I've Got the Strangest Feeling This Isn't Our First Time Around

14

"Mario, come on!" Luigi chides as they walk into his apartment. "You're overreacting! It's just one night!"

"What part of 'raves don't like me' do you not understand?" Mario replies, closing the door behind him.

"Well tonight, they're your best friend." Luigi says.

"Scuse me? Did someone say rave?" Spike waves his arms to get their attention, from the couch. "I'm in."

"Just me and Mario." Luigi clarifies.

"And now I am too!" Spike says with a grin. "Unless it's a lame club meeting..."

"God no!" Both Mario and Luigi exclaim, before Mario adds, "And that goes for you too. We're going on official business."

"A rave is a rave." Spike argues. "Last I checked those are their own thing, not sponsored by secret agencies.", then ponders, "Wait, are they?"

But when neither of them say anything, Spike insists, "Come on! I'm not taking no for an answer! You need someone my size looking out for you! You've never been to a rave before, have you?"

Mario scoffs, but his face turns sheepish, giving himself away.

"That's what I thought you said." Spike smirks. "I can help you navigate."

"He's not wrong." Luigi admits, "Having someone who's been to a rave before would make this go a lot faster."

"Ha ha!" Spike pumps a fist in the air, then follows Luigi to their separate bedrooms, leaving Mario by the front door.

"Fine, he can come!" Mario surrenders, his tone making clear he's not happy about it. "But I'm not going in there without backup!"

"More the merrier!" Spike calls back. "Find me a babe with brains!"

At that, Mario grins, and leaves, one person immediately coming to mind.

"Oh Paulie!" Mario calls as he sees Pauline at her desk in the lab.

"Hey there, Jump Man." Pauline smiles. "I think I might have figured out a way for Luigi to cancel out the effects of the drugs when he's dreamwalking, we're testing it out." She points to where a group of people seem to be eating something.

"Awesome!" Mario praises, then says, "So, whaddaya say to a rave tonight?"

Pauline laughs, "A what ? Be serious."

"I am." Mario whispers urgently. "Tonight we're both going."

"We are?" Pauline asks, then says, "Alright, cool! I haven't gone out like that in forever."

Mario lofts an eyebrow, "You dance?"

"I do have a life outside this lab." Pauline waves off.

"Mm, yes." Snoozemore pops up suddenly out of nowhere. "What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing!" Mario lies quickly. "We were just standing around doing nothing."

"Mm, yes. How long before we can attempt to dreamwalk again?"

"6 hours, give or take." Pauline says immediately.

"Good." Snoozemore says. "Then I want this lab primed and ready to go with everyone at their stations in 5 hours."

"Done." Mario says before he can stop himself.

"Time to bust a move!" Pauline says.

"Right." Mario agrees, but at Pauline's snicker, he points, "Shut it.", then leads her to the pipe.

Spike's just putting the finishing touches on his outfit, consisting of neon cargo pants, high tops, wrist bands and a loose-fitting tank top, when he hears Luigi come out of his room, and goes to look.

"Please tell me you're not serious." Spike says at Luigi's vest and bowtie.

"What?" Luigi doesn't get it.

"Not a thing." Spike pretends. "If you're going to a casino to deal poker chips."

"Well what do you suggest then?" Luigi crosses his arms.

"Well for one, this." Spike takes a pair of scissors and leads Luigi back to the bedroom. "Don't you worry, my friend. I got your back."

"Ooh, fun!" Pauline gushes as she grabs some glow necklaces and bracelets. "You take one too!"

"No thanks." Mario says, then says, "Incoming."

Spike and Luigi approach slowly, and while Pauline whistles her approval, Mario can't stop looking at Luigi, all decked out in a slim t-shirt that exposes his belly, skinny jeans that hug his hips, high tops, and glitter body paint.

It works so well, and yet, Mario's first thought is to wish he could cover him up.

"Someone took 'all in' to a whole other level." Mario says out loud as he and Pauline move closer.

"Wait, that's Luigi's roommate?"

"Yeah, that's Spike."

As they finally meet up, Mario says, "Wow, Luigi you look--"

"Easy there, shorty." Spike teases. "Don't get too excited."

"I was just gonna say he looks good." Mario defends, hating he was found out so easily.

"Spike, meet Pauline." Luigi gestures, moving right along, prompting Spike to whistle.

"Shall we?" Pauline gestures to the building, to which Spike enthusiastically replies, "Yes please!", and follows after her, leaving Mario and Luigi alone.

"So we--" Mario starts, but Luigi's already walking away, leaving Mario to mutter, "Or not.", before following as well.