Hello!

So a couple of months ago, I submitted a story for the 2012 Apocalypse contest called Child's Play, having written it as just a one-shot. However, in the months since I posted that entry, it has become my most popular standalone fic (and nearly surpassing my series, Stars of Destiny, in monthly views). After seeing this, I decided to see if I could continue on with the idea (the brawlers surviving after the end of their world), but in an entirely different manner.

You don't have to read Child's Play to understand this fic-in fact, I already know that this fic is going to have a totally different ending (one just as surprising as CP's). This is a companion fic-it's set in the same time period, but it contains different characters and a new setting. This is also going to be a multi-chaptered fic, although I won't start updating until after I finish Stars-which I should complete in a month or two.

I hope that those who enjoyed Child's Play with also enjoy this adventure as I have. It's you guys who inspired me to write this, after all.

*Nintendo owns everything*

High Tide

He sloshed through the pools of water that seemed to be everywhere, listening to the growing sound of the ocean as he surveyed the area that was covered in trash and debris. Everything from old shoes to tires to refrigerators lay scattered about the once-pristine beach, making moving between the trash dangerous for one's feet. Yet, he wasn't worried about stepping on glass or other broken things-his feet were tougher than most. No, his mind was more concerned with his reason for coming down to the beach, the whole reason for his sloshing through the rubbish

There-it stuck out lazily in the sea breeze as if surrendering itself to his grasp. Quickly he stumbled over to a small pile of trash and yanked it out, gently washing the sand and grime to read the words on the front.

"Instant Macaroni and Cheese-just add water." A laugh escaped his throat as he read the ironic words, but the laugh died as he felt the subtle stirring of the earth under his feet. Looking out at the ocean, he sighed sadly, as he gazed at the large island that could be seen from where he stood. The light of the sun gleamed off the skyscrapers and buildings that still stood-although there would be fewer of them than a moment before.

For the earth had turned against that city...and soon its wrath would reach where he stood.

"Bowser!"

A voice squawked from a walkie-talkie clipped to a makeshift leather belt Bowser wore. Growling, the Koopa picked it up and hit a large blue button, his eyes still fixed on the city. "Yeah?"

"The earthquake in the city was a shallow one- it actually managed to register on the scale for once."

"Why do I feel like that's important?"

"It means we have a very good chance of getting a wave in the next ten minutes- or even less than that!"

"So I should probably run?"

"You can run? Oh, never mind-just hurry unless you want to be washed away!"

"On my way now...Toony." With a grunt, he placed the walkie-talkie back in his belt and began to jog through the piles upon piles of things.

The only remnants of life before the end of the world.

Once Bowser had been considered an evil, dim-witted villain amid the ranks of the other Brawlers, the group of fighters whose defeat of Tabuu had caused them to be heroes. Having purged evil from the world, they had retired to the skyscrapers and high-rises of the city, spending their days in lazy leisure and taking life at a critically slow pace. Bowser himself had gained a couple of unflattering pounds-they all had in fact, as their once lithe bodies slowly degraded into fat.

Life had passed slowly as one day had blurred into another, until the day came when a party was held in the former stadium where they once trained and fought. The once peaceful stadium now was rigged with all manners of lights and streamers, with a giant disco ball suspended from the top of the closed dome. Music blared loudly throughout the place, although it wasn't loud enough to drown out the cries of delight from those present. Even the fake grass (which Bowser was allergic to) had been ripped up and replaced with a large pool, a giant bar, and even a volleyball area. Everyone was there enjoying the fun, even Master Hand, their leader who had created this world just for them. Yes, things were just perfect.

Then the ground had shifted under their feet.

It had been a subtle shift of the earth, but it was enough to knock over a table or two and cause the partygoers to fall completely silent. A chill ran through Bowser at that moment as he saw their faces, each painted with an expression of worry. It had been many years since he had seen his friends and allies nervous, and he couldn't help but wonder if things hadn't necessarily changed for the better.

"Hey Bowser!" Fox had called out from his spot in the pool during that tense moment. "Quit dancing-your fat ass is shaking the ground!"

It was as if a switch had been thrown, for the fighters laughed and resumed their merriment as Master Hand guffawed and turned the music up loud enough to bust the speakers. Bowser, who had been enjoying a fruity drink at the bar, shot the fox a dark look but decided against getting up and fighting him. Those days had faded away, much like his former reputation as a villain. Yet the shaking had put him a bit on edge, and his uneasiness continued to grow as he watched no one exhibit any concern. He did notice Solid Snake and Lucario looking warily around, and wondered if they too realized something wasn't right.

Luigi, who happened to be manning the bar, gave Bowser an odd look. "You don't seem to be having a whole lot of fun."

The Koopa sighed and twirled his mini toothpick umbrella. "Parties aren't really my thing."

"Well, what would you rather do then?"

The earth decided not to let him answer that final question.

With one last heave, the earth gave up, as the sky rushed towards the ground and brought chaos to the party. Bowser felt his feet leave the ground as he was thrown from his bar stool, landing helplessly on his back and looking upwards at the crashing ceiling. With a roar of pure fear, he flipped onto his feet and dashed outside, hoping to escape the terror that had overtaken the stadium.

Everything seemed to be ending, as large skyscrapers broke in half and plunged to the ground below, their glass windows shattering into crystalline snowflakes that fell from the heavens. Dust leaped up from huge cracks in the ground, with open maws that threatened all those who were unlucky enough to plunge inside. The world had not just given up, but it seemed as though Nature was protesting this sudden end.

Gotta get someplace safe...I gotta get someplace safe.

He ran, not caring about the cracks in the ground or the toppling of buildings around him. No, he ran because he wanted to live, to go on, and to survive. Every part of his Koopa body screamed for a merciful end, but he ignored these feeling and focused on the destination in front of him: the harbor.

When Master Hand had created their glorious paradise, he had built a harbor to keep boats and private yachts for the residents of the city. Now however, the once pristine boats had been tossed about as if a toddler had scattered them around his playpen. Some were upside down and exposed their rudders for all to see, while others lay on their sides in surrender to the destruction. Even the sea is upset, Bowser thought as he quickly looked for a boat that could get him away from the Hell he seemed to occupy.

Suddenly, a different kind of rumble erupted beneath his feet, this time feeling a bit heavier and more dangerous than before. Strangely, it did not shake the earth, but the rumbling seemed to come from the air itself...

It was at that moment, when the world was collapsing around him, that Bowser turned to see a wall of water three times his size hurtling straight at him faster than he could possibly run. It bore down upon him with a roar that shook his ears, throwing him violently around and around in a dizzying cycle of no direction. He longed to cry out, but instead found himself unable to breath as he tried to find the surface amid the madness. Up was down, down was up, and everything seemed a mess-although salvation finally came when the Koopa bashed his head on something and the black curtain of consciousness abruptly came crashing down.

Waves.

He could hear waves.

It was the first thing that had welcomed Bowser when he had opened his eyes, while feeling the gritty sand itching between his scales as he groaned. Finding himself on his back, he was content for a moment to stare up peacefully at the blue sky, where carefree white clouds drifted lazily along.

Am I dead? Is this heaven? Maybe this is that place Ganondorf always talked about going to-Villain's Heaven. Yeah...maybe I made it into Villain's Heaven. Slowly, he raised himself into a sitting position and took in his surroundings.

Bowser faced the ocean, where not too far off he could see the remains of the city he had once called home. So I'm not dead...but what about everyone else? For a moment, he wondered if others had managed to survive the disaster, but he shook his head, growled in order to banish those thought from his mind, and took a better look around. It seemed as though he sat upon a beach-although it was hard to tell with all the washed up junk and flotsam that had arrived from the city. The news of the end of his world had not yet seemed to reach this small island, which seemed at the moment to be the last peaceful place on earth.

He rocked himself back and forth for a moment until he gained the momentum needed to bring him to his feet. The smell of saltwater filled his nose, as he continued to stare at his city. Maybe it was fate that had caused him to be spared from the full destruction of the city-that, or luck had assisted in his survival today.

Little did he know that although he had escaped the earth's deadly game, he stood no chance against the full terror the sea would unleash...

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