Dear Sir Meta Knight of Dreamland;
Congratulations! You have been formally accepted into the 4th annual Super Smash Brothers tournament of heroes. We are very happy to have your continued participation. In honor of your acceptance, you will be given the title Super Smash Level Masked Swordsman. If you so choose, you are welcome to stay in the Grand Tournament Hotel for the duration of the tournament. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Master Hand.
Sincerely, the Smash Tourney Team.
Meta Knight's vision was quickly fading. He stumbled forward, barely catching himself on the desk. A sudden bout of dizziness was anything but usual. Meta Knight continued to lean on the counter for a few more moments, trying to regain his balance. Perhaps he was ill? The grand entrance hall began to spin, quickly turning into a swirl of color. The world went red, and the ground raced up to meet him.
What a warm welcome this was.
"Meta! W-wake up, poyo!" Meta Knight's eyes struggled to open. His mask gradually began to slip off his face as he was gently shaken up and down. Instinctively, his hands reached up to adjust it.
"Mister Kirby, look! He's waking up!" Another voice -this one almost sickeningly sweet- called out. Meta Knight's eyes slowly opened, fighting against his heavy eyelids. For a moment, all he saw was a blur of pink and yellow. That is, until two tiny arms wrapped themselves around him and kicked his mind into gear.
"Meeeeeta! I'm so glad!" Meta Knight blinked, the world quickly becoming clearer. The young star warrior clung to him tightly, his puffy cheeks stretched out in a smile, a pink tuff of fluffy hair squished onto Meta Knight's face.
Kirby: Super Duper Smash Level Mimic
Meta Knight grumbled, his head throbbing slightly. After Kirby reluctantly let go of him, he rose to his feet, taking in his surroundings. The room was filled with computers, neatly lined on shiny black desks. A projector rested on a tall table in the back of the room, a large screen opposite to it. The second figure in the room gracefully moved towards the now awakened knight, her golden hair flowing behind her. "Good morning, Sir Meta Knight. I do not believe we have been properly introduced. I am Princess Toadstool, or, if you prefer, simply Peach. Are you feeling well?"
Princess Peach: Super Duper Smash Level Princess
The princess reached out to shake Meta Knight's hand. Meta Knight took it, bowing slightly as he did so. "It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness." Peach's bright red lips curled into a smile.
"Ehehe. You were right, Kirby, he truly is a shining example of chival-"
"Testing… Testing, one two three! Is this thing on?" In the corner of the room, a bright yellow tube TV suddenly came to life. A cheerful voice erupted from the speakers on the side of the TV, bringing the three to attention. "Would all fighters pl-ease report to the dining hall? Thaaaank you!" Just as quickly as it turned on, the TV abruptly shut off, leaving the three in silence.
"Well… I suppose that's where we're heading?" Peach nervously twirled her hair for a moment.
"Okie-Dokie! Let's go get some food!" The idea of food seemed like more than enough motivation for Kirby, as he skipped out of the room before the others could say a word. Peach simply shrugged, following behind him.
Meta Knight had a bad feeling about this.
A stout girl giggled as the three entered the dining hall. "Wowie, is this place infested by degenerates or something?" Her pale pink hair bounced on her shoulders as she laughed, her cheeks puffing up with color.
Jiggypuff- Super Duper Smash Level Singer
"It's nice to see you too, Puff!" Kirby gave a little wave.
"Jeez, Puff, don't be so rude!" A boy behind Jigglypuff puffed up his cheeks in frustration, his bright yellow hair standing on end.
Pikachu- Super Duper Smash Level Electric Pokémon
"What are you, the word police or something?" Jigglypuff crossed her arms and mockingly pouted. Meta Knight only got a glimpse of the two before Kirby pulled Meta away from them and closer to the stage. As he was pulled, a light tapping alerted him to someone standing behind him. He quickly turned, coming face to face with a sorceress of some sort. Her outfit was… odd looking, and she appeared as if she had come directly out of a fairy tale.
"You must be Meta Knight, yes? It's a pleasure to meet you!" The girl remarked. Meta Knight couldn't help but feel a bit unnerved. Her voice seemed so out of place- so gentle.
Robin- Super Duper Smash Level Tactician
Meta Knight simply nodded, giving Robin's hand a quick shake. "A pleasure to meet you as well…" Robin sheepishly smiled.
"Lucina was very excited to meet you, despite how she tried to deny it. You saw her on the roster, correct?"
"Yes, I remember her." How could he not? He had been… anticipating seeing her.
Nodding, Robin gave Meta Knight another smile. "She'll be glad to hear that. It was nice speaking to you, Meta Knight." Without another word, she turned and walked away, quickly being greeted by a boy just as fairy-tale like as Robin.
"彼は本当に偉大な剣士でなければなりません。そのような剣で..."
Marth- Super Duper Smash Level Lord
Meta Knight sighed, sharply turning around. Almost immediately, he collided with a skinny, green clad man fleeing from some unseen threat. "Waaah… S-sorry!"
Luigi- Super Duper Smash Level Sidekick
Without another word, Luigi got up and continued to flee. What he was fleeing from became quite apparent to Meta Knight as he was lifted by his shoulders into the air. "Found ya, Meta!"
King Dedede- Super Duper Smash Level King
"I found Dedede~!" Kirby exclaimed in a sing-song voice.
"Wonderful, now please let me go." Dedede dropped him with clack. Kirby was perched on the King's hat, playing with the puff at the top of the crown.
"Peach had to leave with this elf lady and some guy with a pointy green hat, so here we are!" Kirby said.
"'Elf Lady' is quite the description." The princess of Hyrule commented, the 'guy with a pointy green hat' at her side.
Link- Super Duper Smash Level Courageous Hero
Zelda- Super Duper Smash Level Mystic
Dedede gave a hearty laugh, while a flustered Meta Knight tried to divert his attention to something else. "C'mon, what's the holdup?" A rapid tapping could be heard from the back of room, its source being an especially grumpy looking teenager.
Sonic- Super Duper Smash Level Runner
"Could you sit still for one-a minute?" Of course Meta Knight recognized who was speaking- The icon red hat and overalls were a dead giveaway.
Mario- Super Duper Smash Level Plumber
"Of course you'd say that." Sonic grumbled, beginning to tap his foot even faster. The tapping stopped momentarily once a 13-year old boy was flung at him at high speeds.
Ness- Super Duper Smash Level Psychic
"Wah-!" Sonic zipped out of the way with time to spare, leaving Ness to crash into the wall with a slam. His opponent pushed his way through the gathering crowd, leaving the smashers to wonder why the Lord of Darkness had such a streak of fighting children.
Ganondorf- Super Duper Smash Level Overlord
The fight would have quickly escalated if it had not been for a certain golden-haired bounty hunter had not intervened. A strike from her Plasma Whip sent Ganondorf a few steps backwards, while a grab with it allowed her to send Ness sliding behind her.
"Save the fighting for the tournament, boys."
Samus- Super Duper Smash Level Bounty Hunter
Before anyone could object, a sudden voice alerted the smashers that something was about to begin. "Woo-hoo, the smashers have all arrived! Then let's get things a-rollin'!" Everyone's attention turned to the stage. The strange voice had returned, this time from the front of the dining hall. Meta Knight's eyes narrowed, waiting for the next announcement. The small podium at the front of the room began to vibrate, and next thing Meta Knight knew, a stuffed bear sprung up from behind the podium, landing on top of it with a plop. Meta Knight fixated on the bear's face. A grin was plastered on one half of the bear, a bright red eye glaring at everyone in the room.
"Is that a stuffed bear…? Is this a joke or something?" Sonic crossed his arms, once again beginning to tap his rapidly tap his foot. The room was consumed by an awkward silence for a few moments.
"Are you calling me a joke?" The bear… spoke? Meta Knight was, to say the least, filled to the brim with confusion. "Monokuma is no joke, I'll have you know!"
"Waaah! I-it can talk!?" Luigi yelped.
"Calm down, bro! It probably has a speaker inside it or something." Mario patted his brother gently on the back.
"Anyway… good morning and welcome, smashers!" Monokuma clapped its paws together with a squeak.
"And it moves? Odd." Samus mumbled.
Ignoring Samus, Monokuma continued on. "Cutting right to the chase, why don't we talk a bit about the upcoming tournament?" The bear threw its arms into the air suddenly. "It's canceled! Over! Dead and out of the question!" The room erupted into a collective protest.
"You're kiddin'!"
"I came all this way for nothing?"
"How awful, poyo!"
"Calm down! Jeez, let a bear explain!" Monokuma hopped down from the pedestal, strutting up and down the stage. "We have long since realized that the ones before us are some of the greatest heroes and villains in the universe! Therefore, in order to protect you all… you're all going to live here, from this day forward! Together, you will all live a communal life here, in perfect harmony!"
"Live here? But the tournament's off, right?" Robin shouted. "Shouldn't we be heading home?"
"Well… regarding the end date for this communal life…" Once again, Monokuma threw his hands in the air, simulating celebration. "There isn't one! You get to live here together, 'til the day you die!"
"I-I can't stay here until I die!" Luigi stuttered.
Monokuma placed his paws on his hips. "Really? You came all the way here, and want to leave already? How ungrateful!"
"Nope, there's no way I'm stayin' cooped up in here all my life!" Sonic shouted.
Nodding, Peach agreed. "I must agree! My kingdom needs me!"
Monokuma was less than satisfied with their reaction. "You've got anything you could ever need here, plus the added protection of lifelong protection! Why would you ever want to leave, huh?"
"This is foolish. If this is a joke, it certainly is not funny." Said Zelda.
"Hmph! If you really do want to leave here… there is a way to get out, or as I like to call it, a way to 'win' this tournament." The crowd silenced with anticipation as Monokuma folded his paws, his already twisted smile extending.
Sonic disrupted the silence. "Well? Spit it out already!"
"Upupu… If someone was to murder someone, then maybe…"
For the second time that day, the hall erupted in protest.
"Kill each other?" Meta Knight exclaimed.
"Y'know… stabbing, drowning, smashing, strangling, hanging, bludgeoning, electrocuting, starving, poisoning, impaling, and everything in between!" Monokuma cackled, surveying the petrified looks of the fighters with pride.
"T-that's insane! Are you some sort of idiot or just a bad liar?!" Jigglypuff shouted.
Monokuma's face turned red in a cartoonish rage. "I am no liar! If you don't want to kill someone, you stay here. If you do, you leave! It's that simple, see?"
"That… that's awful!" Peach stuttered.
"It's not all bad! In honor of the beginning of our wonderful communal life, each of you will be receiving a fighter ID! They'll be in each of your rooms, so make sure to check em' out! Make sure not to lose it, either. They're expensive, you know!" Monokuma hopped backwards onto the pedestal, waving to the students as he said his parting words. "That concludes our ceremony! Let's all hope for an excellent life here together! See ya!" And with that, Monokuma disappeared, leaving the fighters in a state of shock.
"T-this is… I don't understand it at all…" Robin muttered, wringing her hands nervously. "None of us would actually kill each other, right…?" The tension in the room grew higher with each passing moment, trust giving way to suspicion and fear.
Meta Knight only wondered was who was going to snap first.