This story contain possible 'World of Light' spoilers of the whole game. However, there will be instances where the story deviates from the original campaign.
If you have not seen it, move away now.
For further information, please check the Author's Note at the end of the chapter.
The world is cruel, so cruel.
That every existence of Humanity should be burn to ashes.
Why? Because they deserved it.
War, Corruption, Betrayal, Pollution, Murder, Discrimination...
The crimes that they have committed are now remembered though generation to generation.
They will repeat the same tragic history...
They will never learn from their mistakes.
The lack of discipline has caused horrendous effect to the world.
There are Humans who betrayed their fellow kind, there were also Humans who abused their talents for power, and there are Humans who are slowly destroying the world they are living in.
And when everything has gone shattered, one can only turn to something that they can hold on to save their own Life.
A kind of Escape for them to stay sane in the dark world.
Because Life is nothing more than a Fabricated World of Imagination.
Everything existed is nothing more but Figments of who they once were...
.
.
.
Hello?
Is anybody here?
Hello?
It's dark...
Too dark...
And quiet...
Very quiet...
Where are everyone?
Please, come out!
I'm scared...
Where am I?
I can't see anything.
I'm scared...
Captain Falcon? Samus?
Fox? Link?
Jigglypuff? Pikachu?
Yoshi? Donkey Kong?
Ness?
Luigi?
WHERE ARE YOU?!
.
.
.
I'm scared... I don't want to be alone...
I'm scared... I don't want to be alone...
Everything was supposed to be fine...
Everything was supposed to be peaceful...
But IT took everyone away...
But IT took all of us away...
Why?
Why did all of this happen?
What did we do wrong to deserve this?
Is it because we exist?
It wasn't our choice to be born or made.
It wasn't our choice to have the gifts that we have possessed.
It wasn't our choice whether to live or die.
Perhaps if we don't exist, then what would happen next?
Will anyone be happy if we don't exist?
Will the person who caused our existence happy if we don't exist?
Are we truly capable of living a happy life?
Or are we just slaves on playing a role in a story?
Is there a Creator who has a reason why they created this new story?
Or there wasn't a plot to begin with?
We want to know.
Who
Are
We?
.
.
.
Oh no...
MA -
"KIRBY!"
Panting heavily like an exhausted athlete, Mario took his time to process everything from his unconscious dream to him screaming the name of the young puffball fighter.
"Where... Where am I? What am I doing here?" He whispered as his azure eyes shifted, trying to take a closer look at the unrecognizable place.
It's dark, the only source of light was the one above him. Everywhere else is pitch black. He has to move or do something. He knows he doesn't belong here.
When Mario 'started' to move, he suddenly feels heavy. His arms, legs, even his whole body! He couldn't physically feel anything.
"Wha... Huh?! What is this?! Why - "
Wrapped around his body were glowing blue wires. Thin, yet strong enough to hold a 'fat' man like Mario. By instinct, Mario started to writhe himself out when he learned that the wires are tight like he's been covered with cement or something, but that doesn't mean he should give up.
He didn't care how sealed he was as long as he breaks free, the bound man soon thrash his body until he could hear the wires snapping.
"Almost there!" He mustered most of his strength before he couldn't. Thankfully, the blue glow discharged as the wires finally break and scatter below. But because of how much force Mario put, he loses his balance and tripped. He thought he would fall in an endless pit when his face hits on the solid floor. He thought he would fall in an endless pit when his face hits on the solid floor. When he recovers as his gloved hand reaches for his head, instead of fixing the rim of his well-known cap, he could only sense the follicles of his hair.
The look on his face says it all.
Panic slowly kicks in, "Cappy? Cappy, where are you?!"
His voice echoes in the darkness, but he cannot hear a single yelp from the Bonneter. The man took a pause, trying to at least jog his memory. Mario is sure Cappy is with him, he had his word not to leave his ghostly companion after what happened with a flying monster named Ridley. Samus' enemy who murdered her parents when she's young. It remained questionable why the Original 12, sans Mario, agreed to keep him as a Smash Fighter under Samus of all people.
Why? That is for Samus to answer that...
The word 'Alive' tingles his mind -
~O~
Witnessing Sonic and Pikachu's disintegration by the attacking beams, Mario quickly grabs the brim of his cap and twisted his whole body.
He swallowed his throat, "GO ON WITHOUT ME! JUST GO, CAPPY! AND STAY ALIVE! GO!"
The plumber used all of the momentum his throwing his own cap in a good distance away from the incoming beams. The said cap actually morphs into a ghost-like creature who quickly flies without looking back at Mario.
~O~
His hand limply covers his agape mouth, "Stay alive... Please be okay, Cappy..."
The flash of memory gives him the feeling of a pang in his mind that he started to run. Mario didn't look back at the place where he was held captive before, he's much more worried about the other fighters... If he could remember a thing though.
What happened to me?
How could this happen?
Why is everything so dark?
Why is everything so quiet?
Everyone... Where is everyone?
Are they alright?
He dashes towards the dark of the unknown place and finds himself calling the other fighters' names.
"Bowser? Isabelle?" Mario cries for the names of the Koopa King and the Secretary.
"Mac? Ken? Wario? Where are you?!"
"Popo? Nana? Red? Show yourself!"
"Shulk! Ike! Cereza! Answer me!"
No one called back to Mario. He only screams at nothing.
With a heavy breath, he drops on his knees.
"None of this makes any sense..." the exhausted man peered at his shaking hands before forming a fist. Mario's eyes shifted to his left and right, everything is dark. The light and the podium where he stood before is now disappeared. This made his shaking hands tremble violently and the intense ringing agonizes his ears.
Mario covers his ears, "What's going on in here? Where am I? What am I doing in here? Wasn't I supposed to fight unless... Unless ...I'm dead."
He froze.
Am I really dead?
If I'm dead then...
NO!
"No, no, no, no!" He cried in anguish that it soon causes him to hyperventilate.
Luigi... Daisy... Peach...
Pit... Zelda... Olimar...
Why...
Mario's vision hazes as the warmth of his tears formed a small puddle.
What did I do to deserve this?!
I was trying to protect them!
I was supposed to save everyone...
Why can't I do my job right?!
"I failed... I screw up! They'll never forgive me..." he sobs.
This is how the so-called 'Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom' break. When everything disappears, so does he.
Was it his fault?
Of course, that's what he thinks. And Mario had to suffer this kind of burden on his own, it's probably for the best in his opinion.
~O~
The scent of burning corpses almost made him puke. Bowser disintegrates right in front of him just as before he could grasp the Koopa King's tail.
Instead of standing there and mourn, Mario continues to run.
"Why can't you stop being so stubborn..." he looked back to the spot where Bowser's body withers into ashes.
~O~
"I'm... sorry... I'm so sorry!" Mario's hands began to claw his hair.
~O~
"RUN! NOW!" Shulk cries as the light in the sky shines brighter ominously.
All of the fighters dazed at the panicked Monado wielder.
"Now?!" Link, the Champion of Hyrule, echoed his friend's command.
Shulk pleaded, "We have to go! NOW!"
Then the dark void in the sky explodes.
~O~
The rush of memories scared him, but he struggled to ease down his breathing.
"IT... happened."
~O~
"Meta Knight! Dedede!" the pink puffball cried who attempts to break away from Mario's grasp.
"Kirby, stop it! Please!" he begged.
The armored warrior and the hammer-wielding king stood in front of the two.
King Dedede gave Kirby a strict glare while raising his voice in the middle of the chaos, "Just listen to us, Boyo! If you and Mario don't get out of here, then we will all die and no more desserts for you! Understand?! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!"
It sounds out of nowhere. But for Kirby, it's a different meaning and he truly understands that.
He knew Dedede was right. It's just too painful to accept it. The only thing Kirby could do now is to sob, that he doesn't have the will to resist anymore.
Mario could only watch Kirby expressing his emotions before he lifted the child and gently embraced the boy into a hug.
King Dedede smiled sincerely as he grips his hammer while looking at the sky.
The plumber looked at Meta Knight in sorrow, "I'm so sorry..."
The masked one nodded, "Please keep our friend safe for us."
And so, Mario ran while keeping Kirby safe in his arms as he dodges the beams.
The last thing the two remembered were the screams of Dedede and Meta Knight.
Yet, they didn't look back.
~O~
Mario paused. The tears stopped flowing and his eyes broaden.
~O~
"- These little sparks cling on to Life. Everyone caught in the struggle..." the running fighter sang in tune, still holding Kirby from the onslaught attack they're evading from.
As long as they don't look back, they have to keep on going. No matter what.
Jumping left and right, Mario did not stop.
The man observed the other Smash Fighters trying their best to block, destroy, or outrun the beams away. Mario could have jumped in and helped them, but he has his priority set on Kirby.
" - And then the storms of change, they fan the flames. Scattering ashes to the wind..."
The bloodshed continues.
The agonizing cries were blocked by Mario's heartbreaking lullaby.
~O~
" - Every soul contains a whisper of light. Gleaming faintly as it dwindles from sight..." he chanted the song from his memory.
The lonely Smash Fighter wipes his tears, " - No escape, no greater Fate to be made. In the end, the Chains of Time will not break..."
"I... I remember..."
~O~
Mario looked up at the breaking sky, his eyes followed the trails of stars outrunning the rays.
He was thankful that Fox and Shulk helped them.
He smiles solemnly, " - Colors weave into a spire of flame..."
This time, Kirby looked back at Mario from below. The only person he sees before looking ahead.
The pink puffball boy gaze at the clouds with a fierce look as the Warp Star reaches to the limit, "- Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed..."
Kirby continues to sing as he disappears from Mario's sight.
The man with the overalls stood strong as the ray of glowing light approaching him fast.
Mario admits that he's scared of what will happen to him, but it does not matter anymore.
With a deep breath, he placed his hands on his chest and sings.
" - Bear this torch against the cold of the night."
The beam was right behind him.
He closed his eyes shut.
" - Search your soul and reawaken the UNDYING LIGHT!"
Then darkness came.
~O~
Suddenly, a tiny glint caught his eye.
A light. And not just any light, but a small spark of Light that stays lit from the harrowing darkness.
Mario stayed awestruck for seconds before snapping out of the trance. He remembered what happened to him in the past. He remembered seeing Kirby flying away from danger. He remembered singing the lullaby until his last breath. Perhaps not all is lost. Kirby cried out his name from the dream, it has to be real.
There's still hope.
"Light will guide you..." he mutters as he stood up from his feet.
If he can hear Kirby, then there is a possibility that the others are alive too. He just hoped the child is still alive once he gets out and they might have a chance to find their other families and friends too.
Immediately, he scurried towards the light as fast as he can. Having high hopes that the light will not cease. He wanted to see the light at the end of the somber tunnel.
He was almost there until -
THE WORLD
WILL PAY
A TERRIBLE PRICE
SHCK-
Pain.
It was nothing at first, but it's slowly creeping into him. And because of that pain, he doesn't have the nerve to move... or breathe. Mario was able to pick up on what's happening when he stared on whatever is sticking out of his chest.
A sword. And not just any kind of sword, he knows what kind of sword it was because it belonged to a friend of his. It's none other than the Master Sword, Link's Master Sword. Mario realized it's not just the Master Sword he's looking at, but Marth's Falchion and one of the Mii Fighter's sword have pierced into his body.
Mario went speechless as the red blood started to seep from his clothes and creating a small puddle on the ground. Then, the man felt something clogging up his throat that, by instinct, cough it out; revealing blood dripping from his mouth.
Despite the pain, Mario looked back to find out who could have done this to him. He couldn't believe the sight he is seeing.
Behind him were Link, Marth, and the young Mii Swordfighter named Taylor; who was supposedly reduced to ashes from the disaster, is not only alive in one piece, but they are also the ones who had their hands holding their respective weapons that were lodged into Mario.
And that's not the worst part...
"Every...one?" He choked.
From the dusk standing are the Smash Fighters, the people who are his friends and his family are standing right behind them. It's dark, but he's able to recognize their shadows. All of the people who got struck by the beams are literally present. Mario is horrified when they, along with the three swordsmen, have eyes that LOST ITS LIVELY GLOW while smiling ominously. It's like they're fond of watching him getting literally stabbed in the back.
Tears started to stream over his eyes again, "I don't understand..."
Mario was trapped in an unknown place and had to look for his missing friends. He thought they were gone, the imprisoned even thinks he's dead before.
He SAW them getting brutally disintegrated by the beams.
Those fighters didn't even notice that Mario was worried about them. By the time he was able to find a way out, they were actually behind him the whole time. They could have come out and called his name. He could have wait for the others to gather and leave the place without losing one member.
That should have been the plan unless...
They were waiting for the right moment to strike him. What on earth were they thinking of not even bothering to help Mario and decided to hurt him from the inside out instead?
Seeing the fighters alive and letting Link, Marth, and Taylor stab him is just as heart wrenching when they are standing there in glee.
"I was looking... for all of you," Mario glared at the Mushroom Kingdom's princess, Peach, whose smirk has been irking the man. "I thought you were dead... I thought we're all dead..." His teary eyes shifted to Donkey Kong, "But you're all here... You were... You were - Ack!"
The eerie smiles of the sword-wielders did not falter as they pushed the weak Mario down on the ground. It's still surprising he could still breathe despite losing a lot of blood while the heavy swords possibly damaged anything inside his body.
I saw them dead. I know what I saw!
Their bodies burned into ashes. I thought they're gone. No one could have survive that...
But they're here...
Everyone is here...
But their eyes... it's almost as if... they're already dead...
The bleeding man was having a hard time breathing because of the fatal injuries, he wasn't even sure if one of the blades hit his lungs. He slowly turns his head around to see the light is still present. Close, but still far. Mario then looked back to the fighters... his friends... his family...
Those traitors.
"How... How could you... HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" Mario cried as he pushes his own cripple body only to drop when his hand slipped on the puddle of his own blood. The traitors remained unresponsive. Even the three did not bother to move right after they plowed their swords into Mario and lay the man to his slow death.
Mario tried again to at least rise up to his knees, being careful not to slip from the puddle. He had one hand holding to the blade of the Master Sword when he felt Link's weapon dug into his wounds more.
He grit his teeth from the pain he's experiencing, "Why... why are you... trying to kill me?!"
The silence rings through his head, they were staring at him with their LIFELESS eyes.
"Did I do something wrong?! Is that why you did it?!"
He craved for an answer from the fighters. And again, they did not say a single word to Mario. Why do they keep ignoring his question?
"You... all are just going to stand there and... do NOTHING?!" Mario shrieked. They tested his patience and his life. He just wanted to figure out why they did it.
"I don't understand! We're Smash Brothers! We're supposed to be a family! I thought we're supposed to protect each other no matter what!" He choked when he couldn't stop the tears flowing from his eyes, the emotional pain is much more agonizing than his wounds.
Despite how stained Mario's gloves were, he used his free hand to wipe out the tears in his eyes. He sniffled, "Please say something! Anything! I just want to know! I did something unforgivable, didn't I? Did you have past grudges against me? Am I a bad leader? Do you hate me so much that you wished I was gone for good? Or was it my fault why we almost died in the disaster?"
Again, no one answered. Eveyone he knows were giving him the Silent Treatment like some angry parent who refused to talk to their annoying child.
He could only hung his head while staring at the ugly reflection on his puddle of blood.
"Please..."
IN THIS WORLD
TROPHIES FIGHT
The deep voice startled him. Not only it was loud, but he doesn't know who said it.
THEY KNOW NOTHING BUT FIGHTING
Something illuminated Mario from above, except the light is noticeably different. Instead of bright yellow, the glow is ominously blue. Which is almost the same color of his eyes.
FIGHTING IS THE SOLE REASON FOR THEIR EXISTENCE
If Mario doesn't know who the person speaking was, then how do they know about the Trophies? The only people who could have known how Trophies work were the Hands, but they're gone! In fact, the stranger is actually reciting what the Hands had told him a long time ago. Obviously, this alarms him. Could it be the perpetrator who captured them?
BEING TURNED BACK INTO A TROPHY
"Who are you?" He asked. The eerie voice and the peculiar light had froze him still. He could have ignore it and continue to walk to the path of light, but something just restrained him to do so against his will.
BEING UNABLE TO FIGHT
That line sounds like an insult to Mario, "Only Master Hand and Crazy Hand know about this! How did you know about us?!"
Anger slowly rises to him that he can finally has the chance to move his body for a bit.
IS MUCH LIKE DEATH
"Shut up!" Mario screamed, "Shut up! I don't want to hear another word from you!"
How dare that person belittle the Smash Fighters, including Kirby and himself, just because they're nothing but 'Trophies'.
THOSE ARE THE RULES OF THIS WORLD
It won't stop! He wanted to know who the heck that speaker is and give a taste of its own medicine while Mario still has the strength to fight.
His body moved as he search of the source of the mysterious captor, "Stop mocking us! Who are you?! What do you want from - !"
Mario stopped when he had his eyes on the fighters. He noticed they started to walk towards him, it doesn't feel right at all. They didn't move when it's between him and the ensemble. But when the suspicious voice came, that's when Mario found out that something is not right. It's almost like... like dolls that only move when someone wants any of those traitors to do their bidding.
But in the end, they still betrayed him. He could see it in their eyes.
They wanted this.
BUT
WHEN SOMEONE
SOMETHING
BREAK THOSE RULES
Then blue glow shines into deep red like blood and it became darker than the light he was trying to follow. His thoughts brought him to immediately look up when he was able to follow the voice.
Oh dear Creator, he wished he didn't.
Because right above him is a being single large, menacing eye whose body is nothing more but a colossal sharp tendrils that were raveled together with that eye.
"... What the - ?!"
THE WORLD
WILL PAY
A TERRIBLE PRICE
Its screech almost split his head in half if it wasn't for the existing injury, but that's not the only thing he should be scared about.
Suddenly, the horrifying creature starts to attack by lunging its tendrils towards Mario. The man was able to dodge quickly, he was shocked that he could have died if he didn't move on time. The only word that was throwing to his mind is 'Run'.
Mario pushed his body as much as he can to stand up and darted towards the kindled light. If the light did not falter, then so does he. He can't die! Not now!
Seeing its prey escaping brings out the creature screaming louder. Not only that, its howl was actually meant for the fighters. A calling. The people that Mario once befriended and loved did not hesitate to go after him.
Regardless of his injuries, Mario continued to run even though he feels like he's about to pass out soon. The man heard the creature screaming again, he knows that monster is ticked at the escapee. Something in his mind is telling him to look back, but he doesn't know exactly why he had to. When he did turned his head around and caught a glimpse of the fighters, he's disgusted on what he saw from them.
THE WORLD
WILL PAY
A TERRIBLE PRICE
Not only they were chasing him like zombies, they LOOK like zombies when he was able to see them properly now from the light.
Their clothes were tattered and scorched and they have wounds exposed in their bodies. Fighters such as Lucario and Donkey Kong lose some of their furs, while Lucina and Palutena had their formerly long hairs cut short.
What's scarier were their faces, because it's almost beyond recognition. All Mario could see were large cracks embedded on them, even Corrine has a large gaping hole on her forehead. That's where supposedly the human brain is, and she's still moving!
Goodness, they're not people anymore...
They're nothing but dolls...
This has to be a nightmare!
I'm asleep, aren't I?
They're trying to wake me up, right?
Wake up...
Wake up, Mario! WAKE UP!
The monster attempts to snare Mario with its appendages, but the reaction of its prey makes it difficult to catch him. Though the impact of each hit almost made him trip, he could also see bright cracks on the ground like shattered glass.
"HELP! HELP ME! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!" Mario screamed even though there was a pressure in his throat that blocked his voice.
Unfortunately, no one could hear the troubled man. It's just him, the people who he once called 'Family', and the one gigantic monster who was floating in front of him.
THE WORLD
WILL PAY
A TERRIBLE PRICE
Mario skidded to a stop, but this gives the monster a chance to hit him to the vital part of his body; his eyes.
"Ngh! AAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!"
Before he knew it, there was excruciating pain coming from his eyes in spite of able to close it on time except he didn't know where those tendrils had struck him. In addition to that, he could feel it wrapped around his head. It still hurts and now he couldn't even see the light he was trying to head on to. He tried to claw it out of his head but the monster tighten the coil, which makes it more unbearable.
Soon, the disfigured fighters were able to get ahold of Mario as the heavy weight of theirs restrained him from moving. He could hear them laughing at his weakened state.
WHEN SOMEONE
SOMETHING
BREAK THOSE RULES
THE WORLD
WILL PAY
A TERRIBLE PRICE
The creature recited the final words as if it was trying to taunt Mario from escaping.
"Stop... Just stop... Please stop... I beg of you..." Mario whimpered. As much as he wanted to move his legs, he couldn't when everyone was piling on him like a statue. He couldn't even see because of the monster snagged him from above and almost turning him into a puppet.
I'm scared! I'm so scared!
I don't want to be alone!
What did I do to deserve this?!
Fresh blood started to trickle below his bounded eyes, and the fighters had their fingers dig through his clothes. Even the swords that were etched to Mario slowly rips to his body further.
I wasn't able to save everyone.
That's why they're ripping me apart...
This must be my punishment...
The tendril that wrapped around Mario's eyes glows in dark purple. The sharp thorns begin to inject strange black liquid to wherever the tips pierced to the victim's skin. Mario could feel numbness to his body, and the pain from his wounds were slowly fading. He wasn't sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing because he is slowly losing his breath any second now.
I can't feel a thing...
I can't even breathe...
I feel like I'm going to disappear...
Cracks started to appear on Mario's face as if he's a porcelain doll. The fighters soon tear up his clothes and exposing his skin and wounds.
However, he did not bother to resist anymore.
I shouldn't have been created...
Everything is my fault...
Lifeless.
The light that Mario had searched for is still bright, but the wandering man is succumbing to the darkness by the monster slowly eating his own sentient life. The 'surviving' Smash fighter has lost his will to live. All he had to do now is to wait until he will become just like the others.
My fault...
My fault...
My...
.
.
.
"Mario!"
That voice sounds familiar...
"Mario!"
The soft, but sweet voice alarms him.
He knows that voice!
It's -
"MARIO!"
"KIRBY!"
The Star Warrior of Dreamland. The young veteran puffball fighter.
He and Kirby have known each other in the past. The innocent boy is sometimes the sunshine of the Smash Brothers despite the large appetite and naivete that everyone has to tolerate from. He always heard of stories on how the Star Warrior defeated numerous enemies that might have destroyed the universe by now, but Kirby treats that challenge as if he's chasing a moving ice cream truck. But under that bubbly persona is a scared child who is hiding from his own inner monsters. Mario knows when Kirby is scared, the child literally had trouble speaking up of his true feelings.
As a result, Kirby experiencing nightmares that he could not talk about. The child admitted that he couldn't talk to Meta Knight nor Dedede for the fear of retaliation. Mario was able to learn what nightmare it was...
What happened to him and the others... is Kirby's nightmare that came true.
"Mario! MARIO!"
"I'm coming, Kirby!" He heard the little puffball's screams.
Pain is now replaced with worry. How could he forget Kirby is still out there alone?
Mario started to wring himself out of his captors. Pushing anyone he could feel pulling him away from the light. It's the only way to find Kirby once he gets out of the scary darkness.
"I don't want to die! I can't die! Not now!" He chanted when he gets freed.
The one-eyed monster was bewildered by Mario's newfound determination. However, the creature does not forget that its prey is escaping and proceeds to yank the appendage that is wrapped around the man's eyes. It caught Mario off guard at first but he stood his ground. Even if the swords that impaled him are painfully slipping out of his wounds, he still keep on going.
I don't care if I'm hurt!
I don't care if I can't see!
I have to find Kirby!
He won't let anyone get in the way. He's almost close to the light. He can't lose to a monster questioning his existence.
"- Colors weave into a spire of flame..." Mario belted out the lullaby as he stretched his free arm, the warmth from the light became his guide.
The creature is getting frustrated from the endless tug of war against its prey and is about to crush the man's head into pulp if he still resists.
However, the monster noticed a small light glimmering inside the wrapped appendage that covered Mario's eyes.
"- Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed..."
The small light slowly crawls on the tendril. For the monster, the light brings pain that the strong pull weakens. The cracks that emerged on Mario's face also glows the similar light.
"- Bear this torch against the cold of the night..."
As fragile as the appendage is now, the monster's tendril breaks away from its prey.
"- Search your soul and reawaken the undying light!"
Mario is finally free from his captors and the force that he put against the monster becomes his leverage as he speed towards the bright light. This also reveals the state on what happened to the Smash Fighter's face as half of it covers blood from the lacerations he received. The cracks remains its glow when the shine reflects on the red liquid. He still can't see but doesn't care where the it heads, as long as he is not in the dark anymore. Then maybe... Just maybe... He could find his fellow Smash Fighter.
But then...
"Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect."
- Margaret Mitchell
As thin as ice, the floor that Mario took a step on suddenly SHATTERS below him like he's being led to a death trap all along.
Everything went too fast for him to progress. He could feel the immense strength of gravity weighing him down to wherever he's about to fall on, he couldn't even scream because of the pressure in his chest aside from his wounds. He even tried to open his eyes to no avail. It's hard to think about what will happen to him. Is he going to die for real? Was the light he goes after just a trap?
Mario does not know until he felt a solid surface just slammed him on his back. And because of the swords he was pierced on, the pain just came back to him and the blood just splattered on the ground.
"Ack! Gggghhh... Aaaaarrrgh!"
It was painful enough that he was able to open his wounded eyes. He was lucky the thorns from the tendrils didn't hit his eyeball, but his weak state made his vision blur. Mario had a hard time breathing, he was too exhausted to even lift his body. He could only stare at the gloomy sky with what it seems to be a dark hole cemented from above like broken glass.
On top of the literally demolished sky was the one eyed monster in accompany of the disfigured Smash Fighters looking down at his damaged figure. The Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom is now a wounded fighter crippling on the ground.
The harsh silence deafens Mario as the dismantled sky slowly reforms. Though the process is perilous when flashes of pitch-black lightning strikes within the vicinity. Walls of the canyon were blown up by the bolts of lightning and craters were formed on the ground. Instead of running away or looking for a place to hide, Mario remained laying on the ground. He could only watch as the hole diminish its existence with the Smash Fighters disappearing.
At the same time, he could have sworn he saw something sparkling in the distant sky. The spark materializes into comet-like trail that falls to the other side of the place that Mario landed on.
Just as before his vision fades to black, Mario had a glimpse of a small yet familiar pink figure seemingly attached to the comet as if they were riding it.
Mario stared in awe for the one fighter that brings hope to him.
"...Kir...by?"
December 7, 20XX
Unknown Location
A heartbeat.
A sound of breathing.
"Felicity? Leo?"
Everything is too bright.
It's getting harder to breathe.
"Leo!"
It's too hot.
"Jared? Jared!"
And someone cried, "MOMMY!"
A little boy needs help.
"Leo!"
Then another whimpered, "Daddy..."
"Don't worry, Felicity. He'll be here! Don't worry! Please don't die!"
Soon, a loud siren rings all over the place...
As the fire grows bigger and bigger...
And the smoke rises in the air as high as the clouds would be...
"Hurry! Call the firefighters!"
"We need to stop the fire from spreading!"
"Our documents are in there! We need them!"
"Water! Where's the water?!"
"My children! Has anyone seen my children?!"
He was alone in the midst of horrific chaos he's been to. Absentmindedly, the young boy walked around the horde of people running with either their buckets or any pieces of furniture, clothing, or other material that they could carry.
The boy also to carry something, or rather, someone important. A little girl laying unconscious in his arms while having a visible fresh wound appearing on her forehead, she appeared to have a small round stuff toy in which the boy is trying to be careful not to make it fall off her limp arms. He continues to walk despite getting bumped by anyone or being splashed by water, the boy only cares for the injured girl. He remained silent as he stared at the bright fire that is quickly consuming the homes of where the people once resided to.
The screams of the residents were echoing to his ears. It's torturous and wanted to stop. The boy wanted everyone to stop being noisy but he would rather not bother hearing their outcries, he has other concerns to focus on.
Then, he heard a groan coming from the little girl.
"Daddy... Mommy..." She appears to be in pain as she clenched her stuff toy tightly in her hands.
The small, but serene response makes the boy grew a tiny smile on his lips. "Don't worry, I will be here with you. And I won't let you fall again." He spoke softly as he latched his arms firmly yet gently to the girl.
"Do you want me to sing while we wait for them?" The boy asks, but the girl is unresponsive.
Taking her quiet answer as a yes, he proceeds in strolling amidst of the commotion like taking a peaceful walk in the middle of the burning night.
" - On that day, when the sky fell away, our world came to an end. In our eyes, did the fading sun rise in the dark? Glimmering shadows..."
.
.
.
Kir...by?
Kirby?
Where are you?
Mario placed his hand on to the nearest solid object he could find to steady himself, peering behind him is a trail of dried blood coming from a distance. The man was able to regain consciousness after he blacked out for a while. As of now, he's still weak from the injuries but he trudged along in the familiar location to find the missing fighter he was looking for. If he can't remove the swords and tend his wounds without seeking a 'professional' until he loses blood, then so be it. He doesn't care as long as he could find Kirby. Confident for resting a little bit, he uses the boulder to push himself and proceeds on walking.
"Kirby? Kirby?" Mario weakly called out the child's name.
While dragging himself, he has taken observation of the environment. The large boulders towering above him, the cracks on the ground that signifies of a battle had taken place before, and the ominous clouds in the sky which might rain sooner or later. The questions of Where, What, How, and Why started to throb his head a little.
Where did he land after almost dying? What time did he arrive? How many days or weeks has passed? And why... did the monster and the others left Mario alone when they had a chance of killing him? He doesn't know and he would rather not know.
Not only that, and the man was not sure if he's hallucinating, but there were strange orbs floating around the canyon by the time he came in the strange place. If not hundreds, thousands of them. He always see them drifting in the air doing whatever they want. Whenever he tried to come in contact with it, even if it's just a single touch, the orb... fizzed as if it's in pain before flying away from Mario. In fact, whenever he walks to where those unidentified beings occupied, the mere sight of the man causes all of them to scatter. He doesn't know why because he didn't do anything 'bad' to the orbs.
If Mario was actually a threat to those creatures then -
He coughed even though it hurts his chest from breathing. However, taking a sniff of the unknown air jogs his memory. The air smells hot and a bit... decaying.
Like burnt charcoal... like... ashes.
The place he fell earlier is the canyon that everyone, the whole Smash Fighters, stood ground against the enemy they were not able to defeat.
"Galeem..." Mario murmured under his breath as the man stopped in his tracks, followed by cupping his hands to his mouth to prevent puking at the mention of the name.
The so-called Lord of Light who appeared into the radar specified to the supernatural beings that Star Fox had created, like Tabuu and Master Core, and was also sensed by the Goddess of Light Palutena herself.
A winged deity with no visible body other than the large, bright orb. In the World of Trophies, no one has full information about Galeem's existence. Most of which came from the artifacts that the residents obtained such as scriptures that indicated that the Lord of Light lived thousands of years ago before the Smash Fighters were born. The peaceful anatomy made them thought that Galeem is someone good like the Hands. In which, they went missing after the awards ceremony of their recent tournament.
When that deity advanced to the World of Trophies in a threatening manner, everyone realized that Galeem is not the 'Lord of Light' they were hoping him to be.
But a deceitful demon.
That demon who controlled hundred and hundreds of Master Hands, the demon who destroyed the world with its light, and the demon who burned his friends - his family, into dust.
He sniffled because of his strenuous breathing. And soon, because of his crying that makes his struggles to breathe much worse.
Mario looked up in the gloomy sky where the dark hole had disappeared. It's dreary, but the luminance makes him substantial to keep moving.
"Almighty Master Hand... Slayer Crazy Hand... Please give me guidance." He utters before he makes haste to the spot where Kirby landed. Hopefully, the pink puffball would not get caught into trouble.
Mario speeds up as he passed around the canyon non-stop. Of course, he remembers the last place where the Smash Brothers had come together to defeat Galeem. It's painfully obvious that it backfired in the end. All of the plans and strategies that they come up had been for nothing as Galeem took everyone's lives in one hit. It's just like Tabuu again. No matter how much they tried, it was all useless.
The fighter shook his head while slowing down his running while he placed his hand on Marth's Falchion when the sword was slipping painfully. It's best not to dwell on the past too much, he already had to much injuries to barely hold on to.
He arrived on the empty space of the canyon, taking some time to look at the surroundings. It was clearly evidenced on the mass destruction that Galeem had caused, the man could even smell the burning air.
Mario shifted his eyes as he begins to search for his fellow friend, "Kirby? Kirby! It's me, Mario! Where are you?!"
The only sound he could hear was the echoes coming from his voice. Mario then wandered further towards the cliff that's been covering by some mysterious fog that blinds him in seeing the ocean a little.
"You don't have to be scared anymore! I'm here! Please, I need to see yo - "
The man almost tripped at what he saw from the near end of the wrecked cliff.
He could have sworn there was a sea at the bottom, but there wasn't.
Replacing the large body of water was... land.
Not just a land, but a massive cluster of lands joined together into one region. There are cities mounting on each districts of the land, mountains, volcanoes, and temples towering above the visible abyss, and there are even parts of its ground floating in midair. This must be nothing but a hazy illusion implemented by the fog, but Mario couldn't believe his eyes when he caught a glimpse of a legitimate waterfall complete with water running from the top to the bottom. There was even a rainbow shimmering above the water fall, and it is also real! He wasn't sure if his hearing tricks him but he could hear chirps from birds, which he saw them flying to one part of the city.
"What is this place? Where am I?" He continuously stared at awe. The new land he entered almost looked like paradise to him. A near utopia.
A World of Light.
For some odd reason, there are some specific places that looked eerily similar to a place he visited in the past. He just couldn't put a finger on it. But just as before he could daze further into the new world, Mario stepped on something hard on the ground. It's not a rock, but something peculiar.
When he lifted his foot, Mario thought his heart stopped.
Facing on the dirt is a small amulet with a circular shaped Amethyst gemstone dangling from the silver chain. The stone is placed in the middle of a metallic eight pointed star centerpiece, the Amethyst stone is also strikingly engraved with the Smash Cross symbol on it. However, it appears to have a significant damage to the amulet. Evidently when there are bits and pieces of transparent glass spread on the ground, and it revealed that the gemstone is supposedly encased with the glass when he saw the casing had a large crack. The gemstone also appears to lose its vibrant glow, it's as if life has been taken away from it.
It may be a small piece of jewelry. But for Mario, the amulet means much more to him because he knows whose amulet belongs to.
"No... No... Kirby!" He hoarsely whispered as the hand of where the amulet was settled shakes until he clenched his hand gently. Devastated at the apparent loss of the Star Warrior, Mario cradled Kirby's amulet close to him. Tears begin to stream down from his eyes, completely ignoring the physical pain from his wounds. Whatever happened to the child he was looking for is like being shot to the heart. It hurts him so much.
First, he lost the Hands who mysteriously disappeared and sided with a monster once again. Followed by his friends and family who almost killed him. And then Kirby, who he thought the child could have survived the onslaught.
How could this happen?!
Why?!
He's just a child! He doesn't deserve to suffer like this!
I thought I saved Kirby but I wasn't! I thought he'll be safe and now he's gone?!
But that means everyone...
"Everyone is gone..."
His weak legs collapsed on the ground, the man continued to cry silently while clinging on the last piece of the Smash Brothers' endowment.
Lost, injured, and alone. Mario is on his own.
And no one is there to comfort him.
"Please let this be a nightmare!" Mario sobbed, "I want to wake up from this scary dream!"
No matter how many times he blinked, the man still makes out of the false utopia he's looking at.
"Help... Help me!" The man yelled at the so-called utopia, "Someone?! Anyone! Please help me! I don't want to be alone!"
Mario knows he's in the middle of 'nowhere' but he's so desperate.
The silence only makes him shake his head, "This can't be happening! I don't want to be alone! I'm scared! I can't be the last one! My friends... My FAMILY..."
He looked up to the gloomy sky once more except...
Mario is glaring.
This glare is referring at the mastermind who caused the disaster. He's not in a distressed state. But rather, he is slowly becoming livid.
However, this sensation of outrage... It's not Wrath he is feeling right now. But something different, something he hadn't felt in years but he knows it's within him in the past. How could he not know about this until now? Maybe he was too distracted on other things that he didn't have time to take a look at himself in the mirror of what he looks like or what he feels like. Or maybe he's just an idiot who was too naive in this world.
After everything that's been thrown into him, all he could think about if there is something he could have done. To fix his mistakes. Or rather, to fix everyone's mistakes. But no! It's being pushed away by the one who took their lives and used their empty shells to mock him for being a FAILURE. It wasn't fair, sure. But the man is much more concerned about the fighters, the people who attempted to take his life.
How in the world caused the fighters to become like that? He tried asking that to them before learning that they've become mutilated zombies and before he gets attacked by the other monster he encountered. Nevertheless, Mario was not angry at the fighters. They're Smash Brothers after all. If they're still alive, that is. What makes him mad is when he didn't get the answers. The man wants answers so he could have a negotiation to his fellow Smash Fighter, and settle it in a peaceful way. Unfortunately, it did not happened because Galeem took them all away from him.
What caused Kirby to horrifyingly disappear? Mario doesn't know either because the only evidence he has is the child's amulet. That boy - that innocent boy, doesn't deserved to be oppressed by the godforsaken Lord of Light. When Galeem attacked, all of them were thinking about the children's safety. Whether if it's Ness and Lucas, Popo and Nana, Pichu, Lucina, or even Kirby, they had to be safe from that demon. They didn't care if the children can fight. They wanted to protect them, but it was too late. Galeem killed everyone.
That demon could at least have mercy, but he didn't. Galeem is indeed a demon in disguise.
It's...
Not..
FAIR!
"I. Want. Them. Back."
Mario is now seething in this different kind of anger as he clutched Kirby's amulet. He may be weak and unable to stand up on his own, but this kind of tyranny should not be tolerated any longer!
Something has sparked within Mario. It was like a small and gentle flame growing into an immense and raging fire. What the man wanted now is to punish the one who have wronged his family.
He doesn't care about himself, what he cares about were the innocents who suffered. The risk is preeminent but it is the right thing to do. The cruelty must be stopped.
"I want them back! I want them back!"
This anger. This newfound passion that ascends the flame...
"I want them BACK..."
...is called Justice.
"I... WANT... THEM... BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKK!"
大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ SPECIAL
灯火の星 ALTERNATE「正義の炎」
~0~
Dairantō Sumasshu Burazāzu Supesharu
Tomoshibi no Hoshi Orutaneito Seigi no Hono
~0~
Super Smash Brothers Ultimate
Star of Light ALTERNATE: Flame of Justice
Author's Note:
(Awkward ending line is awkward)
Hello. If you were able to read the Danganronpa fanfiction titled "The Ultimate Punishment", then this fanfiction and the former is written by me. My pen name is DestinyWing, but I prefer calling by my nickname 'Shia'. I'm from the Philippines, so my English can be a bit rusty.
This is the first Smash related story I have written for some reason and I guess I have to give some explanation why I wrote this.
The scenario goes from the scene in the World of Light trailer when Mario's "corpse" / trophy form was cast into a Puppet Fighter by the Smoky Progg Spirit possessing the mold. And then I'm beginning to curious of what would happen if Mario wakes up and escapes, then this happened (Also, I got nightmares on his scene that I wanted to write just to overcome it), It's a bit out of curiosity with all the 'alternate universes' of the World of Light story. Some survived with Kirby and some were rescued such as Lucas, Ness, and Snake in the recent stories in here.
I can't say whether if this counts as a "what if" story or an alternate universe story because while it follows the plot of World of Light, but Mario's actions will affect the course of the story. Possibly, A LOT. Think of the infamous Butterfly Effect where a small change the plot. I also tried my best to make the rating not going up to M even though this might be the first story that I actually filled it with... this kind of story will mostly focus on the the theme 'Justice'
Thank goodness the word count is less in the first chapter (8,546?), I thought it's going to be ten thousand words or more! Thank god!
My motivations came from the anime called Senki Zessho Symphogear, a show named Kamen Rider Gaim, some local movies like Heneral Luna and Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, and the books written by Jose Rizal titled Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
Other motivations from other fanfiction stories like "Adventure Mode: Swarm" by PixelEm (Too bad it got cancelled...), "Ultimate Smash Adventure" by Nintendogeek01, "The Devil's in the Details" by Crystal Rose of Pollux, and the recent World of Light related fanfictions such as "Lifelight" by Laziest of Monsters. Of course, even the game called "(Mario) The Music Box" by MariosFriend9. The first Smash related fanfiction I read was actually "The Evil Spirit" (or something) by Nintendo-Nut1. Though that story was deleted a long time ago, but I remember the plot involving Mewtwo getting possessed by an Evil Spirit. Mario and the others had to find a way to get of the Spirit possessing Mewtwo. It turns out that Mario let himself to get possessed so the others could use his body as a trap against the Evil Spirit. That was actually a smart move, I must say.
I was having a bit trouble in making a title of this fanfiction. I wasn't sure if I go with "正義の 炎", "灯火の星 代理 「正義の 炎」", "World of Light TESTAMENT: The Spirit Breaker" or "The Light of Death: Ewigkeit". Until I decided to pick the second one instead because it sounds formal, but I followed the Japanese version of Ultimate. So if I were to choose what title for the 'English' version, then it will be the third one. Also the song that Mario and Kirby sing is Ultimate's theme song called Lifelight.
I started this story by November 13 and I was supposed to post it on the day of Ultimate's release. But because I'm a bit worried that I might spoil people, I decided to delay it and did a little run through in checking the spelling and such. I think I might continue on this concept, hopefully with the introduction with other characters and such. I will try my best to keep them... 'in character'. But then again, Mr. Sakurai said that the characters were toys. So I will try to experiment on them also. Let's see how it will go.
If you are going to ask on that mysterious segment in the middle of the story. The only thing I will answer is that scene is inspired by a fire safety PSA called "Searching", you can watch it on YouTube. BUT I recommend you to watch it with either a companion or in daylight, because it might give you nightmares.
As for why Chapter 8 in T.U.P isn't finished yet, there was an incident happened to me in college when writing thesis. My partner and I had some... argument when creating Chapter 4 of the research, it caused us to disband that I have to recreate a new thesis proposal solo. Though I'm fine working alone, the trauma caused me to have doubts in my writing ability and it elevated my Clinical Depression... AGAIN. I tried so many times to at least write something, but I ended up having multiple 'half-baked' chapters. Other than that, I became a video editor for a short film in my college. That video will be the film to be submitted in a school film competition. So that makes me more nervouscited about writing this and editing the film at the same time.
So hopefully, this one would bring my roll back and THEN I can continue writing "The Ultimate Punishment" after I posted this. It's not dead yet, folks. I'm still bringing it to life. I am VERY SORRY that I didn't update TUP! I feel so guilty about it.
(Just a fair warning that my right hand is making typing a bit uncomfortable to do that I have to practice using my left hand at the moment.)