party 6, Luigi can endure being electrocuted),
Transformation and Statistics Amplification (Via multiple power-ups),
Healing (Super Mushroom),
Size Manipulation (Super Mushroom, Mini Mushroom, and Mega Mushroom),
Fire Manipulation (Fire Flower),
Ice Manipulation (Ice Flower),
Enhanced Statistics Amplification (Super Star, Rainbow Star, Mega Mushroom, Invincibility Leaf, Invincibility Bell, and Lucky Bell all grant this due to in-game showings where a character becomes impervious to all types of conventional damage, and statements from sources),
Teleportation (With P-wing and Warp Whistle),
Flight (Cape Feather, Super Leaf (Fox), Invincibility Leaf (Fox), and P-Balloon),
Vibration Manipulation (Mega Mushroom and Cape Feather),
Extended Attack Reflection (Cape Feather),
Extended Weapon Mastery (Hammer Suit and Boomerang Flower),
Greater Free Movement (Water Walking. The Mini Mushroom allows Luigi to continuously run on water),
Surface Scaling and Shapeshifting (With the Super Bell and Lucky Bell, Luigi can climb up vertical surfaces. Lucky Bell in particular can allow Luigi to transform himself into a golden lucky cat statue, temporarily making him invincible),
Resurrection (With 1-Up Mushrooms),
Mushrooms/Flowers/Stars:
Earth Manipulation (Rock Mushroom),
Cloud Manipulation and Platform Creation (Cloud Flower),
Transmutation, Explosion Manipulation, and Greater Fire Manipulation (With the Gold Flower. The Gold Flower is also capable of taking out enemies/bosses who are normally resistant, or immune, to the Fire Flower's attacks),
Invisibility and Intangibility (Boo Mushroom and Power Flower),
Flight (True Flight. With the Red Star),
Gear/Items (Mario & Luigi Series):
Accelerated Development (Battle; Physics Stats, with Knockout Boots, which increases Luigi's striking power with each enemy he defeats. With Golden Hammer, Luigi's power increases in proportion to the amount of coins he has),
Passive Healing (With Doctor Socks, Nurse Socks, and Guardian Socks, all of which restore some of Luigi's HP after a turn. He can also heal himself with Max Mushroom, Nut, Super Nut, Max Nut, Ultra Nut, and Star Candy),
Extended Resurrection (Via 1-Up Gloves, Gumption Socks, and Retry Clock),
Damage Nullification (With Guard Shell DX, Big Shell, Small Shell, and KO Shell, all of which can negate damage taken over the course of battle 6 times),
Portal Creation (Via Magic Window),
Statistics Amplification (With Bye-Bye Gloves and Dent Gloves which is potent enough to instantly one-shot foes comparable to Luigi himself. Cozy Wear and Guard Wear increase Luigi's defense whenever he takes damage, or blocks an attack, respectively),
Supernatural Luck (With Stache, which increases odds of critical hits and increases the chances of enemies dropping items after battle),
Invisibility (With Boo Biscuit, which can turn Luigi temporarily invisible),
Purification (Type 3. With Refreshing Herb and Star Candy, Luigi can remove status effects from himself),
Gear/Items (Mario Party Series):
Poison Manipulation (With the Poison Mushroom),
Limited Teleportation (With the Golden Pipe and Warp Box),
Air Manipulation (With the Coinado),
Summoning (With the Ally Phone and the Fly Guy Ticket),
Miscellaneous:
Shapeshifting and Power Mimicry (Mario and Wario caps),
Attack Reflection and Status Effect Inducement (Via Star Spin, which can also stun enemies),
Shockwave Generation and Vibration Manipulation (With POW Block),
Creation (With Superhammer),
Transmutation (P-Switch),
Empathic Manipulation and Reality Warping (The Music Keys suddenly made Bowser happy, which even surprised him. The Music Keys also reversed the barren landscape created by Bowser),
Size Manipulation (With Super Luigi!, Luigi can grow several times larger),
Time Stop (With Stop Watch),
Duplication (Via Double Cherry and Copy Flower),
Healing (Via multiple items),
Transformation (With Candies),
Status Effect Inducement (Which includes Elemental Manipulation, Fear Manipulation, Transmutation, Poison Manipulation, Sleep Manipulation, Death Manipulation, Time Manipulation, Time Stop, Statistics Reduction, Paralysis Inducement, Size Manipulation, Mind Manipulation, and Power Nullification. A-OK Wear, Pep Badge, and No-touch Socks grants him these resistances),
All abilities of his Base enhanced.
Statistics Amplification (Stated to grow stronger from Peach's Castle the more Power Stars Mario collects),
Healing (Power Stars can heal accumulated damage),
Purification (Type 2. Defeating Bowser and his troops brought peace back to the world, shown to be due to power stars. Toad also states that life is returning to the castle thanks to the power of the Stars),
Statistics Reduction (Weakened Mario to the point where any attacks could kill him, was also described as sapping his strength),
Dimensional Travel (Power Stars allowed Mario to return from the paintings he entered in Peach's Castle),
Black Hole Creation (Power Stars have been shown to be capable of creating and containing black holes),
Existence Erasure (Power Stars are composed of Mini Stars, which are capable of erasing the physical bodies of opponents),
Weaknesses: Usually depicted as cowardly and a klutz, and he has somewhat of a phobia of ghosts. Most of his power-ups have a time limit or can be removed from an attack, though this is easily circumvented with the Bottomless Gloves. Lacks as much traction as Mario does when running, meaning he'll occasionally slide along the ground for a second.
Miles "Tails" Prower
Background:
Miles Prower, better known as Tails, is a pivotal supporting hero from the video game series; Sonic the Hedgehog. He is an anthropomorphic fox cub born with two twin-tails, a genetic mutation which would spawn his nickname. Because of his abnormality, he was the subject of bullying during his youth that left him timid and lacking courage. This would change upon meeting Sonic the Hedgehog, with his inspiration of the blue hero leading the fox to travelling across the world and beyond in adventures to aid him whenever possible. He has since become Sonic's best and most-trusted friend, with the duo forming an unbreakable, sibling-like bond. Being the complimentary brain to Sonic's speed and Knuckles' strength, Tails' true power lies in the brilliance of his mind.
His most recent journey to the Starfall Islands alongside Amy and Sonic due to the disappearance of the Chaos Emeralds would result in a vortex pulling the trio into Cyber Space, kickstarting the events of Sonic Frontiers. It would be some time before being freed by Sonic on Chaos Island, time that Tails would use to question his heroism and whether or not he was a burden due to his wavering courage and inconsistency. Upon being reminded of his accomplishments by Sonic, who would claim needing help is simply a part of growing up, Tails' resolve would strengthen and he would declare that his full potential would only be reached if he went on his own to avoid relying on Sonic. Something that Sonic himself would encourage, a dynamic of more than a hero and his sidekick; as partners. When Sonic succumbs to the cyber corruption on Rhea Island that had been afflicting him across his journey, Tails successfully drives back the cyber corruption with the help of Amy and Knuckles to bring him back. This would ultimately be the catalyst which allowed Sonic to complete his mission; defeating the Titans, saving his friends from Cyber Space, and ensuring the safety of the world and beyond from The End.
Whether it's defeating the many creations of Dr. Eggman, aiding in the defeat of eldritch gods, or overcoming his own internal doubts, Tails is a good-natured individual who's stepped into the role of a hero far more than he's ever been one to back down in the face of evil.
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics,
Acrobatics (Tails can perform agile movements and techniques in a fashion similar to Sonic himself),
Free Movement (Much like Sonic, Tails is capable of moving across the surface of water and up walls with sheer speed and displays the capacity to do so in future titles),
Spin Dash (Standard. However, Classic Tails is likely unable to perform the Homing Attack),
Genius Intelligence,
Self-Sustenance (Type 1; Can breathe in the vacuum of space),
Additional Limbs & Body Control (Born with and ridiculed for it, Miles has a twin pair of tails that he would take ownership of after looking up to Sonic. He controls them expertly, both to fly and within combat),
Toon Force & Elasticity (Can survive and recover from being crushed flat),
Hammerspace (Can reach into his enemies personal hammerspace to take access of their weapons),
Statistics Amplification (With Hyper Mode),
Flight (By spinning his two tails like a helicopter blade, Tails can pick himself up off the ground and enable flight),
Resistances to:
Poisons & Chemical Products (Can travel through the most dangerous areas of Chemical Plant Zone without any trouble),
Extreme Heat (Unfazed by the volcanic temperatures of Lava Reef Zone),
Psuedo-Resistance to BFR (By simply touching a Chaos Emerald, Tails will escape from being trapped in closed off dimensions),
Explosion Manipulation (Tails has access to several explosives, such as: Regular Bombs, Large Bombs, Remote Bombs, Napalm Bombs, and the Triple Bomb),
Fire Eruption (With Napalm Bombs, which erupt into a pillar of flames upon detonation),
Statistics Amplification (With the Super Glove, which allows Tails to pick up objects he normally couldn't, and the Helmet, which renders Tails impervious to most things than can harm him so long as he's taking cover underneath),
Teleportation (Through his teleporter),
Elemental Shields,
Elemental Variety, Forcefield Creation & Damage Reduction (All Shields are defensive tools meant to negate an instance of damage against its wielder),
Underwater Breathing (Type 3; the Aqua Shield allows the user to breathe underwater without worrying about air),
Enhanced Acrobatics, Electricity Manipulation & Limited Magnetism Manipulation. Resistance to Electrical Attacks & Energy Attacks (With the Thunder Shield, which provides its user with an additional mid-air jump, the ability to attract nearby Rings, and protection from energy and electrical attacks),
Fire Manipulation & Resistance (The Fire Shield is a barrier composed of flames which can affect the environment, like burning bridges made of wood, and protects the user from fire attacks),
All previous Base abilities including;
Weapon Mastery (Piloted his Cyclone and battled directly through a G.U.N. facility, dispatching all troops in his path in order to rescue Sonic),
Skilled Hand-to-Hand Combatant (Tails is shown to be an accomplished fighter, able to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Shadow, Rouge, and Metal Sonic),
Afterimage Creation (By running at full speed for a short period of time or gaining a sudden burst of momentum, Tails will enter Boost Mode and create afterimages which trail behind him),
Resistances:
Freezing Climates (Completely unbothered by arctic water),
Extreme Heat (Can survive the heat of falling directly into a star),
Death Manipulation (Can traverse through areas near Void and can interact with him, in which his presence alone killed off the life within the Nature Zone before it was restored),
Time Stop (Like Sonic, Tails can move normally even after he hits the Time Switch, which brings everything to a standstill and freezes the in-game timer,)
Acid Manipulation (Can withstand the acid of poison frogs with no negative side effects),
Space-Time Manipulation (Can withstand attacks from multiple chaos powers that attack opponents with distorted space-time),
All previous Base abilities including;
Boost (Standard, Power Boost)
Analytical Prediction (Able to visualize equations and perform calculations in the heat of battle to predict the trajectory of projectiles and deduce most efficient way to attack and counter opponents),
Afterimage Creation via Boost Mode
Aura & Speed Amplification (With his Boost. Tails' Cyclone is his equivalent to Sonic's Power Boost, allowing the young fox to summon his vehicle at will for far greater speed),
Self-Perception Amplification & Attack Reflection (With Tails' Parry, in which he utilizes a Bounce Spring to repel attacks and slows down his perception of time),
Statistics Reduction (By using his Debuff Parry, Tails can temporarily lower the amount of damage an enemy is able to inflict),
Aura, Light Generation, Barrier Negation, Telekinesis, Stamina Recovery & Limited Creation (With his Cyloop, which should be identical in usages compared to Sonic's; this ranges from nullifying enemy barriers, telekinetically holding up objects and enemies, granting himself infinite stamina for one minute by drawing an infinity symbol, and spawning Rings),
Energy Projection (With his Cyblaster, which shoots out a ball of light that Tails can manually detonate. Anything caught within the blast radius will be punished by the Cyloop's usual effects on enemies),
Resistances to:
Sound Manipulation,Electricity Manipulation, & Transmutation/Deconstruction (Can resist the effects of the Magenta, Ivory and Cube Wips)
Cyber Corruption (Afflictions. Tails, Amy, and Knuckles drove back Sonic's corruption to restore him in order to fight The End. Withstood Cyber Corruption spreading through his body),
Limited Resistance to Soul Manipulation, Mind Manipulation, & Possession (Able to fight back against Ifrit's powers, although he's ultimately taken over),
Summoning (Can summon the Cyclone at will to immediately pilot it),
Electricity Manipulation (With Electric Plug),
Automatic Translation (The Miles Electric can translate the language of the Wisps, albeit with mistranslations scattered throughout),
Information Analysis (With the Miles Electric)
Power Nullification (Created devices that quickly subdued each of the Deadly Six by using their own powers against them),
Portal Creation (With the Multi-Portal Generator),
Gravity Manipulation, Deconstruction, Transmutation, & Size Manipulation (With the Indigo Asteroid Wisp, which breaks down enemies and objects in its orbit and grows the more it consumes),
Free Movement & Underground Mobility (With the Yellow Drill Wisp, which allows users of their energy to burrow underground and between gaps without issue as well as move through water at high speeds akin to a torpedo),
Energy Projection (With the Cyan Laser Wisp, which lets the user hurtle forward as a destructive beam of energy),
All previous Base abilities on a dramatically enhanced scale including;
Flight (True Flight, Spaceflight; Can maneuver freely in the air without the use of his tails),
Self-Sustenance (Type 3 - Super forms draw their power from the Chaos Emeralds, a source repeatedly referred to as infinite, and never tire so long as the transformation lasts),
Invulnerability (Super Forms are empowered by Chaos Energy that largely stems from the will and emotions of the user, best displayed through Shadow being immune to all sources of damage when unleashing the hidden power of good or evil from within himself that allows him to tap into a reserve of ehnanced Chaos Powers. As a Super Form is a transformation empowered by the negative or positive emotions of the user, their Invulnerability is tied to emotional power harnessed through the Chaos Emeralds. Super Forms are stated by multiple different sources to be invincible, indestructible and invulnerable),
Invulnerability Negation (Super form users can harm other super form users with this trait),
Positive Emotion Empowerment (Super Forms are strengthened by the positive emotions of those who achieve the transformation, which are stated to power the Chaos Emeralds),
Regeneration Negation (Up to Low-Godly; The full power of the Chaos Emeralds allowed Sonic and Shadow to bypass Solaris' regeneration entirely, shattering it's light shells and decapitating it. Even when Solaris revitalized and reformed itself with wings, the damage to it remained),
Forcefield & Aura (His Super State took the form of a constant forcefield against Metal Overlord),
Resistance to
Mind Manipulation, Disease Manipulation, Biological Manipulation, and Transmutation (Powered directly by the Chaos Emeralds, which prevented Zavok's infection and cured Sonic of the Metal Virus the moment he transformed into Super Sonic. The Metal Virus in question transforms organic tissue into a metallic substance through physical contact to create a mindless Zombot),
Dream Manipulation, & Conceptual Manipulation (Conceptual Destruction; Type 1, Independent Universal Concept. Super Forms can withstand attacks from the likes of Solaris, which have said effects),
Cyber Corruption (When Sonic transformed into his Super State, his Cyber Corruption was halted, though it did not cure him outright),
All previous abilities of Super Tails on a greatly enhanced scale including;
Afterimage Creation (Several afterimages trail him),
Underwater Breathing (Type 2. Hyper Tails can survive underwater indefinitely without needing to surface for air),
Summoning & Animal Manipulation (Once Hyper Tails is activated, he has four Flickies which appear and attack nearby enemies),
Power Bestowal (Each Flicky accompanying Tails has an aura and color indicative of a state similar to a Super Form).
Weaknesses: lacks self-confidence. Is afraid of lightning. Same as before, although he has mostly improved upon it since Sonic Adventure. He can't fly very long while carrying too much weight, as he will get tired faster.
N/A: Just to let you know, the set up is a bit longer than usual, but it's the only way I could think of that feels natural for these two characters.
Song: Tails of Player 2 Heroes
Tails, after parting ways with Sonic and taking some time to reflect on his own life, returned to his former home, the vibrant Emerald Hill Zone situated in West Side Island. As he arrived, familiar feelings of nostalgia washed over him, a reminder of where he had first met his closest friend and adventure buddy.
Stepping into his quaint, familiar residence, Tails discovered that things remained largelyunchanged since he had left. Memories flooded his mind, reminding him of the moments spent tinkering with machines and exploring the unique tropical environment that surrounded his secluded home. It felt as if it had been only yesterday that he had discovered his passion for mechanics and sought solace in the peaceful solitude of the island whenever he was bullied.
Tails meticulously inspected the various appliances and systems within his home, finding that the electricity was operational as expected. However, as he turned his attention to the plumbing system, he discovered that it had undergone severe deterioration due to the passage of time during his absence. The once-functional plumbing now lay in a state of disrepair, rendering the water supply unusable in its current condition.
Tails sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility upon his shoulders. He longed for a much-needed respite and relaxation after the thrilling but perilous adventures he had recently undertaken. The thought of singlehandedly repairing the entire plumbing system seemed daunting, and he yearned for a simpler, more stress-free moment.
As he perused through his old mail, he stumbled upon an intriguing advertisement. Upon closer inspection, he discovered it was an ad for the renowned Mario Bros. plumbing service. Recalling the friendly rivalries and athletic competitions he and Sonic had engaged in alongside their Mushroom Kingdom companions, Tails decided to give them a call. Within moments of placing the call, a familiar, green pipe materialized in front of Tails' residence. With a cheerful exclamation in a distinct Italian accent, Luigi made his entrance.
"Oh yeah! It's-a Luigi time!"
As Tails stepped outside, he greeted the plumber with a warm smile, extending his hand in welcome.
"Luigi, it's great to see you again!"
Luigi grasped Tails' hand firmly and shook it.
"Likewise, my-a mechanical friend! It's been a while. So, you have a plumbing problem?"
Tails nodded and sighed.
"Yes, the entire plumbing system in my home is pretty much unusable. I could fix it myself, but I feel like taking a well-deserved break after recent events."
Luigi nodded understandingly and crossed his arms.
"Okay, we can-a fix that easily. You take a nice-a break. We can handle the-a plumbing. Let me just check it-a out real quick."
Tails smiled, appreciating the Italian plumber's generous nature.
"Thanks, Luigi. I really appreciate it. I'll wait and relax for a bit while you have a look at the plumbing."
"No problem, Tails. You just-a take it easy while I handle the-a pipes."
With that, Luigi walked inside the house to inspect the plumbing, while Tails continued to relax outside. Tails enjoyed the warm, tropical sun outside while Luigi diligently examined the plumbing system, taking a thorough hour to assess the situation. Unfortunately, the verdict was clear: the entire plumbing system would require complete replacement, along with modern upgrades to the pipes and other components. Luigi could only grimace at the extensive work ahead.
"Oh-a Tails? Can you-a come here a quick moment?"
Tails, who had been relaxing in the sunshine, heard Luigi's call and walked inside the house.
"Yeah, Luigi? What's up?"
Luigi stood by the plumbing system, his expression slightly troubled.
"Eh, the plumbing situation here is a bit more serious than I-a thought. The entire system needs replacement and-a updating to modern pipes. It-a won't be a quick fix… sorry. And it'll cost-a 15,000 coins, or any currency equivalent you may have-a."
Tails' eyes widened in surprise at the bad news.
"15,000 coins?! Wow, that's a lot. I'd have to dip into my savings for that. But I suppose it can't be helped if the whole system needs updating. But how about this? I go out, gather as many rings as I can across the island, and I'll pay you by the time you're done, okay?"
Luigi thought for a moment before nodding.
"Sounds-a like a plan. Rings are-a good as coins. Go-a ahead and gather them, and we will-a start fixing your plumbing right away."
Tails smiled, grateful for Luigi's understanding.
"Thanks, Luigi! I'll get right on it. I'll gather all the rings I can and be back before you finish."
The two-tailed fox then left his home, to gather rings from across the island. Over the next couple of hours, Tails explored the entire West Side Island, gathering rings from various locations and challenges. From defeating egg-bots to collecting golden rings hiding among the lush jungles, he searched everywhere, determined to pay Luigi for the costly repairs to his plumbing. Tails returned to his home, feeling a sense of accomplishment as he had gathered a whopping 25,000 rings, nearly double what Luigi had requested for the plumbing repairs. With a satisfied smile, the two-tailed fox carried the large sack full of golden rings towards the house.
"Luigi, I have the rings, and then some! You got the plumbing fixed up?"
Luigi had been hard at work fixing the plumbing. It was nearly finished, and he was just sealing up the last pipe when he heard Tails.
"Ah, you're-a back! And with the-a rings too. You-a certainly got a lot."
Tails grinned, holding up the large bag of rings.
"Yeah, I didn't want to leave you waiting and made sure I gathered as many as I could. How's the plumbing coming along?"
Luigi chuckled, appreciating the extra effort.
"The plumbing is nearly done. Just a couple more to-a go. Why don't you sit and relax for a while. You look like-a you ran across the entire island."
Tails let out a sigh, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion.
"Yeah, I basically did. But I'm glad to hear the plumbing's almost done. Thank you so much for fixing it, especially on such short notice."
Luigi shrugged, as if it was no big deal.
"Eh, it's our-a job. Besides, I've had some good plumbing business with-a the Mushroom Kingdom. Now-a let me finish up, please."
Tails chuckled and nodded.
"Sure thing, Luigi. Take your time with the plumbing. I'll just sit here and relax for a bit."
Tails went to go sit at a chair, doing some minor tinkering. Luigi continued working on the last few pipes, making sure everything was connected and functioning properly. With his experienced hands, he swiftly completed the final adjustments. After a few more minutes, he dusted off his hands and announced to Tails with a smile.
"All-a done! Your plumbing system is-a good as new."
Tails perked up from his little tinkering and turned to Luigi.
"That's great news! Thank you so much, Luigi. Here's your rings worth equal to 15,000 coins. I did the math in my head."
Luigi's eyes lit up as he saw the payment.
"Ah, thank you, Tails! That-a will do. Whew. I think-a I could use a break myself."
Tails chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah, you deserve a break for sure."
Tails took a moment to think, before proposing,
"Luigi, I don't normally do this, but if you would like to blow off some steam, would you perhaps like to spar for a bit?"
Luigi's eyebrows raised at the unexpected proposal.
"A-a spar? Eh…"
Though he was a bit unsure, he couldn't deny that letting off some steam sounded like a good idea.
"I guess, but why-a do you ask?"
Tails sighed.
"Well, I've always been following behind my best friend, Sonic, in his adventures. And they were the best time of my life. But… I've come to realize I'm too dependent on him. My performances have been… inconsistent, to say the least. I need to know who I am, and what I'm capable of, without Sonic being a constant in my life."
Luigi nodded thoughtfully, understanding the need to find oneself.
"Ah, I see. You-a want to forge your own path and discover your own-a strengths. I respect-a that. I know-a what it's like to constantly be the shadow of someone-a greater than you. My brother. I love-a Mario, but it can be hard to be the one-a that everyone barely recognizes, outside of the-a occasion."
Tails smiled faintly.
"Exactly. I've got the intelligence and mechanical genius, and the tools to back it up, but I want to see if I can be independent, to know if I'm strong enough to hold my own without Sonic. I guess it's fitting for us to see what we're capable of against each, huh? The secondary heroes."
Luigi's mouth twisted into a grin, as they went to go outside.
"Yeah, you've got a point. The secondary heroes fighting it out. This-a should be interesting. All right, let's-a do it. I'm-a ready whenever you are."
Tails went alongside Luigi, finding an open area away from any structures or breakable objects.
"Alright, let's start then. I'm ready."
Both ready and focused, the two secondary heroes prepared themselves for the upcoming sparring match. Tails made the first move, dashing towards Luigi with fervor. As Tails attempted to swipe with his twin tails, Luigi swiftly dodged the attack, effortlessly jumping over the whip-like tails. Luigi landed and immediately executed a spin jump, lunging towards Miles. However, Tails quickly responded with another tail swipe, deftly deflecting the plumber's attack.
As Miles unleashed a Spin Dash, driving towards Luigi, the green clad plumber countered the attack with a perfectly timed Hammer strike. Tails was launched into the air, only for Luigi to follow up with a Scuttle Jump, ascending to meet him. Up in the air, the two combatants began exchanging blows. It was a battle of Tails' swift tail swipes versus Luigi's powerful Cyclones.
Both knocked away from each other after their clash, Miles found himself in the air while Luigi landed on the ground. Luigi cautiously moved, anticipating another attack from Tails, and attempted to jump up and swing his Hammer at the two-tailed fox. However, Tails swiftly countered the Hammer attack with another skillful use of his tails, sending Luigi reeling backwards.
"Whew, those are-a some strong tails to resist-a swings from a hammer."
Luigi commented, wiping his brow. Tails chuckled, landing back on the ground, and gave his twin tails a quick spin.
"Yeah, they come in handy. I trained them to be quite strong and useful."
With determination, both Miles and Luigi prepared their next attacks: Tails' Boost and Luigi's Green Missile, powered up with the Thunderclap technique. The tension in the air was palpable as they both geared up to deliver their most powerful blows yet.
The race was on as Miles went into his Boost mode, accelerating to Mach 3 in a flash. Luigi followed suit, deploying his Green Missile technique, zipping forward like lightning. However, as the thunderclap of Luigi's attack echoed through the air, it triggered Tails' fear of thunder, causing him to falter. In that moment of hesitation, Luigi's Green Missile struck Tails head-on with full force, sending the twin-tailed fox hero flying.
Luigi showed no mercy, continuing the assault. He unleashed his Super Jump Punch, connecting it with Tails. Next, he launched another Green Missile, followed up by multiple electrified Luigi Cyclones, sending the twin-tailed fox hero reeling. Not backing down, he slammed the Hammer onto Tails, channeling all the electricity into his hands before delivering a powerful Thunder Hand attack that sent Miles flying back. As Luigi relentlessly attacked, Tails cried out urgently with a plea of,
"Stop it!"
In a desperate attempt to turn the tables, Miles quickly threw out multiple bombs, surrounding the area with explosives. Panic washed over Luigi as he found himself circled by the ticking bombs. Just in the nick of time, he activated his Vanish Flower, becoming intangible as the bombs exploded around him. As Tails landed safely, he looked around, searching for any sign of Luigi. The explosion holes were evident, but there was no sign of the green plumber. Miles was baffled, not having seen Luigi use the Vanish Flower to render himself intangible.
"Where on earth did you go?"
The twin-tailed fox hero exclaimed, perplexed by the plumber's mysterious disappearance. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Super Hammer materialized, catching Tails off guard. Before he could react, the hammer swatted him into the air, followed closely by the hammer itself – wielded by the invisible Luigi. Miles found himself helplessly flung up into the air, with the unseen hammer relentlessly chasing him upwards.
Tails quickly regained his composure with his spinning tails, shifting into a defensive stance. The battle quickly resumed with a flurry of attacks and counterattacks. The Magic Hand and Hammer clashed, Miles deploying his arm cannon only to be swatted by the invisible Luigi. The Magic Hand, though grounded, proved ineffective against the intangible plumber. Preparing to launch another attack with his arm cannon, Tails was caught off guard as Luigi suddenly hit him in the face, sending him plummeting downwards.
As Miles tried to shake off the powerful attack, he slowly regained his bearings and began flying again. Meanwhile, Luigi, having used the Scuttle Jump to flutter safely to the ground, reappeared as the effects of the Vanish Flower wore off. With both combatants visible now, the spar continued.
Luigi swiftly materialized a green pipe beneath him, vanishing into it with a plumber's finesse. Meanwhile, Miles noticed a nearby yellow Wisp and quickly soared towards it, absorbing its power and transforming himself into a twin-tailed yellow spiral drill. He then burrowed into the ground, intent on following Luigi. Luigi dropped into the underground section through the pipe, navigating the subterranean tunnel and skillfully jumping over and onto the badniks that lay in his path. A moment later, Tails descended as well, returning to his natural fox form after reverting from his drill state.
Recognizing the growing distance between himself and Luigi, Miles observed a nearby Cyan Wisp, a smile gracing his face. Seeing an opportunity to catch up, he skillfully flew towards it, clutching onto the Wisp to absorb its power.
"You're not getting away that easily!"
Tails called out. As Miles transformed into a Cyan Laser, he swiftly calculated the most efficient path through the tunnel, utilizing the geometry of the space to his advantage. With a burst of energy, he shot off at light speed, ricocheting off various surfaces to propel himself forward. Luigi barely had time to react as he caught a glimpse of something cyan hurtling towards him. Before he could even utter a word, he was forcibly slammed against the wall, leaving a distinct Luigi-shaped imprint in the wall.
Luigi burst out of the earthen wall, grunting as he stumbled onto the grass. Miles reverted back to his standard fox form, landing gracefully on his feet. Suddenly, they found themselves encircled by a gathering of Cyan Wisps. A grin crossed Tails' face as he looked at Luigi, who appeared increasingly nervous as the situation took an unexpected turn.
Tails ascended, capturing another Wisp, and transformed into a Cyan Laser once more. With lightning speed, he fired at Luigi, replicating the same velocity as before. However, Miles found himself taken aback when he noticed that the green plumber had acquired the Metal Cap, adopting its durable properties and turning a shade of grey chrome. Tails bounced off the metallic armor of Luigi, his attempts to deal direct damage met with resistance. The impacts were reflected like mirrors due to the Metal Cap's properties, leaving Miles in a continuous cycle of ricocheting off his opponent. Every time he rebounded into another Wisp and regained some energy, he went on another charge only to meet the same defensive wall provided by the Metal Cap.
Exhausting all available Wisps, Tails eventually returned to his regular state, and at the same time, the power of the Metal Cap began to wear off. The protective shell around Luigi shattered away, freeing the plumber once again.
Tails, out of breath, sought recovery and brought out his Heal Bot, bathing himself in green light to rejuvenate his energy. However, his reprieve was brief as Luigi came in, wielding his trusty hammer and forcefully struck the Heal Bot, effectively rendering it useless. Attempting to repeat his previous strategy, Luigi harnessed energy and prepared to unleash his electric green missile attack, once again moving with incredible speed like lightning. However, this time Miles showed no signs of being caught off guard, calmly readying his Shield Bot, poised to completely neutralize the incoming blow, even though the noise of the thundering still made him uneasy.
Frustrated at having his plan thwarted, Luigi swiftly destroyed the Shield Bot, but in doing so, he left himself vulnerable to a counterattack from Tails. Miles seized the opportunity and unleashed a Magic Hand attack from below, sending Luigi flying onto his back, landing a decent distance away.
Recovering from the previous hit, Luigi produced a Smash Ball and, before Tails could react, pulverized it. The world around them transformed, with every color inverted and time and gravity in the area becoming distorted, creating a chaotic and disoriented environment for both parties. Miles, bewildered by the changes, attempted to move within the twisted space but instead found himself stumbling and tripping over. The surroundings echoed with the eerie sounds of Luigi's lamentations, as if the plumber were under some strange influence in this inverted Negative Zone.
Despite the disorienting nature of the Negative Zone, Tails quickly managed to adapt. He observed his movements and noted their effects, realizing that the zone inverted reality's rules. To move correctly, he would need to act opposite to what he would normally do.
Luigi, armed with his Ultra Hammer, attempted to deliver a powerful downward strike aimed at Miles, only to find that the fox-tailed hero swiftly evaded by instinctively using his spinning tails to propel himself downwards. However, in the Negative Zone, this action backfired, and instead of falling down, Tails found himself rising upward, successfully dodging Luigi's attack.
Tails, having quickly adapted to the Negative Zone, smirked as he decided to use its inverted rules to his advantage. Instead of flying towards Luigi, he found himself being pulled backwards, which was a deliberate action as he dropped a flash bang grenade. Luigi, still disoriented by the negative influence, attempted to retreat but tripped over due to the peculiarities of the zone, causing the blast to go off, accompanied by a blinding flash that dazed the plumber.
Taking advantage of Luigi's dazed state, Miles decided to take things up a notch. Summoning the Chaos Emeralds that he had collected, he transformed into Super Tails, enveloped in a glowing sphere of Chaos Control energy. Flying at top speed, Super Tails barreled into Luigi, forcefully pushing him through trees and ultimately hurling him into the ocean.
Super Tails, determined to keep the pressure on, prepared for another attack, only to be confronted by Luigi, who had equipped a pair of power-ups: the Super Star and the Cape Feather. These power-ups granted Luigi temporary invulnerability and the ability to fly, much like his twin-tailed adversary. With newfound confidence, Luigi exclaimed,
"Let's-a go!"
The battle escalated swiftly as Super Tails and Luigi left the confines of Earth's atmosphere, accelerating at velocities far exceeding the speed of light. They traversed the galaxy, passing planets, stars, and nebulae as they each strived to surpass the other. With each powerful collision between the two, a dazzling rainbow flash of light twinkled in the galaxy, accompanied by a deep and resonant rumbling sound. It was as if the galaxy itself was becoming a stage, bearing witness to their epic battle.
The pair continued their intense engagement, oblivious to their surroundings until they plunged headlong into a gargantuan red giant star. Reaching the iron core of the celestial body, Luigi seized the metallic sphere and forcefully smashed it onto Super Tails' head, intending to inflict damage, but the fox's temporary invulnerability blocked the impact, shattering the sphere.
The unexpected collision with the star's core triggered a series of events that sent Super Tails and Luigi flying away from each other. To their surprise, the gigantic red star suddenly began to display abnormal behavior, unexpectedly transforming into a supernova. Caught at the epicenter, both Luigi and Super Tails found themselves being sucked into the intense and catastrophic explosion. Even with their temporary invulnerability, the glowing plumber and the Chaos-fueled fox found themselves utterly overpowered by the sheer power of the supernova. The intense forces generated by the cosmological event strained their protective barriers, challenging their endurance in a way they had seldom before experienced.
Just as their struggle seemed imminent, Luigi and Super Tails began to experience a powerful pulling sensation. As Tails glanced towards the source, a look of horror filled his eyes, reflected in his gaze.
"The star! It's devolving... into a black hole!"
The twin-tailed fox hero exclaimed fearfully.
The realization of what was happening set in as the energy-filled duo witnessed the stellar collapse transforming into a black hole, a cosmic phenomenon known for its irresistibly strong gravitational pull that devoured everything, including light itself. The black hole's relentless gravitational pull intensified, drawing them closer towards its event horizon, the point of no return.
Unfortunate as it was, Luigi's temporary invulnerability and flight power-up timed out at the most unfavorable moment. With a dismayed cry of,
"Wah! Help-a Luigi!"
The green plumber found himself plummeting into the gravity-pulling depths of the newly formed black hole. With determination in his voice, Super Tails declared,
"I'll save you, Luigi!"
Ignoring the potential danger to his own life if his super form gave out, the twin-tailed fox hero flew towards his Italian friend, risking everything to save him from the clutches of the treacherous black hole.
As they drew ever closer to the event horizon of the ravenous black hole, Luigi desperately rummaged through his pockets. With urgency, he tossed aside a Super Mushroom, a Hammer, and a Fire Flower, but after a moment of searching, found a Super Leaf that granted him invincibility. Quickly activating it, he transformed into a kitsune and then froze, solidifying himself into a statue-like state to counteract the overwhelming forces pulling them into the black hole's dark abyss.
The duo, enveloped in their temporary invincibility, plummeted deep into the black hole, seemingly trapped in the relentless grip of its event horizon. However, as hope seemed lost, the sound of two familiar voices emerged from the darkness.
"Chaos Control!"
Exclaimed Super Tails, his youthful voice projecting determination.
"Luigi's number 1!"
Echoed the plumber, his signature confidence present in his declaration. With a powerful display of their combined abilities, they unleashed Chaos Control and Star Power, freeing themselves from the gravitational clutches of the black hole.
Flying with the immense force of a gamma-ray burst, the duo found themselves locked in a fierce grapple as they both rocketed towards Earth's surface. Suddenly, as they soared through the air, Tails felt his Super form slipping away, leaving him grasping desperately to hold on to Luigi. The incredible speed of their descent heated the surrounding atmosphere, igniting it in a fiery trail.
Fortunately, just before impact, Luigi executed the Scuttle Jump maneuver, effectively slowing down their descent and preventing them from crashing into the ground like a meteorite. Safely back at Emerald Hill, Miles and Luigi landed, exhausted but alive. Tails exhaled deeply, still processing the wild events that had just unfolded.
"Whoa... That was... a lot."
He managed to utter between breaths, the magnitude of their experience still sinking in. Luigi, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion, managed to chuckle weakly.
"I-a gotta say, that was-a one heck of a space ride, huh, Tails?"
Tails nodded in agreement, a weary smile tugging at his lips.
"Yeah, you can say that again. We really went from fighting on the island to battling through space in a black hole. Talk about a wild day. But at the end of it all, I guess you won. I tapped out first."
Luigi chuckled once again, his chest heaving with each breath as he composed himself.
"Eh, it was-a tough fight, but I guess I did-a come out on top. But Tails, you really showed off some amazing skills back-a there. You really gave me a run for my-a money."
Tails's weary smile grew wider at Luigi's compliment.
"Thanks, Luigi. You're a tough opponent, no doubt about it. But... I have to ask, how did you even get all those power-ups? It's like you had an endless supply!"
Luigi chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Ah, you-a got me. I always keep a few tricks up my-a sleeve. Gotta be ready for-a anything, you know? Especially if-a Bowser kidnaps the-a princess again."
Tails let out a small laugh, completely understanding Luigi's reasoning.
"Ah, fair enough. Gotta be prepared, right? You never know what kind of trouble we're gonna have to deal with next. And on that note, I think I've had enough excitement for today. I need a nap."
Luigi rubbed his tired eyes, showing just how fatigued he was.
"Me-a too."
Weary yet satisfied, Tails and Luigi settled under the shade of a palm tree, finding comfort leaning against one another. Miles closed his eyes, surrendering to exhaustion, while Luigi did the same, pulling his signature green cap over his face. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in a beautiful array of orange, red, and yellow hues, they listened to the soothing sounds of the crashing waves, both drifting into a well-deserved slumber.
Strength: Seems like it should've been Luigi's win when it was the year of Luigi. Now, Tails is stronger than just being capable of lifting ten tons. Tails, in Sonic Shuffle, was able to push an estimated 250 ton train to a stop. Though given he had help, it's more likely he pushed 62.5 tons of his share. Sure, the canonicity of the game is debatable, but even if we did count it, Luigi punted a castle just like Mario did. Luigi punted a castle with the similar strength of 3.5 MT. That's 56,000X greater than Tails at base power has pulled off. Even Luigi's lower durability would only be slightly lower at 38,400X greater.
Speed: While Tails is by no means as fast Sonic, the fox has been shown to keep up with the hedgehog. His average speed is around Mach 1-3, and likely has reaction speeds of Mach 287, while Luigi likely scales with his brother up to Mach 375. That's 1.3X faster. Even if we scaled their speeds up to galactic numbers, Luigi flying through the galaxy at 820 trillion times the speed of light, Super Tails should be comparable to other Super forms who fought Solarus, a god that can create attacks that appear and strike throughout all time simultaneously. At best, this would be a draw.
Skill: On a technical standpoint, Miles is the smarter of the two. Despite his clumsy nature, Luigi is no idiot, but Tails has an IQ of 300, making him more skilled and can compete with those with more practiced skill.
Experience: Luigi definitely has more experience fighting evil than Tails. Even if the Sonic games were to take over the course of three or four years when Tails started at 8, Luigi has been fighting Bowser since they were babies, and is over 30 by now.
Powers: Just like Mario vs Sonic, Luigi would possess more powers than Tails at any given point, being able to counter Tails' machines and individual powers, eventually being able to overwhelm him.
The winner is Luigi.
Next time:
"When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world: No, YOU move."
"Learn a few moves, add a bit of muscle to your frame... you think that's all it takes to be strong? If I were you, I'd think carefully about that."