The Dawn of Chaos

A/N: So this is the new Super Smash Brothers Brawl story I wanted to write. I may update on a very strange schedule, but I'll try not to give up on it. The main characters will most likely be my favorite characters, so sorry if you're unhappy about my main cast.

I haven't played too many videogames, just a few Mario games, Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, one Kirby game, one Star Fox game, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, and some others I may have forgotten. So, since I know most about Ike's game, Path of Radiance, I may introduce elements of that game more often than others. Bear with me, that is the game I currently know most about. If I knew more about the Earthbound series, as Ness is my favorite, I'd put more stuff about that game, but I know nothing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Nintendo or any related items, and anything that may seem familiar.

-

Chapter 1

Mario was the mustachioed hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, always saving Princess Peach and his world from certain doom at the paws of Bowser, or whatever evil force that was present. He was a renowned champion, easy to distinguish with his ever-present trademark red hat and blue overalls. Everyone in his world knew his name, who he was.

When a mysterious white glove with a booming voice appeared to him one night, Mario wasn't sure what to think. Gloves were inanimate objects to begin with, after all, and how could one get that large, be able to float? But, for reasons still unknown to him, Mario accepted the glove's proposal – to enter a multidimensional fighting competition – and entered a world beyond his wildest imagination.

This was a world where nothing was impossible. This was a world where universes joined together. This was a world where heroes of other lands, of other galaxies, were able to meet with one another. This was a world where, although everyone was famous in their own way, no one knew each other's names.

And so began the first Super Smash Brothers tournament.

There were seven other heroes whom Mario fought alongside and against. The swordsman Link, a legend in his homeland of Hyrule; the pilot Fox, a humanoid vulpine who had saved his galaxy; Kirby, a cheerful puffball who saved his planet numerous times; Samus, a ruthless and powerful bounty hunter who was surprisingly female; Pikachu, an electric mouse with shocking strength and speed; even Mario's old friends Donkey Kong and Yoshi, a large gorilla and a green dinosaur, had joined the fray.

Midway through the competition, the glove, who was called Master Hand, introduced four new fighters. Luigi, Mario's brother and a worthy warrior in his own right; Jigglypuff, a pale pink singing puffball, Pikachu's fellow Pokemon; Captain Falcon, a bounty hunter and racer; and Ness, a young psychic boy.

The tournament was a success – in more ways than one. Not long after it had ended, the strange Master Hand had announced a second tournament, Super Smash Brothers Melee. The twelve veterans returned and were joined by thirteen newcomers.

Some of the new contestants were greatly welcomed. Mario and Link were thrilled to find that their princesses, Peach and Zelda, would be taking part. Pikachu and Jigglypuff enthusiastically received their fellow Pokemon, Mewtwo and Pichu. Fox's wingman and close friend, Falco, had also entered the competition and the two pilots were rarely seen apart. Ness was ecstatic with the arrival of the Ice Climbers, a boy and a girl of his own age who fought together.

Other newcomers brought with them plenty of confusion. The swordsmen Marth and Roy spoke in a language that none but the Master Hand and his newfound cohort Crazy Hand could understand. Link and his younger counterpart continuously gave each other confused looks while Mario puzzled over how he could be present as both himself and a doctor – at the same time, nevertheless. Mr. Game and Watch was a two-dimensional figure and easily overlooked, due to his ability to blend in with the background at a certain angle.

There were two fighters who were met with hostility. Bowser and Ganondorf, the archrivals of Mario and Link and the only villains, were not well-received. Mario and Luigi exchanged glares and sneers with Bowser, while the Links and Zelda steered clear of Ganondorf. The other heroes refused to have anything to do with them.

Melee was an even greater success than it's predecessor, and it was no surprise to anyone when Master Hand and Crazy Hand planned for a third competition, this time called Super Smash Brothers Brawl.

It was to the disappointment of almost everyone, however, when Dr. Mario, Young Link, Roy, Pichu, and Mewtwo were said to not be returning. Roy could not participate in the third installment of Super Smash Brothers, due to his responsibilities in his homeland. Mewtwo had disappeared shortly after the end of the second tournament and the Hands were unable to find him. Dr. Mario and Pichu, who were not fighters by nature, expressed their desire for a non-combatant lifestyle. Young Link said that it felt too weird to be present in the same timeline as his future self, and thought it for the best if he returned to his quiet life.

Super Smash Brothers Brawl had more fighters than ever, thirty-five in total. Fifteen of them were newcomers. Samus gained the ability to fight without her Power Suit, and the veterans were allowed an additional powerful attack for their move set.

The Brawl tournament was to be considerably longer than the previous two Super Smash Brothers competitions were. In addition to the traditional warm-up matches, which had no winners or losers and only served to introduce everyone's fighting style, there were many battle modes present – a two-on-two team battle, a free-for-all with four competitors at once, and the main one-on-one.

After a week of awkwardness and first meetings, the introductory warm-up battles had finally come to an end. The smashers were enjoying a rare break from fighting, the first of a short three-day vacation before the free-for-all tourney began.

"Ah …" Ness sat up and stretched, a large grin on his face. "It's such a nice day to be outside."

"Well, of course," Pit, one of Ness's newfound friends, said. The young angel kept his eyes shut to the rays of the sun that threatened to blind him. "Island Delfino is always nice and sunny."

"Hey, you think that Mr. Mario would ever let us visit the real Island Delfino?" Popo, the boy of the Ice Climbers pair, asked. He poked his fellow climber Nana in the side when she didn't respond.

"Mr. Mario said that he fought Mr. Bowser and his minions on the real island," she replied, cracking an eye open to glare at her partner.

"Yeah, what a vacation!" Pit laughed.

"This may be nothing more than a virtual simulation of an actual place, as Master Hand puts it," Ness said, "but it's good enough for me."

"I don't know …" Lucas, a newcomer and the most timid of the group, pressed his fingers together. "W-we're not supposed to be here … Mr. Hand told us that we can't be in here unless there's an actual fight!"

Pit sighed and shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Lucas," he said, slightly annoyed with his younger companion's worries. "It's not like bad things will happen if we're here."

"Of course not!" Popo smirked mischievously. "What do you think we'll happen? Maybe we'll get stuck here and we'll never be able to get out!" He and Pit burst into raucous laughter.

"Popo, cut it out," Nana said warningly, partly due to sympathy for Lucas and partly due to her own mounting uneasiness.

Ness, ignoring both Pit and Popo, smiled at Lucas. "They're just joking. That can't happen."

"Are you sure?" Lucas's eyes were tearing up.

"Listen to Ness, he's been here the longest," Nana said, shooting Popo and Pit another glare. "He knows what he's talking about."

"Ahem." The five young fighters jumped and turned to the source of the sound. Marth was standing behind them, his arms crossed and a somewhat amused look on his face. "Having fun?"

"Oh, Marth, is it?" Pit stood up and approached the swordsman, his back straight in an attempt to look taller. "And how do you do?"

A hint of a smile tugged at Marth's lips. Mentally and physically, the blue-haired prince was the oldest person present at the moment. But Pit, who was an angel and immortal, was most likely hundreds of years old. It didn't stop him from acting like a kid, though. Fighting to keep his expression nonchalant, Marth said, "I am fine, Pit. But may I ask you, what are all of you doing here? I was under the impression that access to brawl stages was forbidden in the absence of battle."

Lucas gulped, but Nana was the first to speak up. "O-oh, Prince Marth!" Her face was flushed red. "We knew it was wrong, but … but Popo wouldn't listen!" she blurted.

"What?" Popo's eyes were wide with disbelief.

Marth chuckled, his voice soft and light. "Do not worry about it, I am not angry. But I would advise you not to stay long." His eyes glazed over and his expressionless mask returned. "The next person who catches you may not be so pleasant."

"Got it!" Ness nodded. "All right, everyone," he said, turning to his friends, "let's go!"

Nana looked horrified at Ness's informality. Marth was a prince, for crying out loud! Had he no shame! But Marth only chuckled again, unperturbed with being addressed so casually. She turned red, giggled shyly, and fled the stage.

"Y-yes, sir, Prince Marth, sir!" Lucas was quick to leave the Delfino Island arena, although for different reasons as Nana. Despite Marth's friendliness and easygoing manner, he still feared the prince, as he did almost everyone else.

Ness waved to Marth before hurrying after Nana and Lucas. Popo and Pit bid him farewell as they walked past, but did bother to be too respectful. As they exited the arena, Marth thought he heard Popo say to Pit, "It's hard to believe that just last tournament he was going around speaking in a language no one else could understand."

"Popo!" Nana's voice was followed by a loud smack.

"Ouch! Why, Nana, why?"

Laughing quietly at the kids' antics, Marth took his leave as well. After all, it would not bode well for him if he were caught in a battle arena. Ness, the Ice Climbers, Lucas, and Link's doppelganger Toon Link had their excuses. They were only children. Pit was an immortal and probably older than everyone other than the Hands, but his appearance and behavior were those of a child, and so he got away with the same things as Ness and the other young competitors. But Marth was a young man, a prince, and expected to know better.

Marth sighed as he walked down the halls, wondering what he could do to pass the time. He had stumbled upon the kids at the Delfino Island stage because he was looking for Ness. The prince and the psychic were surprisingly close for two people of different worlds, different time periods, and a significant age gap. But seeing how Ness was occupied with other matters, Marth found himself at a loss for ideas. The training arenas were not open, and everyone else seemed to have other things to do. Marth was so busy thinking that he bumped into someone coming in the opposite from him.

"Please, pardon me," Marth said, giving a slight bow. "I was careless, I am sorry."

"No, no, I'm – oh …" The young man's apology trailed into silence, and Marth was a little dismayed to see that he had walked into Ike. "Prince Marth." The blue-haired mercenary nodded stiffly. "How do you do?" Without waiting for a response, he continued on his way.

"Good day," Marth called after him, knowing it was a lost cause. He drew in a sharp breath. Ike, a swordsman from the same world as his, was a bit of an enigma. Although he was blunt and straightforward, he had no problem getting along with certain people. But he was also silent and brooding at times, too. He also seemed to have a distaste for nobles and royalty. Mario, Link, Fox, and Samus were four fighters whom Ike seemed to get along with. He tolerated Ness, Lucas, the Ice Climbers, Toon Link, and the Pokemon. He was cold and detached towards Peach, Zelda, and Marth.

Well, no matter. Marth didn't expect for the other brawlers to accept him as a close friend or treat him with extreme respect. In the Hand's world, social standing was of very little importance. The strength and character of a person led others to respect him or her.

Speaking of strength and character, Marth briefly wondered if Mario would be willing to spar with him for a while. The last time he checked on the mustachioed, red-capped hero, Mario had been playing party games with Peach, Link, and Zelda and he didn't want to interrupt. Maybe Mario would let him join in. And if not, he could always train by himself. Swinging a sword around, even if it was at nobody in particular, was always great practice.

Now with a new fire coursing in his veins, Marth confidently headed to where he had last seen Mario, Link, and their princesses. Vacation days were slow, and they were usually uneventful. But with no schedules and nothing planned ahead of time, anything was possible.

Indeed … anything could happen. At any given time.

And anything was what happened when, unbeknownst to Master Hand, who was omnipotent to the activities of his competitors' worlds, chaos started brewing in the continent of Tellius. A simple bronze medallion in the forest started to glow blue, signaling the advent of an impending calamity. One that threatened to engulf not only its world, but also every other world in existence.

-

A/N: If anyone was wondering what that introduction with Mario was all about, I picked him because he's probably the most well-known character of everyone in Brawl. It's about these great heroes getting together.

Path of Radiance is the most recent game that I've played, so I will use some elements from that game and it might be a big part of the plot. I'm not sure yet, but don't be upset, the Brawlers are still going to be the main characters.