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Prologue: The Big Five

Dr. Eggman smiled at the group of baddies assembled before him. The best of the best had answered his call for an alliance, and the gathered villains would be a mighty force indeed, if they worked together as planned.

"What do you want?" asked Bowser, the first to speak to the entire crowd. "I'm a very busy Koopa."

"I'm a bit interested myself," King Dedede chimed in. "What the heck is goin' on?"

Eggman smirked as he raised up his arms in a gesture of greeting. "My friends, today is the day that we will have our chance to take the world back from the heroes that so frequently stand in our ways."

"Donkey Kong..." King K. Rool muttered to the Kremlings around him.

Ganondorf, who was sitting partially away from the group, surveyed the mark on the back of his hand before turning back to the group.

"The five of us are what I like to refer to as the Big Five," Eggman continued. "We are the most influential and powerful bad guys around, and I think it's time we united to achieve a single goal."

"World domination?" Bowser asked.

"More than just that. We finally have a chance to take back our dignity from the idiotic heroes that stole it from us. Together, the four of us can build together an army of villains and take the Chaos Emeralds and use them to vanquish the heroes."

"Chaos Emeralds?" Dedede inquired, eyes twinkling. "And what are those?"

"Powerful stones with mystical properties," Bowser interjected. "I've had my eyes on them for years, but I've never gotten the chance to go after them myself."

"I've held them in my hands several times, yet Sonic the Hedgehog always manages to take them from me," Eggman growled. "But this time, with your help, will be different. Mark my words!"

"This could work out nicely for all of us," Ganondorf added, and the group turned to him. "The Chaos Emeralds are just the beginning. They could serve as stepping stones to even greater powers."

"I'm likin' this more and more with every minute," Dedede cackled. "Count me in."

"Me as well," K. Rool said, nodding his head. "Where do we strike first?"

"I located the first Chaos Emerald in the castle of a certain Princess Peach," Eggman said, looking pointedly at Bowser. "You get your revenge first."

"Excellent," Bowser growled giddily. "Let's ready the soldiers and attack."