(Consider this a strong T simply for the amount of violence as well as mild language that will be present. This is a bit of an AU: A dark Smash Bros. world in which everyone is actively trying to kill each other for the amusement of the audience and a Resistance team that tries finding out why. This is in no way connected to my main AU that I have going with another one of my small Smash Bros. fics, 'How to Infuriate My Friends'. I just like thinking up messed up Smash Bros. stuff, I guess.)
Chapter 1- Lifted Fog
The first thing Pikachu registered when sensation returned to him was the ground he lied on was cold.
He shivered a bit at the touch, preferring being warm much more than being cold. The ground, rather than the nice cushy pile of cotton back in his room at the mansion, was hard and felt… metallic. Why was the ground made of metal all of a sudden? Metal didn't mix well with electricity.
Pikachu shot open his eyes as quick as his body let him, curiosity overtaking him, when he was met with metal bars in all directions. And the ground was the same cold material. A pillow, blanket, and a food bowl was on the other side of where he was, a water bowl ear his feet. He was inside of some kind of cage.
His body sprang up immediately, his face sporting an expression that showed his surprise and anger. This had better not have been one of Bowser Jr.'s pranks again. The last time the little Koopa left him in a cage, he woke up to the sight of a hungry Chain Chomp with raw steak all over his body. Pikachu did a quick look around again; the lack of Chain Chomps was an improvement. Maybe Bowser Jr. learned some common human decency in the two-day span since his last dirty trick.
Well, at least he left food this time, Pikachu thought as he walked over to the food bowl and practically drooled over the Poke Puffs inside of it. Tamato Berry: his absolute favorite. A bite of the treat filled the Pokémon's mouth with a spicy but sweet flavor.
Props to BJ: he's got some mad cooking skills.
Where was he, anyways?
Looking past the bars after finishing his snack, he saw he was in a windowless, dilapidated room made of smooth gray stone. A few holes were cut into the wall, allowing air to circulate and letting Pikachu see the starry night sky. A full moon was out, causing Pikachu to whistle a little at its beauty. There were no doors in the room; it should have been virtually impossible to get in and out of there. There was a tiny hole in the wall, but not even a rat should have been able to fit. A few bits and pieces of various junk were strewn about, from cans of non-perishable foodstuffs to articles of clothing, to water bottles and a few pieces of technology.
Most curiously of all, Pikachu wasn't alone in the room. Over at the corner of the room, Pikachu could make out lumps on the floor, slowly rising up and down in a calm rhythm. Moonlight shined over an object and caused it to glimmer. The distinct gold glow it gave off was clearly indicative of Princess Peach's crown. And to the side of the other lump, it was clear what the object along the wall was: the Master Sword, with its unmistakable design.
"What're Peach and Link doing here?" Pikachu wondered to himself, and was about to call out to them when a snort against his cage interrupted his train of thought. A third figure, leaning against Pikachu's cage, snored away and muttered something about floor ice cream in his sleep. The white wings slightly poking through the bars was a dead give away.
"Pit's in here too?" Since he was closer by, Pikachu decided to start his investigation of the situation with the angel instead. Leaning his little paws out, Pikachu grabbed Pit's arm and started to jostle it, causing the angel to jump and make a loud yelp. He immediately pulled away and started to clutch the yanked arm. Peach and Link woke up from the sound.
"Your 3DS isn't trying to eat you, Pit, that was just a nightmare," Peach groaned almost automatically, turning on the light to glare more easily when both her and Link's eyes widened at the cage. Why do they look so scared all the sudden? Pikachu thought as he felt the two's eyes on him.
"That thing is evil! I swear I woke up to it clamped on my hand more than once!" Pit said defensively. Pikachu grinned at the blush he made in embarrassment. "It's not that this time. Pikachu just grabbed my arm and I got a little freaked out, okay?" Peach's eyes widened, but Link's eyes narrowed towards Pikachu, analyzing him.
"He's awake…?" Peach said warily, immediately yanking Pit away from the cage. Pikachu tilted his head in confusion; it wasn't like he was out to hurt them or something… unless they were working with Bowser Jr. and that's why they were there with him.
As a tense silence filled the room and Link evenly studied him, Pikachu surveyed the three closer now that light made the action easier. Peach's normally beautiful pink dress was torn and dirty, a black eye adorning her right side. She was missing one of her shoes and her hair was a frazzled mess. What worried Pikachu the most was that she didn't seem to care at all, as if she grew used to her appearance. Link was missing his trademark green cap, leaving behind a clear view of half-singed blonde locks. His tunic also had its fair share of damage if the rips and tears were any indication. A prominent injury with the champion seemed to be bite and claw marks, as if he had recently fended off a wild animal. Pit's wings were missing more than a few feathers and his uniform, normally a pristine and well-kept white, was covered in grime from all sides. A thick bandage covered his right arm, the arm Pikachu pulled, as well as the right side of his head. Usually cheerful, Pikachu now saw the boy gave off the demeanor of a sick Growlithe.
"What do you remember?" Link suddenly asked Pikachu evenly, fingers twitching slightly in anticipation. Why was he asking that?
"Well… I remember the cookie raid me, Sonic, and Charizard pulled off in the kitchen just a few hours ago… but the more I look around, the more it looks like more than a few hours passed." All three of their guards went slightly down, and somber, sympathetic looks crossed their faces.
"More like two months," Peach said with a frown, causing Pikachu to jump in shock as Link motioned Pit to let him out of the cage.
"WHAT?!" Pikachu cried. The other three shushed him.
"Don't yell too loud. Someone might hear us," Peach scolded.
"I've been unconscious for two months?!" Pikachu yelled a little quieter than before.
"If only that were the case," Link told him. "Peach, show him." With a heavy sigh, Peach pulled out what looked to be a makeshift tablet and put on a video for Pikachu. What he saw shocked him to his core.
It was a recording of a Smash fight between himself and King Dedede, and everyone else in the audience, only something looked… off. Pikachu was finally getting to see his own appearance for himself, and he looked just about as banged up as the others. Scratch marks covered him from head to toe. One of his ears was in a constant downwards bend, something that made the same ear subconsciously twitch in the now. His tail looked bruised, and when he touched it now, it sent a sharp pain through Pikachu's body. It was safe to say every one of his fellow fighters were in a similar beat up state. A point of interest was his eyes, as were Dedede's and the others. They were clouded, glazed over from some kind of unforeseen cause.
"Hello, Smashers! Are you ready to see some blood tonight?!" A voice rang from the screen, one that didn't belong to either of the Hands. The crowd went absolutely nuts. He even saw Kirby throwing apples at the two battling below and the normally calm Villager brandishing his axe for all to see, something they would never do. All the crowd were going nuts in one way or another, although in the video, the trio before him looked like they were faking it.
"Then let the battle COMMENCE!" At the call to begin, the two fighters took off and proceeded to fight each other like two rabid dogs. Pikachu tackled into the larger penguin king quick as a whip, knocking Dedede over like a bowling pin. Pikachu immediately decided he had seen enough when he chomped down on Dedede's beak.
"T-Turn it off…" Pikachu whimpered, and Peach complied. Her expression was stony, Link remained as silent as ever, and Pit was in the back covering his face with a pillow so he didn't have to see at all. "Wh-Why would…"
"This isn't Master Hand's doing. He likes seeing us fight each other, but he would never make it go this far," Peach cut in, answering Pikachu's question before he even finished it.
"Then what-"
"We've all been kidnapped and forced to kill each other because of some faceless insane maniac," Link answered, crossing his arms and leaning easily against the wall. "Does that answer your question?"