Note: Wow, I sincerely apologize for the delay. But as a treat for waiting, the next three chapters will be released every two days (Dec. 13, 15, and 17). Consider it your early Christmas present. :) Enjoy and please review.

Chapter Four – A Royal Reunion

All of the smashers piled into their respective modes of transportation. For some reason the small space seemed even tighter.

Mario was holding tightly onto Peach as if this would be the last time he would, anxious as ever. Death never seemed more evident and looming as it did now.

Everything seemed normal as they rode into town; no track of destruction, no toads screaming and running down the street, nothing. In fact, it seemed too normal and too quiet. Once the smashers had unloaded they gathered near the palace entrance.

"This silence is totally creeping me out." Kirby voiced.

Mr. Game & Watch nodded. "Yea, I know what you mean… something is definitely wrong."

Mario took the role of leader as usual. "Okay, you guys, I'm not sure who's waiting for us in there…" He paused for a moment. "Or what's waiting in there but we have to be careful. I don't want anymore close calls and I certainly don't want to lose another of you. Now for a plan of action…"

"I say we storm in and take out whoever we find." Ganondorf suggested. Everyone else groaned. "Hmph, well I thought it was a good idea."

Dr. Mario rolled his eyes. "A sneak attack would be more sensible."

"Exactly, but wouldn't they be expecting us to sneak in?" Samus added.

"Well, we can't just stroll though the front door either." Falco replied with a laugh.

A smile curled across Luigi's face. "Maybe we can."

Zelda raised her eyebrows. "What are you talking about? That would be the most idiotic thing ever."

"No, I see what he's saying. They wouldn't be expecting us to come through the front door because that would be too obvious. It just might work." Mario said, always quick to defend his brother.

"Fine whatever, no one listens to me anyway." Zelda shot back.

Link grabbed her around the waist. "Come on babe, either way this place is probably loaded with Popil's followers. No matter where we come in at its not going to be easy."

"We aren't getting anywhere sitting around and talking about it." Bowser voiced.

"Let's go, follow me and be careful." Mario led the group forward. They crept slowly through the palace grounds and no one came to attack them. They reached the door to the castle with unusual ease.

"You think we should knock first?" Captain Falcon joked with a snort.

Yoshi playfully punched his arm. "Go ahead, you can be the sacrifice."

Our plumber hero ignored them both and slowly pushed the door open; it creaked loudly as he did. "Shit, there goes the element of surprise."

The Smash Brothers rushed in and formed a protective circle, looking in every direction for anything. It was eerily dark considering it was mid-day outside.

There was a loud cackle and then a voice with as much pleasance as nails scratching a chalkboard. "Oh how heroic, coming through the front door. I didn't think you were that brainless but what do I know?"

"I told you." Zelda was quick to whisper.

The sound of someone struggling was apparent and soon a heartfelt plea. "Get out, save yourselves! Please just go, get my daughter to safety. I've had a good life."

Peach's lip began to tremble as she took a step forward. "Father?"

"My beautiful daughter, I love you. You will always be my precious Peach. Now, please leave before she gets you too." Toadstool exclaimed.

"I'm not leaving without you and if I can't then I'll die with you." She was stubborn as always, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

Black shadowy arms extended forward like thunder clouds. "I'll take you up on that offer!"

Peach was quickly engulfed before she could move. "Mario!"

"No!" He rushed forward and tried to grab her but was grabbed himself.

The others were afraid to move and it was so dark they didn't know what to do.

Mario struggled uselessly against the iron grip. "Light! We need some damn light!"

Pikachu began to glow as he charged up, electric sparks flying from him. "PIKACHU!" A thunder bolt shot from the small Pokemon and hit the chandelier above. The potent electrical power shot through the system and light flooded the room.

The black cloud filled half of the room and reached all the way to the ceiling. A crown rested upon her head, long strands of shadowy hair flowed from underneath it. A sinister smile and dark eyes completed her face.

"What the hell is that?" Falco asked.

Her eyes widened as her grip squeezed tighter around Mario and Peach. "I am the beautiful and magnificent Shadow Queen. But you can call me your highness or your majesty."


"Hah! How perfect is this? Finally someone I can depend on, she's bound to kill a couple of them." Popil boomed as he watched the action.

A loud roar was heard from outside the room. A few minutes later a distraught follower entered. "My king… what shall we do with it?"

An evil smile filled Popil's face. "Its probably hungry, why don't you feed it?"

"With what, sir?"

He let out an annoyed sigh. "How about you jump into its open mouth? Hm?"

The minion nearly passed out from fright. He fell to his knees. "Please, your highness, I am sorry for my stupidity."

"So am I. You can make up for it by giving your life." Popil snapped his fingers and two guards came in, grabbing the helpless fool and dragging him away. The horror was written across his face.

"Don't give me that pathetic look. You're lucky I don't torture you first, trust me there are worse things than death. Think of it as a gift though I think it will be a little painful as he chews you. But maybe he'll swallow you whole so you can feel every bit of skin falling off your body as his stomach acid digests you."

He let out a light laugh. "But then again, I don't see how any of that is my problem."


The smashers didn't have long to think up a battle plan because the Shadow Queen sent her dead hands forward to get them.

Ganondorf used his Warlock Punch to kill a few but waiting in a line behind them was more. Ness was having similar troubles, he'd PK Flash several of them but they would quickly be replaced by ten more.

"There's too many of them!" Fox shouted as he kicked one off him.

Ganon gave a sarcastic laugh. "No shit."

"We don't need your sarcasm! Does anyone have a plan?" Falco yelled back as he shot a hand.

Mario noticed the Star Rod engulfed in the dark mass of the Shadow Queen. "As long as she has the Star Rod there's nothing that we can do."

"Shut up!" The Shadow Queen screamed as she squeezed harder. "You're all going to die anyway."

Toadstool was in the same predicament as his daughter and Mario. "I told you to run, why couldn't you listen for once?"

"Daddy, I could not live knowing it was my fault that you died. I had to do something." Peach told him.

"Now its my fault that you're going to die." Her father replied through tears.

Peach sighed, trying to force herself to be positive. "We'll get out of this, I promise."

The minutes passed and no progress was being made, for once it seemed that the Super Smash Brothers were going to lose. There was no hope, the Shadow Queen's power was endless. The Star Rod had no way of deciphering who was good and who was evil, it had to do as it was told.

If you recall from the Queen's first appearance, a sappy ending involving prayer and wishes helped Mario defeat her. This time, that wasn't the case.


Dear Journal,

They're coming for me… I don't know how they found me but they are. The days are filled only with danger and every minute could be my last. I pray to the stars that he'll come back for me. To help me, to protect me, to love me…

I know its false hope but maybe, if only he could hear my prayers.

The renegades aren't helping, the General is stronger than before. Its as if some power has possessed him. We thought that he had been killed but we were wrong. I have to go, onto another cave… another hideout… all I am is a drifter now. I have no home.

C


The smashers were weak from the continuous battle. All seemed lost until Zelda remembered what her and Link had brought in case of an emergency, and by all standards this definitely was. She smacked her forehead and cursed herself for not thinking of it before. "Of course."

She dashed forward, jumping over a group of hands and killing another with her magic. She reached Link's pack and frantically began to look through it.

Luckily Roy was nearby to sword a hand which was coming up behind her. "What are you doing? Come on, Zelda, you need to watch your back."

"I'm looking for something, dammit, it was in here… ah-ha, here it is!" Zelda exclaimed and pulled a glowing arrow from the pack.

Link was a few yards away and heard her calling his name. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, here catch!" She tossed the arrow to him, he jumped and caught it with grace.

Peach could barely breathe as the Shadow Queen's grip continued to tighten. She looked over at Mario, spots beginning to block her sight. "I love you…"

"I love you too." He whispered back, starting to lose consciousness.

Link beamed as he looked down to see a light arrow in his hand. He smiled at Zelda and loaded it into his bow. He pulled back the string, aiming right between the eyes. "Eat this, bitch."

The arrow soared and hit its target with perfect aim. The Shadow Queen screamed in pain and released Mario and Peach from the death grip that would have surely killed them.

Donkey Kong watched as the Star Rod flew from the black fog and onto the ground, he rushed over to it and wished for the first thing that came to mind. A giant banana appeared a few feet away.

"Omigod, this thing really does work." He exclaimed as he eyed the banana with hungry eyes.

Bowser snatched the Star Rod from him. "Give me that, you stupid ape. Hm, so many good things I could with for right now…"

"Bowser!"

He chuckled softly. "Okay, okay. I wish that we were invincible."

A surge of power rushed through the Smash Brothers and their energy was refreshed.

"Awesome, and I wish that she wasn't." Bowser continued.

Instead of an infinite number of hands, after they killed them they didn't come back. Eventually the Shadow Queen was the only one left.

Mario grinned with vengeance. "I am thoroughly going to enjoy this."


A toad shivered as he heard screams. "What was that?"

"Sounds like someone's in pain." His friend replied.

The screams of horror continued for what seemed like forever until they abruptly stopped.

The toad shrugged. "Whoever it was is gone now."

Indeed they were, the Shadow Queen's screams could be heard throughout the entire kingdom.

Back at the royal palace, the Smash Brothers were rejoicing at their win. The defeat of the Shadow Queen secured them the first item on the list: the Star Rod.

"Good job everyone!" Jigglypuff told them.

Mario smiled. "Yes, thanks for all of your hard work. If it hadn't been for you all Peach, her father, and I wouldn't be here now."

"What are friends for, right?" Link playfully replied.

The smashers took the night off to rest from the day's battle. The next morning a ceremony in their honor took place.

The twenty-four of them knelt before King Toadstool and Princess Peach. "I would like to personally thank each of you for your bravery, strength, courage, and determination. My life and my daughter's were in your hands and you delivered us to safety. On behalf of the Mushroom Kingdom, I crown you all the highest honor or respect and privilege. You are now Mushroom Knights. You are welcome to come here any time that you wish."

The Smash Brothers were invited to a banquet in their tribute but they politely declined, the sooner they finished their mission the better.

"Alright, guys, break's over. Next stop is Hyrule."


Popil growled loudly. "That damn wench didn't even kill one of them! This is so infuriating that I could just…" He paused and a grin filled his face.

"Send Chariz in right away."

A plump blue-haired creature entered the room and bowed before him. "Yes, your highness?"

"I need you to get the Shadow Beast I requested… what his name again?"

"Bongo Bongo."

Popil chuckled evilly. "Oh, yes. I need you to have him destroy the royal capital of Hyrule. I need this to be done as soon as possible. For you see, I am very frustrated and I need some terror to release some of that. Do you understand?"

Chariz nodded. "Yes sir, I understand perfectly. I will give word for that right away."

"Thank you, you may leave." He swayed his hand to enunciate the fact further that he was done with him. Chariz got the point and quickly left.

"After Bongo Bongo is done there will be nothing but rubble left. Oh, I will certainly take great pleasure in that." He suddenly remembered something else and pressed down a button, his chilling voice was heard throughout his keep over the intercom.

"And Chariz, make sure that there is no survivors. Let the creature know that his final target is the royal family itself. Kill them all. That is everything."

Popil continued to smile that sinister grin, speaking to himself in a mocking tone. "Let's see how Link and the rest of the Smash Brothers like that."