Luigi doesn't even bother using the changing room, he just undresses and throws the pajamas on, while Spike makes a dash to the side of the Ultibed.
"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck." Spike says under his breath, while Pauline finally makes it to her station, earpieces shoved into everyone's ears.
They all pointedly refuse to watch as Mario's body is loaded and sealed inside the glass box with no air, as Luigi literally jumps on the bed and throws his head down on the pillow, sleeping position.
"I can't believe it." Snoozemore says softly.
"He didn't give us a choice." Dreambert reminds him.
"I swear if he dies..." Snoozemore threatens, then yells at everyone at the lab, "The ventilator, valve mask, and defibrillator do not move one inch from next to the glass box, do you understand me? "
"DIM THE LIGHTS!" Spike yells, all pretense of a normal dreamwalk gone as he starts the rounds. "Monitors!"
"Check."
"Biofeedback!"
"Check."
"Sleep Quality!"
"Check."
"Healing Pods!"
"Check."
"Communications!"
"Good!" Pauline gives the thumbs up.
"Starlow?"
"Check."
"Luigi?"
"CHECK!" Luigi nearly screams.
"Set a timer for 2 minutes!" Spike keeps shouting. "Inducing REM sleep in 3...2...1...dream a fucking dream for me, Mario! GO!"
"No no no! " Luigi shouts when he sees Spike come through the dream portal. "This is Mario's house! We need to find the street before the attack!"
"I'm trying!" Spike says, clearly panicked as he jumps back out.
Luigi, however, notices himself and Mario at his kitchen counter.
"Morning !" He hears Mario says cheerfully, where he has a mug ready. "How are you?"
"Like I fell off a mountain." Luigi says flatly.
"Good." Mario says cheerfully. "Hungry? Making coffee, and I make damn good biscotti." He holds up a plate.
Luigi remembers his reply, but suddenly, the dream's perspective changes, and he's face to face with himself, disoriented, confused and angry.
"Uh, excuse me, but who's bedroom did I just walk out of?" He sees and hears himself demand.
Luigi barely hears Mario's reply of, "Mine. Who else?" , before the dreamscape changes.
"Weegee?" He hears Mario ask. "Talk to me, please." , but again, he's looking at himself, eyes blank, like he's not really there.
He feels himself grab Mario's arms, pulling him closer. "Fountain. Stars."
He feels Mario's shock right before he grabs Mario in a full body hug, then pulls back so they're face to face, and he can see the despair in his eyes as he says, "Oh Kootie. I miss you so much..."
He feels Mario's pride when he watches Luigi dance at the rave, looking like he's having the time of his life.
He feels the ache in Mario's chest as Luigi asks him, " Is that what love is supposed to be? Everything that reminds you of the good in the world, and once gone, only a miracle if you get it back?" , sees how lost he looks.
YOU ARE READING
I've Got the Strangest Feeling This Isn't Our First Time Around
Science FictionLuigi Turner is pulled into another world to "dream walk" through the minds of the petrified, using their dreams to wake them up.
