An Unexpected Family (With us, it was bound to happen eventually.)

Chapter 1: A Celebration Catastrophe (December 12)

Confetti. Cheers. A statue.

The festive mood was ringing all across the kingdom. It had been a week since Mario and his friends had stopped the Megabug and cleared any of its traces around the kingdom, and now it was time for its subjects to repay them. A party would be held, featuring some of Princess Peach's famous Lemondrop Dream Cake, after the unveiling of the statue.

The eight stood currently, chatting amongst each other, near the base of the statue. Well, it was more hearing Rabbid Peach, Rabbid Mario, Rabbid Luigi, and Rabbid Yoshi bwah to each other, and occasionally at their counterparts, and Yoshi yoshi-ing back at them. But after their long adventure, Mario, Luigi, and Peach were used to it, silently taking notes on their mannerisms to be able to understand them.

At last, a Toad with comically sized glasses came up to them with some others behind him. He shook hands with everyone, though the 4 Rabbids fought over who would shake his hand first (it ended up being Rabbid Luigi).

"It's a pleasure seeing you all in person and in impeccable health!" the Toad says, his eyes rather creepily bugging out with the glasses lens. Everyone was nodding along with what he was talking about, some ceremonial nonsense, but they also couldn't decide on an eye to stare at.

"Pick one. There's two eyes, just pick one." he sighs. "I shouldn't have asked for the cheaper prescription."

Mario stifles a chuckle, while Rabbid Peach bursts out laughing.

The Toad sighs once again, turning towards the crowd. He motions for his toads to stand around the veiled statue.

"Welcome to the Hero Celebration Ceremony!" He announces, and the crowd roars. It gets even louder when the sheet covering the statue is pulled, revealing a giant statue of the Rabbid counterpart of the Princess.

It was polished, pristine, and perfectly captured in Rabbid Peach's likeness. She bwahs and claps happily, as the others make noises of awe and amaze, everyone screaming with joy.

Rabbid Peach pulled out her phone and motioned for everyone to gather close to her. With Peach holding Spawny, the group poses and smiles for the picture.

Rabbids, Toads, and other species alike gathered in the main hall of Peach's Castle later that day, after a long line of people leaving gifts and gratitude. It was definitely more chaotic than anyone wanted it to be, but with a species whose everyday activity involves chaos, what could be expected? Good behavior? Mario scoffs at that idea.

He ambles with Luigi near the throne Peach is sitting on, a cookie in his hand. He watches as everyone tries to interact with the Rabbids, laughing to himself. He sees Toadette and Toad showing off an invention to a group of rabbids with straw hats, something that seemed to light up with the press of a button. A Rabbid steals it, and pushes the button so many times that it short circuits, smoke emanating from it. Toadette gasps in shock, snatching her contraption and turning away to mourn as Toad scolds the confused group of Rabbids.

Mario breaks into a fit of giggles. A nudge from his side brings to his attention that Luigi's looking at him like he had two heads.

"What's so funny bro?" Luigi asks, a smile pulling on his lips.

Mario shakes his head, still smiling, and nods towards the commotion he saw. The brothers watch as a Rabbid grabs Toadette's invention from her grieving hands, and smashes the button, breaking the machine in two. Toad and Toadette's faces are comically shocked, and then Toadette screams in fury, the Rabbid soon screaming too as she chases them all around the hall.

Luigi laughs with Mario. "These little guys sure are handfuls, aren't they bro?" He sips from his glass as Mario finishes off his cookie, both brothers fixing their caps in sync.