Chapter 2: The Inception part2
Mario, great plumber hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, strolled through the countryside enjoying a break from all his heroics. He felt rather content with his life in his new home, filled with colourful creatures ever happy to live a life of peace and quiet and a safe existence where one can be resurrected limitlessly, as long as you packed an extra 1-up shroom. He and his brother Luigi grew attached to the guarding of the Mushroom Kingdom and abroad, feeling enhanced with superpowers from the power-ups they collect and the sudden jumping prowess attained from being there, accepting their roles as heroes to their world. Now as the red plumber strutted down the path, a whistling sensation rang out as everything seemed to stop, curtained by total grey as space\time was disrupted. Suddenly a ripple played out in front of him, spreading an ominous feeling that felt all too sinister. As Mario readied himself for the new threat, he was paralysed by an unknown sensation before a massive glove tore out of the ripple and grabbed him into the dark dimension he came from. "Mamma mia!" His cries were not heard for the heroic plumber was carried away out of the Mushroom Kingdom and into the world it resided in.
Naoyuki was best known by his fellow middle schoolers as somewhat reserved. He hung out with numerous crowds, but if anyone was to ask the students about their relationship toward him, they would have no idea he was even around. Granted, they had no problem with Naoyuki, he was a nice boy. Always polite and understanding. Alas, that was a flaw to being taken advantage of, but his more loyal friends help him out of those situations. Overall, he tends to be to himself not making too much contact to any students with no overall conversation skills. However, he does relish in common video games spending enough of his free time playing his favourite games from Nintendo such as Super Mario World, Pokemon, Super Metroid and many other games. He was most excited when the Nintendo 64 came out, which his parents bought for him on his birthday. Out of all the games he had, he enjoyed the game Super Smash Brothers with favour. It was the revolutionary party game of the time, allowing at most 4 fighters to duke it out amongst Nintendos all stars in various stages filled with items to turn the tide of battle. It had a light hearted vibe to it, with as much comic mischief and slapstick as found in a cartoon brawl. When he had the time, he killed it by honing his skills against the various characters he played. However, he didn't let all his time be enraptured in this pass time. He strived to get most of his work done, for school of course.
At said school Naoyuki took his seat next to his best friend Aiko, who liked where she sat because she got to look outside the classroom. "Good morning Yuki-kun, I hope you remember to bring the goods this time around."
"Yes, I got it." He answered her playful reminder. "I do more than play games y'know. You got your English homework?"
"Ah yes, that. Well..." Aiko was the kind of girl who would be ditzy at first look, but that was one of her most appealing traits to anyone who didn't really know her. But for Naoyuki, she was of course a very caring friend who did her best to look out for their well being. She achieved better grades than Naoyuki (however English was not one of her strong suits) and was one of the prettiest girl at campus, usually gaining the attraction to many boys. However, she remained the nicest to Naoyuki for reasons not many understand themselves. Sure they are very close despite knowing each other for 3 years, but that's aside the point. Aiko is an outgoing girl who enjoys the company of her friends, whereas Naoyuki is a bit of a foil to her.
"Whassup punin?!" Speaking of foils, here is Marcus, another close friend to these two. He seems to be the opposite of Naoyuki completely. Loud, enthusaistic, headstrong, and loves company. He's an exchange student from Canada, who was at first interested in Naoyuki. Unfortunately he fell in the wrong crowd, and joined in with a bullying clique that had tormented Naoyuki for a while. At least until Aiko stood up to him and defended Nao. For at least a year, Marcus had developed a crush on Aiko and was genuinely jealous of Naoyuki's friendship with her. When the bullying died down, Marcus was forgiven by Naoyuki and Aiko and became one with their friend circle. The feelings he had for Aiko finally died down when he realized she had eyes for 'someone else' (that and she told him that after numerous attempts to ask her out, politely).
"Marcus! What in the world is that supposed to mean?" Aiko puffed her cheeks a bit at the absurd made up word her friend exclaimed.
"Iunno. That doesn't matter. You guys busy this weekend?"
"No, why you got something planned?" Marcus winked to Naoyuki while holding a finger to his lips in a sly manner.
"Kekeke, well a couple of friends of ours have planned on an outing to see a movie from murica. They wanted me to ask you two if you were game enough to join in."
"That sounds awesome!" Aiko turned to face Naoyuki. "What about you Yuki? You coming too?" Naoyuki's shy self didn't feel like going out on this weekend, but he couldn't bring himself to say no to Aiko's adorability staring him straight into his being, which made him hesitate on his response.
"Yeah. Of course I'll come." Aiko was overjoyed that he would come and join their friends on a well deserved outing.
"That's great. Now, could one you gentlemen help a lady out and let her copy your homework, before class starts that is." Nao and Marcus shook their head at their air headed friend, out of how silly Aiko would act sometimes.
Everything was dark. Nothing was visible besides pitch blackness. He could hear himself breathing, for now. All he could think about now is what in the world is going on. For a moment, he could not feel anything, he could not sense his own movement or even his own breathing. He could not think or call out for help, he could not reach out to grab something to, to see if he was moving through a warp, he couldn't even notice how long it took for him to reach this blackness. It felt as if he had ceased to exist for that brief moment, pulled out of the reality he knew for so long like going through death and being revived to total blindness. Fortunately our hapless hero was beginning to recover his senses to hear himself alive and to taste the inside of his mouth. Spaghetti, from his most recent lunch. Now if only he could feel his sense of smell and sight once more, for he was reaching around his body to see if he was truly their in physical form. Thankfully the dark was clearing to reveal a spotlight shining ahead. Now Mario could feel himself move his feet as he ran to the light away from the foreboding void he felt held back in. He definitely felt he was pushing his full weight forward in sprint, but it looked like the dimmed light, brightening as he approached. It was good thing his vision was clearing up because he was starting to get claustrophobic to the tightening embrace of the pitch black environment. It was like he was stuck in a heavy glob of molasses inside an encased room, miles below ground, and sure Mario had travelled through damp caverns under the Mushroom Kingdom and elsewhere, but this was an entirely new level of darkness he was not going to be used to. Gradually he came upon the spotlight, shining up from infinity above the plumber, finally looking down upon himself to confirm he was in one piece and without scratches, that was until he glanced around him and saw other spotlights assembled just like his in an arc. Their were 8 lights shining in this semi-arc, including his own, but no one stood in the remaining 7. Was their supposed to be others here? Could he be the first to be present, and to what is this apparently supposed to mean for Mario. Many more questions about his standing here are just yet to be answered as the previous, but they would have to wait. "It's good you made it this far." An ominous voice from no being spoke to our plumber hero. It prompted Mario to glance around him to find who was talking to him.
"Wha- who said that?" "Tis I." Mario looked up, only to encounter a great disembodied white glove moving it's fingers in the space it floated in. IT certainly gave off an imposing presence, overtaking Mario by dwarfing his own gloved hands to the lone appendage.
"Salutations, Mario of the Mushroom Kingdom." The giant hand spoke to the red Italian, but with what mouth? "It is an honor to have the esteemed jumper champion in my midst."
"How? But... Where am I? If it's not the. Mushroom Kingdom, then where..."
"At ease hero. Truth will be revealed to you in due time, now is the time of introductions. I am your host, Master Hand, embodiment of creation and order in this realm where your world includes." (Creation? Does that mean he is some sort of higher entity.) "And to answer an assumption, I have never been referred to as a god in anyway. As extensive as my power goes, it doesn't exactly live up to that level." (It seems the creature practices some sort of humility and/or modesty.)
"How much do you know about me?" Mario questioned on the knowledge of the strange being.
"Enough." It responded in prosound knowing. "Enough to establish that you and your underwhelmed brother have devoted your careers to rescuing the Princess Toadstool from constant danger and protecting the inhabitants of her kingdom and abroad with your vast heroics." Wow. Kind of spot on to what the Mario Bro has to go through. "I understand the qualms and tribulations various champions go through on your adventures for righteousness. And I have to say, those tales of heroics are most impressive." (Aw, now he's going with flattery.) "But through the countless journeys and misadventures you all go through, one question came to mind."
"What other champions?" Mario interrupted. He regretted doing such when he received silence from the hand, prompting him to look away from the imposing absentness. "... sorry."
"One question came to mind. Who would best the other? I know, I know. It isn't about who is better than who amongst you good Samaritans, but the scenarios are not enough to answer. So through some considerations, I've decided to enlist some legendary fighters to attend a tournament to test their mettle against one another, all for your own good sport and at my slightest amusement." That last part gave Mario some unsettling skepticism.
"Whatsa that supposed to mean?"
"That should not concern you."
Not wanting to pry too much into the hand's motives, the plumber looked to the other 7 spotlights just like his. "Are those the other fighters I'll be battling?" Master Hand turned his palmed body, giving the impression that he was looking around to the surrounding lights shining down.
"Yes."
"Am I just early, or...?"
"Currently, as we speak, I am conversing with the other contestants of the tournament." (But how is he...) "Through different projections of myself with a similar conversation we are discussing now." (I guess that makes some sense, I mean he must have pre-recorded for each... NOW WAITA GOOMBA STOMPIN MINUTE!)
"Excuse me, Master Hand, sir. I know I'm always up for new experiences, but this proposition is happening so fast." Mario had so many things to prepare himself for. He needed to alert his brother of his whereabouts, along with the princess and the hapless subjects of the Kingdom he protects. What's going to happen if he goes missing again? He should have at least gotten a letter for this event, but no memory brings up receiving such news, otherwise he would have maybe accepted this offer.
"This isn't an offer Mario." Master Hand said deadly serious. "Consider yourself drafted to the Super Smash Brothers Tournament!" In the extravagant reveal of the whole plot, Master Hand opened itself up to show Mario a platinum circle split by one thin horizontal and a thicker vertical line, intersecting at the bottom left of it's center, rotating in mid-air above his palm. It was pretty and all, but what was that part about being drafted?
"Now hold on. You don't honestly expect me to fight against my will?" Mario's stand did not phase the white gloved being, for it neared dangerously at the plumber, cringing it's fingers in a wrath-like manner, by which Mario responded correctly by shielding himself from the immense power.
"Now you look here, plumber! We did not assemble every one of you life-forms at our leisure just to have you decline the momentous opportunity!" Bellowed the echoing voice throughout the void they were in. "This is no death match I assure you. Gladiatorial combat would greatly disrupt the worlds as we know it. So your lives are in good promise. Besides, With the small amount of contestants, who's to say this event will take long? Trust me, this tournament will fly like the breeze." After cowering to the wrath, Mario peeked from his arms to question the hand once more.
"W-we?" The Master Hand did not calm to answer that question.
"Not all knowledge can be achieved in one lecture. In good time, hero, will you learn of truth. But for now, I'd best prepare for when I transport you to face off your first opponent. I merely introduced you to the whole game. Next time."
"But-a, don't I get a say in all of this?!" Before that question could be answered, Mario suddenly started to sink into a malignant portal forming below him. "Woa!"
"Until our next meeting plumber." Master Hand slowly slipped out of Mario's sight until he completely fell into the warp, back to where he came from. In Master Hands POV, he sighed out to finally have the Mushroom defender leave his presence.
"Had I known these heroes would give such fuss over a little competition, I wouldn't have been as hospitable to the ingrates. Now I wonder how her side of the preparations are coming out?"
At last! I got this part done! Procrastination, I know. I hate it too. But wait until the cliffhangers end. I do hope to catch you hungry readers off guard. Anywho, apologies for my late entry, but SSB: Reunite is a far sequel to this, so if I could put my head to the game, maybe I can get this shorter story done. It's true, this story is going to be a little shorter than Reunite, but not uber short. With the lack of characters and the original story I have to come up with, let's see how well it comes up. Stay interested my valued fans, for I will try to get this more updated alongside my others. Major apologies to my patient readers.
