Disclaimer: See summary.
A/N: So, this is something I've been planning, I think since the E3 trailer dropped, and the concept has been evolving since then. As some of you may already be aware based on my story "Nothing to fear", there will be major Samelda (they are established to be married, and be mothers, by Ultimate. Don't worry, I'll explain it as the story progresses) and some Corrink (Female Corrin/Link). Also, I know that there might be a canon place for BoTW on the Zelda multi-timeline, but for the sake of simplicity, let's assume it takes place after Twilight Princess. Also, I've heard theories and headcanons that all of the fighters are just toys brought to life. Please enter this story knowing that those theories will not be in effect. As far as fictional video game characters go, they are the real deal. Now, on with the story.
Mario and the other original 12 were the first to arrive, lugging their bags with them. Donkey Kong had offered to carry some of the other's stuff, and his generosity was graciously accepted. They were accompanied by Princess Peach, Bowser and Bowser Jr., Diddy Kong, and Falco.
Fox stretched, as he had fallen asleep on the train ride into Smash City. He squinted at the Mansion in the distance as he stepped off the bus. "Hey, guys." He said, cracking his knuckles. "Is it me, or does the mansion seem...I don't know, bigger?"
Link, rotating his shoulder, glanced at the large white and green mansion. "Come to think of it," He said, raising his eyebrows. "It does look bigger."
"Yeah," Diddy added, scratching his head. "And they moved our treehouse." Sure enough, a large tree containing a wooden shack was jutting out of the left hand side of the building, with a bridge connecting it to the main structure.
"Huh," Donkey Kong added. "That's new."
Falco chuckled. "I betcha the Hands are planning on adding a lot of new fighters this time." He said.
"Sounds-a possible." Luigi said. "I'm-a hoping Daisy can-a join this time."
"Me too." Peach added cheerfully. "It would be nice to see my cousin participate."
"Hey, maybe Dixie will get in this year." Diddy chimed in.
"Heh," Donkey Kong chuckled, glancing at his nephew. "Maybe."
Link thought of something, and turned to the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom. "Hey, what about those two Inklings?" He asked. "Remember, from the Kart racing you guys invited me to? What were their names again?"
"Megan and Jake?" Peach asked.
"Yeah, yeah, that's them." Link replied.
"It would be-a nice to see them again." Mario added.
"I just hope we don't get Ridley this time around." Samus growled. "If I have to stay in the same building as that monster, I'll strangle both of those oversized hands. It's bad enough that my wife got replaced by a different version of herself."
The gathered heroes (and villains) frowned. Everyone had been wondering during their own adventures how Zelda was doing in Hyrule, managing not only as a queen, but as a mother. It was a shame that they wouldn't be able to see her or Rinka again.
"Master Hand did mention at the closing ceremony last time that everyone from the fourth tournament would be coming back." Fox added.
"Mama!" Kirby chirped excitedly, thinking about Bayonetta.
"That's right, Kirby." Peach said with a smile. "That does mean Bayonetta will be back this time."
"Even if she did beat all of us silly last tournament." Bowser grumbled, thinking back to the beating he got from her.
"Ten Smash bucks saying they bring everyone back." Falco chuckled. "From every tournament."
"Pika pika pi?" Pikachu asked, hope laced in his voice. (Do you think my little brother might come back?)
"It's possible, little buddy." Samus shrugged. "You haven't seen your little brother in this world since the Melee tournament. But yeah, it would be nice to see everyone again."
Samus sighed, and she turned to Link. "Are you sure my wife didn't get the invitation this time?" She asked.
Link shrugged. "Yeah, it was just me." He said sadly. "I'm sorry, Samus."
"It's fine," Samus replied, though her tone suggested that it really wasn't.
"If it means anything," Link began. "I think I still have footage of Rinka's first words. And when she got her first tooth. And when she took her first steps. It's all on my Sheikah slate. I could show you later...if you want."
"Thanks, I guess," Samus sighed. "I just wish I could have been there to see it."
"Zelda wanted me to tell you that she's sorry she can't be here this tournament." Link continued. "She says she still loves you, and that they'll both miss you."
Samus' lip quivered. "Th-thanks, Link."
Link put a hand on Samus' shoulder. "Hey, are you going to be alright?" He asked.
"Yeah," Samus sighed. "I'll be fine."
Pikachu sensed his friend's distress, and leaped up onto her shoulders, nuzzling her face affectionately.
"Thanks buddy," Samus said with a smile, as she pet Pikachu's head. "At least you'll still be here for me."
"Pika! Pika pika pikachu, Pi Pika." He squeaked. (Of Course! You're my best friend, Samus.)
Link smiled at the two. They'd been friends pretty much since the beginning, and their bond had only strengthened during the Subspace War nearly ten years ago. Then, something crossed the Hero of the Wild's mind.
"Hey, Samus?" He asked.
"What's up, Elf Boy?" Samus replied.
"Do you think Corrin's going to like the new me?" Link wondered, gesturing to himself.
Samus chuckled, inspecting the young hero's physique. "Well, I honestly don't know how she's going to react." She shrugged. "But if it helps, try flexing. You look like you've been working out since she last saw you."
"Thanks," Link said, flexing his arms. "All that rock climbing certainly helped."
The fighters had reached the front door, but stopped. Donkey Kong, still carrying the majority of everyone's luggage, was struggling to open the front door.
"Hey, uh," He grunted, hoisting at least five bags over his head, along with his own bag, which was slung over his shoulder. "Someone mind gettin' the door? My hands are kinda full."
"I got it." Captain Falcon said, opening the door for the large gorilla.
"Thanks, man." Donkey Kong replied, smiling. The fighters entered the mansion, and were in awe. Apparently, King Dedede, the Meta Knight clone, and the Waddle Dees had gotten there before them, and had gotten right to work cleaning the place.
Fox whistled. "Wow, those Waddle Dees sure work fast." He said, as Donkey Kong carefully set down the bags he'd been carrying.
ROB and Mr. Game and Watch, the mansion's only permanent residents, came out to meet them.
"Greetings, Smashers." ROB said, monotonously. "Please leave all belongings in the foyer and follow me. Master Hand awaits you to sign in."
"[Welcome home, guys.]" Game and Watch beeped.
"So, I would like to extend all of you a warm welcome." Master Hand said, after everyone had signed in. "It's been rather quiet here since the end of the last tournament."
"Well, it's-a good to be back." Mario said cheerfully.
"It HaSn'T BeEn ThE sAmE wItHoUt YoU aLl." Crazy hand said, his voice rapidly rising and dropping in pitch.
"So, we noticed that the place is a lot bigger." Bowser noted. "I'm guessing you two have a lot of new fighters lined up."
"Well," Master Hand said. "We were planning on telling everyone at the opening festival tonight, so you all will know of the first few newcomers then."
Bowser nodded, understanding the Hands' reasoning.
"Now, I never thought I'd willingly hear myself say this," Link spoke up. "But what are your plans to do about Ganondork, I mean Ganondorf?"
Master Hand chuckled at Link's Freudian Slip, as did the others. "What do you mean, my boy?"
"Well, my timeline's Zelda told me after I defeated Calamity Ganon that he had given up his cycle of reincarnation." Link explained. "So I was wondering, since everyone from the last tournament is coming back, how you plan to bring him back?"
"Well," Master Hand said. "I'll see what I can do about that."
Link nodded. He and the others left the room, aside from Samus.
The Bounty huntress sighed. "So, which incarnation of Zelda did you guys decide to take my wife's place?" She asked.
The two hands looked at each other, somehow. "What are you talking about?" Master Hand asked.
"Link told me that he was the only one to get an invitation to the fifth tournament." Samus explained. "So I assumed he meant that my wife was getting replaced with a different incarnation of herself."
Master Hand looked at his brother, who did the closest thing to a shrug. "I sWeAr I sEnt TwO iNvItEs To ThE sAmE uNiVeRsE." He said.
"My brother is right." Master Hand added. "She should have been given an invitation. She and your daughter were both invited."
Samus' brows furrowed. A few different thoughts went through her head at once. "Yeah, you're probably right." She said finally, cracking her knuckles. "I guess I have an elf boy to punch."
As the remaining Smashers filed into the mansion, greetings were exchanged. Kirby ran forward when he saw the tall form of his adopted mother. "Poyo!" He shouted.
Bayonetta glanced down at the noise and smiled widely. She set her bags down and scooped him up. "Why, hello, little one." She cooed, planting little kisses on her son's head. He giggled in her arms, as she drew him into a tight hug. "I've missed you dearly, my shining star." She sighed. "Have you been behaving yourself in Dreamland?"
"Poyo!" He chirped, cuddling tighter into her grip.
She smiled as she planted another kiss on his forehead. "Well, I'm glad you're doing well, my child." She purred, hugging him tighter.
Corrin landed at the front door, shifting to human form and hoisting her bag over her shoulder, accompanied by Cloud Strife. Link stepped forward.
"Hello, miss." Link said, stepping forward. "Shall I take your bags for you?"
"Link?" Corrin asked, not recognizing him for a second. Cloud, however, recognized his roommate immediately.
"Dude, it's been a while." Cloud said, stepping forward. He and Link clasped hands, and shared a quick bro hug. "How've you been, man?"
"Eh, well," Link began, chuckling. "I got knocked out for about a hundred years, woke up with next to no memories of what happened, and had to single handedly save Hyrule...again. But other than that, I'm doing well. What about you?"
"Eh, same old same old." Cloud shrugged. "Tifa's still playing hard to get."
"Hey, don't worry about it, dude." Link said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Either she'll come around, or she won't. The worst that could happen is that she's dating someone else."
"Yeah," Cloud sighed with a smirk. "You're right. Seriously, man. You need to tell me how you got so good with girls."
Link laughed. "Hahaha, sure thing, dude." Then, the Hero of the Wilds seemed to finally notice the dragon princess. "Hey Corrie," He said, walking over to her. "Like the new me?" He spread his arms dramatically.
"Link..." Corrin said dreamily, as if captivated by her boyfriend's new look. Then she shook herself out of it. "Sorry, I...got distracted."
Link chuckled, and pulled her into a hug. "Whatever." He said. "I know you missed me."
"I did," Corrin said. She stood up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on her boyfriend's head, as he had grown several inches since the fourth tournament.
"Oi!" Shouted a voice in a thick British accent. "Will you two stop makin' out already? I need 'elp with my luggage 'ere."
"Shulk!" Link said, walking over and catching the scientist in a hug. "You look good, man. How's Bionis holding up?"
"Ah, where do I start?" Shulk huffed. "How've ya been, mate? You get a 'aircut?"
"And a fresh set of clothes." Link said, gesturing to his tunic.
"Ya look good, mate." Shulk said. Then he turned to the SOLDIER. "'Ello, Cloud. You doin' alright?" He held his fist out for the spiky haired champion.
Cloud returned the fist bump. "Yeah, I can't complain."
A group of Waddle Dees marched forward to take everyone's bags to their respective rooms, as was routine. "So, I asked Master hand, and we all have our old room back." Link said, as the little troopers left with his friends' bags. "All the rooming situations from the last tournament are back. Plus, since the mansion is bigger this time, that means we might get some new recruits."
"Alright!" Shulk said excitedly. "I'm hopin' for Rex. He's a friend from a different version of my world."
"Cool." Link said, eager to hear the story that would inevitably come next.
Cloud folded his arms over his chest. "Honestly, I'm hoping that doesn't mean I have to deal with him."
"Ah, come on, mate." Shulk said, frowning. "Why'd ya gotta spoil the mood?"
Corrin leaned into Link's ear. "Uh, Link?" She asked. "Who's he talking about?"
"Sephiroth." Cloud clarified. "The one-winged Angel. And my nemesis."
"Basically," Link said. "He's another edgy dude with crazy hair and an excessively big sword." Corrin chuckled.
"I bet he spends all his money on hair gel, too." Shulk added jokingly.
Cloud smirked for a second, then his face went serious again. "He never really did." He said solemnly. "He was too busy trying to destroy the world."
The four were silent for about ten seconds. Then, with a devilish smirk, Cloud added, "But yeah. The guy had enough edge to make Shadow and Pittoo jealous." Everyone burst out laughing.
Their moment was interrupted when a familiar figure approached. "Link," Sheik said, getting the Hero's attention. "Lady Zelda requires your assistance."
"Is she here already?" Link asked. The Sheikah guard nodded. "I'll be right there."
"There is no need," Zelda began, as she entered the mansion. She was carrying her bag under one arm.
"Lady Zelda," Sheik began. "Are you certain you do not need help."
"If I require assistance, I know how to ask for it myself." Zelda replied, smiling. "But thank you anyway, Sheik."
"Don't worry, your highness." Samus said, startling the group. "The Waddle Dees will be here soon to take your bags to your room."
"Oh," Zelda said with a start. "You must be Samus. My other self told me so much about you."
"I'm sure she did." Samus replied, planting a soft kiss on the princess' hand. "It is a delight to meet you, your Highness."
Shulk's eyes glazed over with blue light, a sign that he was having a vision. Corrin and Cloud glanced at the scientist, who smirked and looked at Link. "Well, we'd best be getting along, mate. I reckon it's nearly lunch time. Let's go, guys." He ushered the two out, likely to spare them from the mess that was about to go down.
"So," Samus said, turning to Zelda. "I'm guessing you're going to need your own room, since you're technically new here and all."
"Pardon?" Zelda asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, technically, you are a different entity from my wife, so it simply wouldn't do for us to share a bed." Samus replied with a shrug. "Or even a room."
Zelda's face flushed, and she averted her gaze. "Oh," She said. "I...Yes, I agree. It would be quite the scandal for a princess to be bedding with a married woman, yes."
"Not to mention," Link added, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. "Rumors spread in this house like wildfire."
"That's true." Samus said, nodding. "Nothing stays a secret for very long in these walls." Then, she turned to the Hylian princess. "By the way, I have to ask you something, Your Highness."
"Of course," Zelda replied.
"You don't suppose you could send my wife a message, when you get the chance. Could you do that?"
"I will...see what I can do, Mrs. Aran." Zelda replied evenly. "What would you like me to tell her?"
Samus grinned, before grabbing Zelda by the face and crashing her lips against the the other woman's. Zelda squeaked in surprise, before sinking into a soft moan. Her own hands reached up to cup Samus' face, before the two pulled away.
"Tell her that her champion is an absolutely terrible liar." Samus said playfully, smiling.
Zelda smiled as she pressed her forehead to Samus' own. "How did you know?" She asked.
Samus chuckled. "Well, that's a long story." She said. "But it started on the train into the city. I asked Link about his new look, and I remember asking him if the new look would apply to you too. Then he decided to tell me that you didn't get an invitation. Long story short, I found out he was lying just a few hours ago. When I asked the Hands which of your incarnations would be replacing you, they told me that they'd sent you an invitation."
"Darn it," Zelda grumbled mischievously.
"So you were in on this little joke?" Samus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Zelda admitted sheepishly. "I was going to surprise you. I guess I didn't think it through all that well."
Samus smirked. "Hindsight is 20/20." She said, laughing. "By the way, what adventure is that outfit from, anyway?"
"A Link Between Worlds." Zelda replied.
"You look cute in that outfit." Samus replied, giving Zelda a peck on the cheek.
Zelda chuckled and pulled Samus in for another kiss. Link, meanwhile, scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "So, uhh..." He began. "Am I...uh, free to go?"
"Yes, my champion." Zelda replied jokingly. "You are excused."
"But before I forget," Samus added, walking over and slugging Link in the shoulder. "That's for making me worry about my wife."
Link clasped a hand on the bruised shoulder and sighed. "Yeah, I kinda deserved that. Sorry." He turned to leave.
As he went off to reunite with his roommates and his girlfriend, Samus turned to her wife. "So, I'm guessing you were able to find a babysitter for our daughter."
"Nope." Zelda replied, smiling. "I brought her with me."
"Oh, really?" Samus asked, eyes widening. Zelda nodded. "Well, where is she?"
"Mama?" came a small voice from the doorway. Samus glanced over Zelda's shoulder to see a small child, no older than 10, standing there. The space-farer's smile widened as she absorbed the sight of her baby girl.
"Rinka." She said, as she knelt down. The little girl ran into her waiting arms. Samus laughed as she planted a few kisses on her daughter's face. "Oh, my little princess. You've gotten so big."
"I'm ten years old, Mama." Rinka replied.
"Yeah," Samus said. "The last time I saw you, you were just a tiny thing swaddled in blankets." Rinka giggled as she hugged Samus' shoulder. "Which reminds me," Samus continued, turning to Zelda. "How did she not age at all while Ganon was running wild in Hyrule?"
"Mommy used her magic to help me sleep." Rinka answered. "I stayed ten until Uncle Link woke up. He didn't remember me at first."
Samus chuckled as she kissed her wife's forehead again. "You really are something else, aren't you, babe?"
Zelda smirked. "I do my best."
"Am I interrupting something, loves?" asked a sultry voice. The three turned to see Bayonetta standing a few feet away, with Kirby, unsurprisingly, trailing next to her.
"Oh," Zelda said, as she walked over to greet the Umbra Witch. "Hello, Bayonetta." She gave the taller woman a quick hug, which the Angel hunter returned happily. "It's good to see you again."
"I could say the same for you, love." Bayonetta replied with a smirk. Then her eyes locked on Rinka. "Oh, my! Is that little baby Rinka?"
"Hey," The Hylian princess huffed. "I'm not a baby."
"Not anymore, it seems." Bayonetta chuckled. Samus extended her arms, as if asking the witch to hold Rinka. "I take it you don't remember who I am, child."
"You're Miss Bayonetta, right?" Rinka asked. "Mommy told me about you."
"Oh, did she?" Bayonetta replied, raising an eyebrow. "All good things, I hope."
"Poyo?" Kirby chirped.
"You must be Kirby." Rinka said, as the Umbra witch set her down. "I'm Rinka. Nice to meet you." She stuck out her hand, expecting him to shake her hand. Instead, he chirped happily and jumped into her arms. "Aww, I like you too, Kirby. I can tell you and I are gonna be good friends."
"Poyo!" Kirby cooed.
"Awww." All three women said at once, smiling at the pureness going on. Then Samus glanced at Bayonetta. "So, what did you need to tell us?"
"Now that everyone has arrived, it's time for the opening ceremony." Bayonetta explained. "The Hands said they have a big announcement to make."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Samus asked. "Let's go!"
As the five entered the food court, everyone else turned to them. Rinka suddenly seemed overwhelmed, and buried her face in Samus' shoulder. "Hey, it's okay, sweetie." Samus said, tracing small circles into her daughter's back. "You don't have to worry, princess. They all remember you."
"They do?" Rinka asked quietly. Samus nodded. "Ok."
The five of them sat at one of the circular tables, along with Peach, Rosalina, and Paluetena. Rinka sat between her mothers, directly across from Peach. "Oh my gosh," The Mushroom Kingdom's monarch said. "Is that Rinka?"
"It is," Zelda said, turning to face her daughter. "Say hi, Rinka."
"Hello." The young princess replied quietly.
"Hi, Rinka!" Peach greeted loudly. "I'm Peach. I'm a princess too."
"Really?" Rinka asked, her eyes lighting up. "Wow."
"Hello, child." Rosalina said calmly. "My name is Rosalina. And this is Palutena."
"Are you two princesses too?" Rinka asked.
The two women chuckled. "Actually," Rosalina replied. "I'm more of a queen, and Palutena is a goddess."
"Whoa," Rinka gasped, stars in her eyes. "And I thought there were only three goddesses."
Zelda chuckled. "Well, yes." She explained. "In our universe, there are only three. But in other universes, there are different pantheons."
"That's so cool." Rinka said.
"Pika pika?" squeaked a voice nearby. (What's going on?). Rinka turned around and gasped. Standing a few feet away was a small yellow creature that the young princess had never seen before. He seemed to be holding a bottle of ketchup.
"Oh, hey Pikachu." Samus said, picking the little creature up. "Did you want to say hi to Rinka."
The furry mouse glanced to Rinka and his eyes widened. "Pika?! Pi Pikachu Pika." He squeaked. (That's Rinka? Wow, she grew up fast.)
"Oh my gosh, he's so CUTE!" Rinka said, as she scooped the little electric mouse into her arms. "He's so fuzzy and soft!"
Samus smiled and patted her daughter on the shoulder. "He likes it when you pet him between the ears." She advised.
Rinka began doing just that, as Pikachu protested. "Pika! Pikachu Pika?" he squealed. (Hey! How dare you tell her my secrets?). But as the Hylian princess continued gently running her hand between the small Pokémon's ears, he began to relax. "Piiiikaa..." He purred. (That feels niiice.)
The moment ended when the princess made a slight error. She touched one of his rosy cheek pouches, and got a head of frizzy hair for her troubles.
"Eep!" She shouted, a literal jolt running through her body. She shook her finger and stuck it in her mouth.
Samus threw her head back and laughed. "Yeah, haha." She said. "I made the same mistake when I first met the little guy. Apparently, those rosy cheeks of his are where he stores electricity."
Rinka took her finger out of her mouth and whimpered. "I'm so sorry, Pikachu." She said, hugging the little mouse. "I didn't know."
"Pika Pika. Pikachu Pika. Pika Pi?" The small rodent replied. (Don't worry. It didn't really hurt me that much. Are you ok?)
"Yeah," Rinka replied with a grin. "It just shocked me, that's all." The other Smashers at the table, minus Kirby, chuckled at Rinka's joke before something clicked in Pikachu's mind.
"Pika Pi. Pika Pikachu?!" He said. (Wait a second. You can understand me?!)
"Yeah," Rinka said, as if it were nothing. "Why? Is something wrong?"
Samus, who had come to the same realization her furry friend had, stared down at her daughter. "It took me months to figure out what he was saying to me." She said.
"I've always had a gift with understanding animals' thoughts." Rinka explained. Zelda nodded. "And I'm going to assume that Pokémon count as animals."
"Pi...Pika pikachu Pika Pi Pikachu." Pikachu said, pondering the idea. (Well...As far as I know, all Pokémon could be considered animals.)
The various conversations came to a halt as the two avatars of the Hands stepped on stage. Everyone turned their attention to the stage.
"Greetings, everyone." Master Hand said, a stack of papers in his hands. "Welcome back, glad you all made it safely, oh you get the idea." Many of the gathered residents applauded, and Master Hand nodded. As the applause subsided, Master Hand flipped through his notes.
"Thank you, thank you." He continued. "Now, I had a long speech made ready, but I know you're all eager to get back to eating. So I'll try to keep it brief." This earned laughter from the majority of the Smashers. "So, I shall start with the small things. As of now, all previous rooming situations will stay the same. And for those who may not remember, both the indoor and outdoor pools will be open 24/7. However, those whom are recognized as children, as well as Sonic, will be required to be accompanied by an adult if they wish to use the pools between 8 pm and 6 am. The food hall will also be open from 5 am to 11 pm everyday.
"Also, anyone who wishes to leave the grounds between 11 pm and 5 am will need to check in at my office, and provide a clear reason for doing so. Mewtwo has agreed to retake his position as groundskeeper, and his job of ensuring those who tend to sleepwalk are kept safe." Mewtwo nodded, confirming that he had in fact agreed to these terms. Master Hand continued. "Apart from that, all are free to go anywhere in the mansion or on the grounds during curfew hours, as long as they do not intend to disturb other residents. As always, exceptions will be made for April Fools' Day," There were mischievous looks exchanged between some of the younger residents.
"Now that that's out of the way," Master Hand said, looking up from his notes with a grin. "The moment you've all been waiting for." He nodded to his brother, who flicked a few buttons on the remote in his hands. At once, the lights down, and the projector flickered to life.
"At the end of the last tournament," Master Hand continued. "I felt proud of how well it went. After all, the Smash Brothers Tournaments have always been about building bridges between the many worlds. And about forging new bonds. But, I thought to myself, how could I top that? And then, it hit me." He stepped aside as the projector screen widened. "I'm sure you all will enjoy what my brother and I have planned." They stepped off stage, as the presentation began.
It opened up with what the new Battlefield stage would look like, earning oohs and ahhs from the crowd at the detail in the new stage. Muted applause swept through the audience as the red-capped plumber leaped into view. As the presentation went through each of the different characters, applause from said hero or villain and their companions would erupt.
Bowser seemed pleasantly when he saw the changes made to his final smash. Donkey Kong oohed at the effect that took place when it showcased him hitting an opponent. Sonic and Pikachu also seemed pleased with the updates to their respective final smashes. And then...
"YES!" Dedede screamed. Everyone aside from those who debuted in the fourth tournament shot to their feet in an explosion of applause as it was revealed that Popo and Nana were returning. Those who were unfamiliar with the Ice Climbers joined the applause when it showed that the Inklings had been invited. Then, there was a thunderous roar from Charizard as he learned that his trainer and best friends, Squirtle and Ivysaur, were finally back.
The crew from Hyrule nodded in contentment at Ganondorf's return to his Ocarina of time look. Then, the music stopped for a minute. Someone in the crowd gasped at the backdrop about half a second before the next character was revealed.
"SNAKE'S BACK!" Toon shrieked, as those from the third tournament erupted into cheers. It got even more hectic as words typed themselves over Snake's image.
EVERYONE IS HERE!
Pikachu was standing on Samus' head, and his eyes lit up at the sight of his baby brother. Lucina and Dark Pit seemed confused by the small "E" symbols next to their names. The crew from Hyrule again burst into cheers at seeing Young Link again. Even Fox and Falco seemed happy, or at least satisfied, seeing that Wolf was back. Finally, the name of the tournament faded into view.
SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE
The lights came back on as the screen darkened. The crowd rose to their feet, in a riot of applause. Master Hand and his brother bumped fists. "I tHiNk We NaIlEd It, BrO."
"Ladies, Gentlemen, and ROB," Master Hand said as the two hands' avatars walked back on stage. "Welcome, to the Ultimate Tournament." The crowd went wild again. "Thank you, all of you." Master Hand continued once the applause had died down. "Now, please give a round of applause for all of your friends. Let's give them a warm welcome home."
As the returning veterans joined their friends, the gathered heroes and villains continued to cheer them on. Charizard watched as Red, who was accompanied by Leaf, approached his table. He doused Red in an affectionate burst of flame. "It's good to see you too, buddy." Red said, burying his face in Charizard's embrace. "I missed you." Charizard crooned, before glancing up at Leaf.
"Hi, Charizard." She said, petting the fire lizard's chin. "I got invited too. My team's looking forward to seeing you again."
Pichu joined Pikachu at their table, but as it got closer, Pikachu noticed something was right. "Pika, pika pikachu. Pika Pika?" He squeaked. (Hang on, you're not my brother. Who are you?)
"Pi Pichu. Pichu pi." The smaller rodent replied. (I'm your niece. Daddy says hi.) She fished a picture from the fur on her back, showing her and her dad, a Raichu, in what looked like an office.
"Pika pi?" Pikachu asked. (Is he at my office?)
"(Yeah. He said he'd keep things going while you were here.)" Pichu explained. "(Yeah. He said he'd keep things going while you're out. Besides, the invitation specifically called for a Pichu.)"
"What's going on, buddy?" Samus asked, her voice sore from cheering.
"(You know how us Pokémon reps are from different worlds, right?)" He asked. She nodded. "(Well, in my world, I work as a detective. And no, I'm not THAT Detective Pikachu. That's just a huge coincidence. But my brother always wanted to follow in my paw prints, so I guess he's running things down at the precinct in my absence. But I didn't know he had a daughter.)"
"(Well, it's nice to meet you, Uncle.)" Pichu said. "(I look forward to testing my skills in this tournament)."
"(Me too,)" Pikachu squeaked back.
Meanwhile, a large ruckus over by King Dedede's table drew the Brawl tournament veterans over. Captain Falcon had a shoulder slung over the retired mercenary's shoulder, and everyone who'd been there for the third tournament were eager to catch up with their old friends.
"Eheheheheh," Dedede chuckled heartily, as he embraced his old buddies. "How've ya been, you two?"
"Oh, it's been nuts, triple D." Nana said happily. "I gotta say, it's good to be back."
"Heh, it hasn't been the same without you guys." The penguin king replied. "Now we can finally have some quality time in the Hammer club again!"
"So," Samus asked, turning her attention to Snake. "What have you been up to, soldier?"
"Eh, been in retirement." Snake shrugged, with Kirby still clinging to his leg for dear life. "I've been up in Alaska with Otacon and Sunny, training for the Iditarod."
"Oh, you don't say." Zelda said, walking over to greet him. "And how has that been going for you?"
"Well," Snake began. "The dogs are still a bit young to compete. Give them a few more months and they'll be ready."
"Puppies?" Rinka chimed in, excitedly.
Snake looked down at the small child. Then he looked at Zelda. "Is she yours?"
Zelda chuckled as she picked Rinka up. "What gave it away?"
Snake smirked. "The elf ears, for one thing." He joked.
The various reunions were interrupted when Master Hand cleared his throat. "Yes, yes, it's good to see that everyone's back. But we have a few more rules and announcements to go over.
"Question," Lucina said, raising her hand. At the nod from Master Hand, she continued. "Pittoo and I noticed that there were little E symbols next to our names."
Dark Pit groaned at that dreaded name, but otherwise ignored it. "What she's trying to say, is what exactly does that mean?"
"Ah, of course." Master Hand replied, clasping his hands together. "Those are meant to signify that you two are 'Echo' fighters. That means that you two are given the same basic movesets and statistics of other fighters, those being Sir Marth and Pit, respectively."
Lucina nodded, understanding the situation. Master Hand grinned. "And, it gets even better. Please welcome the two newest Echo fighters."
The fighters turned to the stage, as two new figures arrived on stage, one at a time. The first erupted from nowhere, in an explosion of orange flower petals.
"I'm here, baby!" The figure in question shouted, revealing herself as the princess of Sarasaland herself, Daisy. This earned more applause from the denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom, especially Luigi.
The orange clad princess bowed deeply. "Thank you, thank you." Then, she ran off the stage and practically bowled into her cousin, Peach. "Hiya, cousin. So good to see you."
"I could say the same, Daisy." Peach said cheerfully.
Then, Daisy turned to Luigi. "Hey, Weege. Miss me?" The green clad plumber blushed, before Daisy scooped him up in a tight hug, kissing him on the forehead.
"It's-a g-good to see you, Daisy." He stammered. Daisy chuckled.
"Okay," Sonic asked, even as he and his brothers chuckled at the display. "That's one. Who's the other?"
Master Hand just smiled. "I think I'll just let him introduce himself."
As if on cue, a figure dropped down from the rafters onto the stage. He looked up and smirked. "Hey, everyone." He said. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles gasped in shock as a humanoid form landed on the stage, before he stood up. Everyone else, aside from Daisy for some reason, seemed completely lost on who this was.
He stood about five feet tall, with navy blue hair, shimmering green eyes, and skin that seemed just slightly fake. He smirked and waved to the crowds. "I'm looking forward to meeting you all. I gotta say, I'm honored to be here with all of you."
His actions did nothing to clear up everyone's confusion. At least until Sonic shouted, "Metal?!" Then, the boy's eyes locked with the hedgehog's own, and the boy on stage immediately froze up. He suddenly wished he was anywhere else.
Realization began to dawn on the other fighters, and Mario turned to his old rival turned best friend, and said, "That's-a Metal Sonic? He looks-a so different."
Knuckles was the first to clarify. "He just goes by Metal, now." He explained. "And it's a long story."
As this was going on, Master Hand was going through some more things on his list. "Now that that's been settled," He said. "I have a few more rules to go over. No smoking will take place inside. So Snake, as happy as everyone is to have you back, please save your smoking habits for when you're outside. Also, to the Inkling kids, if any ink is found on the walls, it will be the responsibility of whomever left it there to clean it up. The Waddle Dees have enough to do around the house. In fact, this applies to everyone. Please be aware of the messes you all leave, and remember to clean up after yourselves.
"Now, I already mentioned that roommate situations from last tournament have not changed. However, seeing as we have new residents this time around, as well as returning veterans, there are a few additions. Metal will be bunking with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Daisy will be sharing a room with Peach and Rosalina. Snake will be returning to share his room with Captain Falcon and Lucario. Jake will be sharing a room with Ness, Lucas, and Popo. Nana and Megan will be sharing a room with Rinka, as she is now old enough to have her own room. In addition..."
Meanwhile, Sonic was guiding Metal to their table. "Dude," Sonic said, as the two of them sat down. "I haven't seen you in months. What on Earth happened, man?"
Metal just clutched his arm, guilt written on his face. "I...I don't want to talk about it just yet."
Tails placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay, man. If you're not ready to talk about it, that's fine. Just know that we'll be there when you're ready."
Metal smiled. "Thanks, bro." He said. He put an arm around Sonic and another over Tails and Knuckles. "I really missed you guys."
"Oh, I'm sure that you all will have a lot to look for in the coming months." Master Hand continued. "I must apologize, but at this current time, I cannot divulge everything concerning the upcoming tournament. But I'm sure you all understand why. Also, as an extra amount of attention was poured into accommodating everyone this time. This means that you all shouldn't get your hopes up for too many new recruits." There was a pause. "However, we do have one more surprise for now."
Over at Link's table, Shulk's eyes glossed over with blue light. "Uh, oh." He said. "I'm plugging my ears now." He put his hands over his ears and shut his eyes.
"What's wrong, Shulk?" Link asked.
"We're 'bout to find out, mate." Shulk responded grimly.
Cloud shut his eyes and crossed his fingers, muttering, "Anyone but Sephiroth, anyone but Sephiroth, anyone but Sephiroth."
At that moment, something rumbled behind the wall on stage. Then, in a burst of flames, a large shape exploded from the wall. The massive form of Ridley took the stage, earning horrified gasps from most of the fighters. He threw his head back and screeched. Then he surveyed his new batch of victims, relishing in the fear he sensed from them all. Except one.
"ARE YOU (HONK)ING KIDDING ME?!" Samus screamed, her voice cracking from the strain. In a second, she was flying to her feet and summoning her armor. She took aim at Ridley as Zelda wrapped her arms around Rinka protectively. Pikachu leapt onto the table and readied himself for battle, his cheek pouches crackling with electricity.
Most of the other Smashers simply flinched at Samus' outburst, and Link was half expecting her to open fire on the massive space pirate. Instead, she turned her arm cannon on Master Hand's avatar and started unloading rounds of plasma fire at him.
"HOW DARE YOU LET THAT MONSTER INTO THIS TOURNAMENT?!" Samus screamed, even as Master Hand threw up a defensive barrier to absorb the blows without risking damage to the room, or the other fighters.
After another minute of protective fury, Samus stopped firing, breathing heavily. Then she stepped out of her armor and stormed off. "I'm going to let off some steam in the dojo," She seethed, her body still trembling with rage. Then she fixed the Hand's Avatar with a glare that could have turned Medusa to stone. "And then you and I are going to have a very long talk about this."
Metal, who'd been frozen along with nearly everyone else, leaned over to Sonic and whispered, "Uhh, I don't want to sound ignorant, but what exactly was that about?"
"Ridley is Samus' nemesis," Sonic explained. "He killed her parents in front of her when she was just a kid."
Metal's eyes widened. "Yikes," He said. "That almost makes what I did seem like nothing."
A/N: Yeah, I'mma just end it there for now. I know, I have a lot to explain here. And I'll try to have it come up in future chapters, you know, so it feels less like I'm dumping exposition on you guys. But yeah, Samus is rightfully pissed with the idea of her nemesis being in the tournament, especially with her daughter around.
Also, I accidentally typed Ganondork the first time, but decided to add it as Link's freudian slip instead of deleting it altogether. So that was as much my freudian slip as it was Link's.
As for what Metal did that was so bad, well...let's just say, stay tuned.
Until then, please Read, Review, Favorite, and Follow, and I'll see you all next time. Peace out, and may the Force be with you. Always.