Chapter 36: A Long-Awaited Reunion

In the war room of Peach's Castle, the atmosphere was tense. The heroes gathered around the large table, where three Chaos Emeralds gleamed under the dim light. Each emerald seemed to pulse with energy, a reminder of both hope and the dangers they faced. Link's team had just returned, bringing not only another Chaos Emerald but also Zelda, who had been overseeing matters in Hyrule.

As the group settled, Donkey Kong leaned back, arms crossed. "We haven't heard from Fox's team," he said, his voice low and thoughtful. "My guess is it's because of that bounty on their heads. They're playing it safe."

Everyone nodded, understanding the need for caution, but the tension was palpable. Pit stepped forward, clearing his throat. "There's something you all need to understand," he began, his tone serious. "Robotnik is dangerous, but he's not the real threat here. Medusa... she's the one pulling the strings."

The room fell silent, all eyes on Pit as he continued. "Medusa was once the ruler of the Underworld, but she was overthrown by Hades. For a long time, she's been biding her time, scheming to take it back. But she needs power to challenge Hades—we think that's where the Chaos Emeralds come in. If she gets them, she'll use them to strengthen her forces and retake the Underworld, plunging not just her realm, but possibly our entire universe into chaos."

The tension in the room grew heavier, the gravity of the situation sinking in. The thought of another force, even more sinister than Robotnik, using the emeralds to reshape the world was almost too much to bear. Peach's brow furrowed, her mind racing with thoughts of how they could possibly prepare for an enemy they couldn't even see.

But Sonic was focused on something else entirely. "I don't care about Medusa or Hades," he snapped, clenching his fists. "I care about finding Robotnik. He has Tails, and we need to find him, now! Sitting here isn't doing anything to help."

Amy reached out, placing a gentle hand on Sonic's arm. "Sonic, I understand. We're all worried about Tails, but rushing in without a plan won't help him," she said softly. "Remember what happened in Sarasaland?"

Donkey Kong chuckled, "That's a story I want to hear." Sonic tried to hide his embarrassment, only to have Sora chime in, "So he ran in and got caught by a giant spider. We had to cut him down and everything."

Sonic rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "I'm never living that one down, huh?" he muttered, though a faint smirk betrayed his amusement.

"Should I mention the spikes?" Sora added with a grin.

Amy looked over at Sora, smiling. "Maybe we should save that one for another time." Donkey Kong covered his face, failing to hide his laugh.

Sora grinned, giving Sonic a friendly nudge. "Hey, it happens to the best of us. Just glad we didn't get caught in the web, too!"

As the room gave a small laugh, Peach stepped in, her voice calm but firm. "We will find Robotnik, Sonic. And we will save Tails. But we need to be smart about this. Medusa is a threat we can't ignore, and if we don't prepare, we might not get another chance." She offered a reassuring smile, hoping to ease his frustration.

Sonic's clenched fists slowly loosened, his shoulders dropping. "Fine," he muttered, though his eyes were still clouded with worry. "But we can't waste any more time."

Before anyone could respond, the door to the war room suddenly creaked open. All eyes turned to see who was entering, but no one expected what they saw next. Standing in the doorway, framed by the bright light from the hallway, was Luigi, his familiar green cap slightly askew, his Poltergust slung over his shoulder, and a hesitant but hopeful smile on his face. He stood there, almost unsure if he should step forward, until a gentle nudge from behind made him move.

Gasps filled the room as Shantae stepped out from behind him, her hair flowing, and gave him a reassuring nod. "Go on," she whispered to him. "They're your friends."

For a heartbeat, there was stunned silence, as if everyone was trying to convince themselves they weren't imagining it. Then, Peach's eyes widened, her hands flying to her mouth. "L-Luigi?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Luigi raised his hand in a small, shy wave. "H-Hey, everyone..." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Peach's eyes filled with tears, and before anyone could react, she ran across the room, her composure shattering. She threw her arms around Luigi, holding him so tightly as if afraid he might disappear if she let go. "You're here... you're really here," she whispered, her tears flowing freely. "I was so worried..."

Luigi hesitated, still overwhelmed, but then hugged her back, feeling a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time. "I'm okay, Peach. I'm here."

Peach pulled back slightly, her eyes red but shining with relief. She turned to Shantae, her expression softening. "Thank you," she said earnestly. "Thank you for bringing him home." Without hesitation, she hugged Shantae, surprising the half-genie, who smiled warmly and hugged her back.

"It was nothing," Shantae said softly, her voice filled with warmth. "Luigi's the real hero. I'm just glad I could help him find his way back."

As the rest of the room processed what was happening, a cheer erupted. Daisy stood rooted in place, her eyes wide and her expression a mixture of disbelief and raw emotion. She took a shaky step forward, her gaze fixed on Luigi as if she couldn't quite believe he was there.

"Luigi…?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. The memory of Robotnik's attack, of the portal ripping him away, flashed through her mind, and a tear slipped down her cheek. Her breath caught, and before she could think, she rushed toward him, nearly stumbling in her haste.

Without another word, she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a fierce embrace, her fingers digging into his shoulders as if ensuring he was real. "You had us all so worried, you idiot," she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. "I saw him take you… I tried to stop it, but… I thought I'd lost you." Her voice broke, and she clung to him even tighter. "Don't ever do that again."

Luigi hugged her back, his own voice catching as he whispered, "I-I won't, Daisy. I promise."

After a moment, Daisy pulled back slightly, her hands resting on his shoulders. Her gaze was fierce, her voice a low, steady promise. "You're not just my friend, Luigi. You're family. And I'll make sure Robotnik never gets near you again."

Donkey Kong, with a grin spreading across his face, gave Luigi a solid pat on the back, almost knocking him over. "Well, look who's back from the dead! Good to see you, little guy."

Luigi's eyes flickered around the room, noticing a few unfamiliar faces. He hesitated, then looked to Peach with a questioning glance. Donkey Kong quickly caught on and gestured towards the new allies. "By the way, Luigi, you haven't met our new friends. That's Pit," he said, pointing to the angelic figure, "and that's Sora. They've been helping us out."

Pit gave a small bow, his wings fluttering slightly. "Any friend of theirs is a friend of mine," he said warmly.

Sora extended a hand with a grin. "Welcome back, Luigi! We could always use another hero around here."

Luigi's eyes flickered downward as he took Sora's hand, the word "hero" lingering in his mind. Hero? he thought, a familiar uncertainty bubbling up. That's Sonic, that's Link… not me. He forced a small, shy smile, hoping the others couldn't see the doubt creeping through him.

Luigi nodded, giving them a small wave. "N-Nice to meet you," he stammered, still processing everything.

Zelda, who had been observing quietly, stepped forward, her curiosity piqued. "Luigi, where have you been all this time?" she asked, her tone gentle yet direct. The question hung in the air, curious and concerned.

Luigi began, his voice still trembling with the mix of nerves and relief. "After the attack on the Comet Observatory, I... I got thrown into a portal, and..."

Shantae jumped in, her voice bright and animated. "He ended up in my world! And you should have seen him—he was amazing! We fought ghosts, and he was brave the whole time, even when things got really scary. He took down this creepy mansion full of monsters, and saved the day!" She beamed, clearly proud of Luigi, who blushed at the praise, glancing down at his shoes.

As the room erupted with more chatter, Shantae's eyes wandered to the table, where the three Chaos Emeralds lay. She tilted her head, her expression puzzled. "Wait a second... those look just like the gem I found on King Boo's crown," she said, pulling the emerald out of her pouch and holding it up for everyone to see.

Dr. Light's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward, his excitement palpable. "That's a Chaos Emerald!" he exclaimed. "This is incredible—an unexpected bonus. We've been searching for these, trying to gather them all before they fall into the wrong hands."

Luigi's eyes widened, realizing the importance of what they'd brought back. "I-I had no idea..."

As the room filled with laughter and chatter, the tension that had been building over the past few days seemed to melt away, replaced with relief and joy. For a moment, the threat of Medusa, Robotnik, and the Chaos Emeralds felt distant, and they could just be happy to have their friend back.

Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Rosalina lay in her bed, a faint smile on her lips. She hadn't needed to see who had arrived; she could feel it, the warmth spreading through the castle, a sign that a part of their family had returned. She turned to a Toad standing by her bedside. "Please bring Daisy to me," she said gently. "It's time."