A/N: Thank you to all who posted reviews. Keep them coming. They're very informative and helpful so I can know where to better.

The situation in the mansion near the simulator room had become charged very quickly after Samus had discovered the altered programming. Snake had left the hallway, saying "Not my skill set. You need something dead, you call me."

Wolf on the other hand, was sticking around, although he wasn't helping to save Fox or Kirby at all. "I'm just here to watch Fox die," he responded to Samus's question of why he was still here.

"Well, you're taking up my space, so beat it," snapped Samus. In response, Wolf merely grinned and stepped back.

She was bouncing ideas off of Fox through Lucario when Meta Knight showed up dressed in his typical suit of armor with a face mask and cape. "I heard that there was a situation," he said with a slightly Spanish accent combined with a metallic sound, presumably from his face mask.

Samus waved him off. "Yeah. I'm a bit busy right now if you don't mind." She kept her main focus on Lucario. "Why don't we just shut off power to the mansion?"

Lucario waited with his head tilted and then relayed Fox's answer. "The shock from sudden power loss could kill them, or detrimentally affect their cognitive functions such as sight or hearing."

Meta Knight walked up to Samus. "I see you are endeavoring to save Fox."

"Yes, they are. They are currently working on a rescue plan," replied R.O.B as he rolled up near Meta Knight.

"I was wondering where Kirby was," mused Meta Knight. "It was unusual for his absence to not be noticed. Although I also find it odd that no one else seemed to care."

Samus sighed. "Look, kinda busy here. Not now."

She shut up as Meta Knight seemed to grow darker, as if he was sucking the light out of the room into his body. Through his psychic powers, Lucario could feel the aura surrounding him grow black as night. "No. You listen Samus Aran. As much as you and the rest of us may be annoyed by Kirby's antics, he is no less deserving in respect as a warrior than the rest of us. HE MATTERS. I heard your conversation earlier and not once was Kirby mentioned by anyone in your group."

Samus was undaunted by Meta Knights show. She had faced down creatures that make him look like a cheap kids toy. She got right up in his mask covered face. "We didn't know we had to be worried about him. The cafeteria kicks him out after 9 AM so there will be enough food for the rest of us."

"Still, no one thought it odd that he was not seen in the halls?"

Before the argument could escalate further, Lucario interjected. "Samus Aran."

Samus snapped her attention back to Lucario. "What is it" she asked, anger still in her voice.

"It appears Fox has grown impatient and moved on to the next fight while you and Meta Knight were arguing."

Samus and Meta Knight glanced at each other and then turned their attention to the monitor, where they saw Fox and Kirby taking on the third boss.

"Hah" grunted Fox as he leapt over the empty cage being held by a giant plant with a flower head. "Piranha plants. Only in Mario's world," he said as he landed.

Kirby was on the other side of the large plant, beating the cage there with his pink fists. With three obvious weak spots on it, the Piranha Plant was the weakest boss in the simulation. Of course, that wasn't necessarily so good, as it meant the harder bosses would be later, when they had used up more hearts and were getting closer to the end.

The Piranha Plant roared and jumped into the air, slamming down its cages and creating a minor shockwave that both fighters were able to dodge. The two of them ran to attack the motionless left cage, Kirby unleashing a flurry of punches while Fox kicked the cage repeatedly.

There was another roar and a cage swept across the stage in the middle of the arena. Kirby barely cleared it, but Fox was hit and got sent flying.

"Huff. Not yet jerk. I'm not out yet," he grunted as he rolled from the rough landing to a standing position. He pulled out his laser pistol and started shooting at the left cage as Kirby attacked up close

The subsequent sweep by the left cage caught Kirby and threw him into the air. He landed on the side of Fox opposite the cage. "Poy-Pai," complained Kirby.

He was tired of being the one who took most of the damage in these fights simply because he didn't have a quick range attack. Then, he had an idea. Facing Fox, he opened his mouth wide and began forcefully sucking in air. Fox was lifted off his feet and before he could cry out he was sucked into Kirby's mouth.

"Agh," shouted Fox as he reached around and felt the dark warmth of Kirby's mouth. As he felt it press in round him, he was sure that Kirby was going to swallow him and that he'd never been seen again. An ignoble way to die if there ever was one. He didn't expect Kirby to violently spit him out, and Fox landed on his back, covered in saliva from Kirby's mouth.

He quickly got up and rounded on Kirby as he wiped himself off as best he could. He saw that Kirby was wearing a headband with fox ears and a belt like Fox's. "What the heck man. Not cool. You don't just go and..."

Foxes tirade was interrupted as a cage slammed into his back and sent him airborne. Managing to twist around in midair, he landed in a crouch. Spinning around, he saw Kirby already shooting at the Piranha Plant with an exact copy of Fox's pistol, straight down to the initials "FM" on the butt of the handle.

Fox grumbled. "I'm never going to get this out of my clothes," but he also pulled out his pistol and added his fire to Kirby's.

The Piranha roared under the combined fire then jumped into the air, slamming down but missing both fighters, who ran to the side and shot at the right cage.

"Dang it, the left side," yelled Fox, and he sprinted over around the cages to the other side of the Piranha Plant. Once there, he unleashed Fox Illusion, dashing back and forth so fast that when he was running he was almost invisible. Under this and Kirby's laser barrage, the Piranha Plant couldn't stand any more punishment and collapsed to the floor of the stage, exploding as it fell.

Kirby waddled up to fox just before they were teleported back. Fox was not so amused, and holstered his pistol before yelling at Kirby. "Hey, warn me next time you're going to pull a stunt like that. I thought you were going to eat me."

"Puy. Pai-Poy," responded Kirby, miffed at the very thought that he would do something like that.

As Kirby holstered his own pistol, Fox walked over to the holographic image, and his heart sank. "Dang. Porky is up next. This is not going to be fun."

He walked over and picked up a Heart. Lifting it above his head, he crushed it, letting the dust from it fall all over him, rejuvenating his body and healing the wounds it touched.

So Lucario. Does Samus have a plan yet?