U92: It's almost 10:30 and I'm dead tired. We don't have to stay up late working on this, but you all are just worth it.
A fan on the Smash Mind Forum requested to see more of the other Smashers, so we obliged. If you have any requests or questions of your own, just visit the forum and make your voice heard!
Warning: Some violent material near the end.
Sue2: Hi there everyone! How's life? Please reivew...
Teehee. This should be fun. In my section, you realize the good guys don't actually sleep better at night - especially not when they have nosy neighbours living next door.
Let's go!
On with the fic!
-Chapter Six-
The Impartial Night
It was nearly one AM, but Sophie Macintyre couldn't sleep. She was still wondering.
What was that light that had come from Alicia Peri's house? She had her twin brother staying with her, Sophie knew. But why the flash? Why the scream? And Sophie had seen her ushering three people into her house at around four thirty that afternoon. Then, about half an hour later, had come the scream.
She heard a car driving by, stopping. There was a pause, then a knock on her door.
Who would be knocking on her door at one AM? Sophie got to her feet and went to the door. Sophie's boyfriend was standing at the door - a young policeman named Brendan.
Sophie raised her eyebrows with a flirtatious smile. "Well, look at my luck. I was lying alone, bored out of my mind, and a handsome man shows up at my door. Are you here on business, or just for the pleasure of my company?"
Brendan gave a slightly contrite smile. "Business, I'm afraid. I didn't want to wake anyone, and I knew you'd still be up."
Sophie gave a dramatic sigh, putting a hand to her heart. "Why don't you ever come around just to talk?"
"Sorry, Soph. I can stay a while if you like, but I have to ask some questions first."
Sophie giggled, putting on a wide-eyed, innocent look. She loved this game. "What am I suspected for, officer? I can assure you, I have an alibi!"
Brendan laughed, hugged Sophie. "Nothing like that, Soph. I know very well you'll never wind up in a case file. I just need to know if you've seen anything odd in the neighbourhood."
Sophie thought back to what she had been wondering about. "Actually, I think you've arrived at just the right time. Come in."
Someone was shaking her shoulder. Alicia opened her eyes to see Jeremy sitting on the edge of her bed. For a moment her heart hammered in her chest, until she came to her senses. Her twin looked confused and startled. Something was wrong.
"S'matter, Jer?" Alicia muttered, sitting up.
There was a loud knock on the door. "That," Jeremy said. "They've been at it for five minutes."
Alicia got up and moved to her window that overlooked the front porch. Looking down, she saw a young man in a police uniform, along with her next-door-neighbour. "Sophie!" she groaned. "That was the problem." Looking at her confused brother, Alicia continued. "Sophie Macintyre is the nosiest girl in the world, and her current boyfriend is a police officer. Get Link, Samus and Mario and take them out the back door. Hide them... somewhere! I don't know. But get them far away from the house."
Jeremy nodded. "Alicia, are these people looking for them?"
"Probably," Alicia said. "Go! And don't let anybody see you."
Jeremy nodded and crept out of the room. Alicia got to her feet, put on a housecoat. She rubbed a hand through her normally tame hair, messing it up. Sophie may have been a drama queen, but she wasn't the only one who could act.
Alicia stumbled loudly down the stairs, trying to mask the noise of her brother's escape. She tripped for real, slid down a couple of stairs, and swore under her breath.
Putting on a bleary face, she opened the door. Sophie stood in her nightgown, slightly behind the man in the uniform.
Alicia rubbed her eyes, looking at them incredulously. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
The man's face gentled. "I'm sorry to wake you, miss..."
"Peri," Alicia said. "Alicia."
"Miss Peri," the police officer said. "but Sophie... er Miss Macintyre... has reported some strange goings-on at this house, and there are wanted criminals in the area. She says you brought three people into this house at about four o clock."
"That's right," Alicia said. "They're my twin brother's friends - he's staying with me for a while. They left hours ago."
"I never saw them leave," Sophie cut in.
Alicia turned a tired face to Sophie. "You do go to the bathroom, right?"
"May I speak to your bother?"
Alicia thought fast. "Sorry," she said. "He left with them... I think he said he was going out to dinner."
"And he hasn't come home yet?" the officer looked doubtful.
"Well," Alicia shrugged, "There was a girl with them. She probably invited him over afterwards." Alicia was too tired to play the innuendo game with them, so she opted for the blunt approach. Maybe it'd scare them off. "What business is it of mine who he sleeps with? Now, if you don't mind, I have work tomorrow. May I go back to bed, please?"
"One more thing," the young man said. "Apparently there was a bright flash and a scream at around five o clock in your house."
Alicia had to think fast again. Stupid Sophie. Why couldn't she stay home and stop meddling in other people's lives? "Where did you hear that? Has Sophie been talking in her sleep?"
Sophie flushed.
"Thank you for your time." The man, slightly red-cheeked as well, turned around and left, Sophie chasing after him.
Alicia closed the door, cursing Sophie Macintyre and her police boyfriend. And Sophie would be watching them 24/7 now, desperate to redeem herself in her boyfriend's eyes.
The four crept along a back road.
"What's going on?" Samus whispered to Elyan.
"My sister said to take you three and hide," he said. "The police are after you."
"Great," Samus said. "Just great. What do we do now?"
"Alicia said to hide. She didn't say what else we should do. I guess we'll hide and then find a way to call her." he looked around. The moonlight shone off of something glittering on the ground. Elyan ran over and picked it up. He smiled. "A quarter. Alicia said that's what you put in payphones." He put the quarter in his pocket.
Link put his head to one side. "So people drop money on the ground here, too?"
Mario laughed. "People will-a drop money on the ground in-a every world."
"My suit," said Samus, looking startled. "What if the police search her house?"
"I hid it in the cupboard," Link said.
Samus smiled. "Nice foresight."
Link shrugged. "I'm used to trying to leave no trace that I've been in a place."
"Aha!" Elyan said. "Look. It's a payphone."
"Elyan, I really don't think..." Samus was cut off as Elyan attempted to insert his quarter into the 'payphone'. "Elyan, this is a back alley. If you would just stop and look..." But Elyan ignored her.
"Where's the slot..." he said. The coin fell in and clinked. Elyan lifted the phone. "Now there should be a tone... but there's nothing. Is it broken?"
Samus was shaking with laughter. "Elyan, I've never seen a payphone before, but I have seen an old phone sitting on top of a garbage can."
Elyan looked at his 'payphone'. He burst out laughing, and clapped a hand over his mouth before he could wake anyone.
Link and Mario joined in. They couldn't help it.
A half an hour later, Elyan was inserting a now rather smelly quarter into a real payphone. He closed his eyes a moment. "Alicia told me to call this number if I ever needed help." he opened his eyes, dialled and waited.
"Hello? Alicia? It's me." Elyan listened for a moment. "She says they're gone. Should we come back? No?" he listened a little bit longer. "Alicia says she'll come pick us up - the house is being watched by the next-door neighbour. Where are we?" he looked around. "I'm not sure."
"Look at this," Link said, pointing.
"We're just outside a Community Centre," Samus said, "according to the sign."
"We're just outside a community centre..." Elyan paused, listened, and looked around. "No, it doesn't have a swing set in the front. Okay." He hung up. "Alicia says she's coming to get us."
Alicia looked, startled, at her radio. The oddest songs came on over the radio at one in the morning. This one wasn't even in English. Probably dance music, she thought. After all, the only people who'd be up right about now, besides us, are clubbers. She grinned, wondering how you could possibly dance to something like that.
Soon, she reached the community centre. Jeremy, Samus, Link, and Mario were standing outside of it.
She unlocked the doors and motioned for them to get in.
Link looked around the interior of the car, clearly confused.
"Think of it as a racer, only slower and with more room," Samus supplied quickly. "Like in the Big Blue race stage."
Jeremy was staring at the radio, transfixed. "What is that coming out of the radio?"
Alicia giggled. "That's what passes for music at one in the morning."
Jeremy grinned tiredly. "You mean there are sane people who are still up to listen to this?"
Alicia nodded. "Not exactly. People yes, sane, not so much. They're called clubbers. They pack themselves into loud, smelly rooms, drink alcohol, and dance to stuff like this."
The car was silent as everyone took a moment to digest that piece of information. Then Alicia put her hands back on the wheel and began the drive back home.
-World: Smash World-
Zelda stared at the ceiling. He was gone. She could handle being apart from him, but having their heart-bond severed was like having her heart forcibly ripped out of her body.
Her heart! She sat bolt upright. Perhaps with all of that magic, she'd be able to reach him! Even… even bridge the gap and bring them home!
She closed her eyes and called up her magic. It sparkled around her, an inferno of power unlike anything she could produce without severe emotional stress.
Almost there! Link! She screamed his name in her mind.
But as her magic travelled, it began to grow weak, battered by space. Still she pressed on. Link!
She had him! Just barely. He was sleeping. But she had him!
He'd used up all of his magic… his hungry heart latched onto hers, drawing her strength. She gave him some – he'd need it. Link, unaware in his sleep, continued to draw on her stores. Still, Zelda held on. Link! Link! She mindcalled, trying to wake her sleeping husband up. But still he slept, not hearing her faint voice.
She began to feel dizzy, held her head in one hand. Grey danced at the edge of her vision.
Suddenly, there was a massive power around hers. It cut her off from Link's heart, filled her with its own energy. She struggled, but the psychic power that whoever it was had was vastly more powerful than her own.
Mewtwo's voice sounded in her head. Zelda! Stop! If you keep this up, you're going to die! Link doesn't know the damage he's doing to you, but if he knew, it would kill him! Suddenly, he was behind her, paws on her shoulders. Please. Stop.
"I had him," Zelda said.
I know, Mewtwo said. I felt it. You had him… but you wouldn't have been able to hold it.
Zelda's vision cleared. She turned to Mewtwo. "I'm sorry. You're right. I was being a fool."
Not in the least, Mewtwo said. It was a good idea. You just went about it a little too hastily.
Zelda looked at Mewtwo quizzically. "You've got a lot more power than you let on. I can tell. Why didn't you use it for other things? You could have done a lot with it."
I have limitations on this power now, Mewtwo said. I put them on myself when my own psychic strength was used to hurt those I love. The power you felt, I can only use to protect. Your life was in danger. That let me access my power.
Zelda nodded. "Makes sense," she said. "… thank you. You saved my life."
It's not a problem. The mental version of a smile. I think… if you can do that again, this time aided by the gate, perhaps we might be able to reach them. I'll present that idea to ROB.
Zelda nodded and got to her feet. Her legs shook slightly, but she regained her strength in a second. "I'm going down to have something to eat."
Good plan, Mewtwo said. I will go and assure Jigglypuff that the world is not coming to an end, and no one is dead. My sudden departure worried her greatly.
Zelda laughed slightly. "Do you know where Peach is?"
Mewtwo paused for a moment. In the kitchen, he said. Are you surprised?
"Not really," Zelda said. She got up and made to leave. "Thanks, Mewtwo."
Mewtwo nodded and disappeared.
Zelda walked down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. Peach was bustling around, reorganizing things. The warm smell of melting chocolate came out of the oven.
Peach turned and smiled slightly at Zelda. "Hey, Zelda," she said, running over to the oven. She looked inside, smiled at what she saw. Then she gestured to a bowl, filled with a whitish, slightly gooey looking substance. "Can you stir the icing?"
"Sure," Zelda said, picking up bowl and spoon. "What are you making now?" Peach had been cooking up a storm the past two days. The people currently living at Smash Mansion were treated to delicious, varied meals. And when she wasn't making meals, she was cooking something else. She produced so many sugary treats that Nana, Popo, Ness, Young Link, and Kirby were now banned from the kitchen.
"A volcano cake," Peach said. "It's going to be chocolate cake on the outside and melted chocolate on the inside."
"Where do you get all this chocolate?" Zelda asked.
"Where we get the rest of our food. ROB synthesizes it with a machine he, Sael, and Elyan salvaged."
Zelda nodded. That made sense. Then she looked at Peach. "You're certainly busy."
Peach sighed. "Yeah," she said.
"Are you okay? Really?" Zelda asked.
Peach shrugged, the slight smile disappearing. "I'll be fine." Unspoken words hovered between them, written all over Peach's face. The man I love and my two best friends are a million miles away and probably in danger. Do you expect me to be okay?
Zelda sighed. Yeah, I know.
"I think the cake's ready," Peach said. "help me take it out?"
Zelda smiled, wrapping her hands in a thin layer of heat-resistant magic. "Sure," she said.
The two pulled the heavy cake out of the oven, carrying it across the kitchen. Suddenly, Peach, who was protecting her hands with oven mitts, gasped and pulled away, shaking her burned hand to cool it. The platter tipped over, and the floor was covered with chocolate.
Peach looked down at the floor. Her shoulders started to shake. She put her head in her hands, and tears leaked through her fingers.
Zelda stepped around the cake, put her arms around the sobbing Peach. She felt tears in her own eyes. "Peach… It's okay. It's okay. They'll be fine."
The shorter woman buried her face in Zelda's shoulder, speaking through shuddering breaths. "Y- yeah."
"Peach, we'll find them. I promise," Zelda said. "We'll figure out a way."
Zelda could feel Peach nod. Zelda's heart was filled with sorrow as well, but she steeled herself, and looked at the floor. "We'll start working on it right away… as soon as we get this catastrophe cleaned up."
Peach laughed through her tears. She lifted her head and hugged Zelda. "Yeah," she said. "Thanks."
Zelda smiled, patting Peach on the back. "We'll get through this," she said. "For starters, let's see what we can do about this cake." She leaned down and picked up a piece, popped it in her mouth. She licked her lips. "That's good."
Peach laughed again, wiping her tears. Zelda smiled and headed towards the cupboard where the dustpan was kept.
-World: Earth-
Ben's truck pulled into the parking lot of the local bar, coming to a stop in a parking space. Ganondorf and Wario were right behind them, each parking his bike in their own space. The duo was looking over the outside of the bar when Reese and Ben climbed out of the truck, coming up alongside them.
Ben clapped a hand on Ganondorf's shoulder. "Well, here we are. What do you think?"
Ganondorf flinched slightly from the contact, but did not pull away. "It appears rather...small. You are sure this 'club' meets here?"
Reese laughed. "The place is bigger than it looks, believe me. We only come here because this bar is the only one around that allows bikers. It's always packed with guys."
"Now dis is my kinda place!" Wario exclaimed happily, rubbing his hands together. "Booze, bikes, and maybe even some babes! I could live here!"
Ganondorf scowled at Wario, smacking him on the back of the head. "I would advise you to maintain a dignified composure while we are here," he warned. "It is necessary for us to make a favourable first impression."
Wario glared at Ganondorf, rubbing his head where the man had hit him. "Okay, okay! Jeez, lighten up..."
The duo stepped into the bar with Reese and Ben, and was immediately blasted by a surge of noise. A jukebox in the corner had been jacked up to highest volume, playing loud rock music that seemed on the verge of wrecking its speakers. The bar's various patrons were all talking over the music, trying to drown out everything else to make their own conversations heard. The bar was swamped with male motorcyclists, awash in a sea of leather, facial hair, and beer.
"Quite da joint!" Wario shouted to Reese and Ben, attempting to make himself heard. "Great atmosphere!"
Reese rolled his eyes. "Let's get you guys a drink!" he yelled. "The noise isn't that bad once you've got some beer in you!"
He slid into the crowd and up to the bar, pulling the others with him. Setting them on a group of unattended bar stools next to him, Reese bellowed his order to the bartender. The man nodded, disappearing and reappearing almost instantly with four glasses of bright gold beer. Reese handed the man several bills and pushed the glasses down the bar to his companions.
Ben and Wario immediately grabbed their mugs and chugged down the beer, Wario draining his glass so quickly he looked to be inhaling the liquid instead of drinking it. Ganondorf stared at his mug for awhile with an unidentifiable expression, then cautiously took a small sip. He continued drinking his glass in this fashion, wearing an expression that suggested something particularly foul had been placed under his nose.
Reese leaned in, cradling his own glass. "Don't like beer?"
"I am used to more...refined tasting mead," Ganondorf enunciated loudly. "This brew is too diluted for my taste."
Before Reese could respond, a scruffy-haired biker bounded up next to him and slugged him hard in the arm. "Hey, Jack!"
Reese whipped around in his seat, breaking into a smile when he saw who it was. "Max! How've you been, man?"
"Never better," Max grinned, leaning up against the side of the bar in a casual pose. "Who are your friends?"
Reese slid off his stool, moving aside to allow Max to see his companions. "These are a couple of guys I met this afternoon. They're interested in joining the club."
Ganondorf extended a hand, giving Max's hand a shake. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Ganondorf, and the man behind me is Wario."
Wario finished draining his glass, setting it down on the bar with a loud thwack. "Someone talkin' 'bout me?" he hiccupped.
"So, you two want to join up, huh?" Max asked interestedly. "How good are you two?"
"I'll tell you how good they are," Ben interrupted loudly, pushing aside his mug and swivelling to face Max. "They're goddamn professionals, is how good they are. Best ridin' I've ever seen!" He slid off his barstool and began stumbling into the crowd.
"Oh, not again," Reese groaned, shaking his head.
"Is something the matter with him?" Ganondorf asked curiously. Ben was drunkenly pushing his way into the center of the crowd, repeatedly shouting the praises of Ganondorf and Wario's motorcycle skills. Most of the bar's patrons were slowly moving away from him, looking disgusted.
"I wouldn't say something's wrong with him. Ben just likes hard liquor, that's all. It hits him pretty fast," Reese explained. "I've lost count of how many times I've had to drag him out of here while he was halfway through some drunken monologue."
"Great riders! Fantastic riders!" Ben yelled at the top of his lungs, pacing in jerky, uncoordinated steps. "They're the best I've ever seen! No idea where they came from, but I like 'em anyway! Best riders in the world!"
As Ben continued to rant, the bar door suddenly swung open. A group of big, muscular bikers in jet-black leather and wearing sunglasses appeared in the doorway, frowning at the noise. The bar quieted to a low hush, all the patrons turning to look at the new arrivals. The jukebox was immediately turned off, making the silence seem deafening. Ben didn't seem to notice, still in the middle of his drunken monologue.
"Oh, God," Reese whispered, looking horrified. "The Dark Hogs. We need to get Ben out of here, now. Those guys will tear him apart."
The biggest of the men, an enormous biker with a faded leather jacket and long black dreadlocks, pushed to the front of the group and glared angrily across the bar. "What the hell is all this noise?" he growled. "I can't hear myself think in here."
He stepped directly into Ben's path, forcing him to come to a stop. Ben squinted up at the other man. "Oh, hello. Didn't see you there."
The other man grabbed Ben's collar, hoisting him up to eye level. "So who are these 'fantastic bikers' you're talking about?"
Ben gulped, pointing over at Ganondorf and Wario with a shaking hand. "Th-those g-guys."
The man roughly threw Ben to the side, sending him skidding into a group of chairs. He stalked up to Ganondorf, scowling at him. "So, you think you can ride, do you?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," Ganondorf promptly replied, sizing the other man up. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"Damn straight I've got a problem," the man declared angrily. "This is my neighborhood. The Dark Hogs rule these streets. If you step over the line, we punish you. If you defy us, we break you. I don't like outsiders, and they don't like me. So why are you, an outsider, here in my bar?"
"I was enjoying a drink," Ganondorf replied tartly. "At least, before you and your club arrived. No wonder men try to avoid you. Your smell is utterly abhorrent."
Several patrons gasped. The man leaned in sharply. "Do you know who you're talking to?" he demanded. "I'm Bruno of the Dark Hogs. Nobody insults me and walks away."
"How shall we settle this, then?" Ganondorf inquired, raising his eyebrows.
Bruno grinned, revealing several golden teeth. "The way a real biker does it. We're gonna play a game of chicken."
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Reese asked nervously. "Bruno's like an animal on a bike. He might be more than you can handle."
"Yes, I am sure," Ganondorf sighed, annoyed. "I do not intend on letting that ruffian besmirch my honor."
He was seated on his bike in an empty stretch of the bar's parking lot. Bruno sat atop his own bike several yards away from him. The crowd from inside the bar had drawn outside to watch, clustering around the lot to watch the spectacle.
"Well, if you're sure," Reese said reluctantly, shifting from foot to foot. "Do you remember the rules of chicken?"
"You have explained it to me at least five times," Ganondorf said impatiently. "I am ready, I tell you."
Reese threw up his hands, walking away in defeat. "Fine. It's your funeral, I guess..."
"It is hardly my funeral," Ganondorf muttered under his breath, smirking. He thumbed the switch, causing his bike to burst to life. Ganondorf revved up his motor, looking expectantly over at Bruno.
Bruno yanked hard on his throttle in response, letting the roar of his bike's gears cut through the night. "Last chance for you to back down," he called across the gap. "After this, I won't be holding anything back."
"Oh, I am ready," Ganondorf shouted back. "The question is, are you?"
Bruno bared his teeth in a snarl. "Enough of your attitude. Time to ride, outsider!"
Both men gunned the throttle, racing towards each other at top speed.
The crowd held their breath, not taking their eyes off the two for a second. Reese and Max watched anxiously from the sidelines, a half-conscious Ben propped up between them.
As they drew closer to each other, each man had the same questions running through their heads. Who would turn first? How soon would he turn? Should he himself turn?
Finding no answers, each man looked straight at the other, scanning his opponents' face for any sort clue.
Bruno looked straight into Ganondorf's eyes, seeing nothing but arrogance, pride and determination. The desire to win was evident, visible in the narrowing of his eyes and the grim line of his mouth. Hate was there as well, pure hatred for the man who had dared to challenge him. That was all he could see.
No fear.
No fear at all.
He's not going to turn! Bruno realized, his eyes widening. This outsider won't give up!
Firmly yanking the handlebars to the right, Bruno swerved out of the way of the oncoming Ganondorf. He fishtailed out of control, spinning in circles before managing to come to a stop. Ganondorf blew past him a split second later, beginning to slow down as he realized Bruno had dodged.
No one in the crowd dared to move. The Dark Hogs were like emotionless marble statutes, all staring at their leader.
Ganondorf braked, turning the motor off and dismounting his bike in one fluid gesture. He turned and began to walk back over to Bruno, an expression of smug satisfaction on his face. "I presume I won."
"Who are you?" Bruno breathed, still slightly in shock. "I've never seen anyone that focused on a game of chicken. You didn't look like you were going to move at all."
"Of course not," Ganondorf replied, puzzled. "I would have lost the challenge if I had moved aside. I did not intend to lose."
"What if I didn't stop?" Bruno demanded, looking slightly peeved. "Would you have smashed into me?"
"If you did not have the good judgement to move, yes," Ganondorf answered.
"Are you crazy?" Bruno exclaimed. "A crash like that could have killed us both! Do you have a death wish, outsider?"
Ganondorf smiled. "We might have collided with each other, that is true. But I can easily survive something like that. I cannot say the same for you, though. You seem rather fragile for an authority figure."
Bruno jumped off his bike, springing to his feet with clenched fists. "What did you say to me?"
"I said, you seem very fragile," Ganondorf repeated slowly, enjoying himself. "There is barely any muscle on your frame. You rely on intimidation and bullying to enforce order, surrounding yourself with followers to protect yourself from harm. You have an unfounded and ignorant fear of outsiders, who you futilely attempt to drive away. I can't say I've ever seen a more pathetic leader in my life."
"You're going to pay for that!" Bruno roared, eyes wide with fury. He charged straight for Ganondorf, bellowing in rage.
"Ganondorf, watch out!" Reese yelled, looking horrified.
Ganondorf appeared unconcerned by Bruno's unexpected attack, merely raising an eyebrow at the enraged man. He waited until Bruno was within arm's reach, them nimbly stepped to the side at the last second, leaving Bruno swinging at empty air. Before he could attack again, Ganondorf planted a foot in Bruno's back and pushed hard, sending him sprawling on the ground.
Seething in rage, Bruno scrambled to his feet, throwing his sunglasses to the side as he charged again. Ganondorf swiftly dodged Bruno's swinging fist, countering with a savage blow to his stomach. Bruno let out a choked gasp, face contorting in pain as he clutched his midsection. Ganondorf punched Bruno across the face, causing him to fall to the ground again.
"What is he doing?" Reese choked out. "Bruno's an arrogant prick, but he doesn't deserve anything like this!"
"I know," Max muttered. "Ganondorf even looks he's having fun. Twisted bastard."
Ganondorf stood over the fallen Bruno, delivering a series of savage kicks to his face and chest. Bruno was crying out in pain, holding his hands up in an attempt to protect himself. It was all in vain, as Ganondorf's foot always found the one place he wasn't protecting. This continued for several minutes.
The crowd looked on in horror, no one brave enough to tell Ganondorf to stop.
"Please," Bruno gasped, his face a mess. "Enough."
Ganondorf paused, drawing his foot back. "On your feet," he ordered after a pause.
Bruno carefully stood up, wincing and wiping his face. He wavered back and forth, looking like he was about to collapse. Ganondorf reached out and grabbed his wrist, beginning to squeeze. Bruno howled in pain, convulsing and twitching.
Ganondorf leaned in close. "I would like you to apologize for they way you've treated me. I do not think that is too much to ask, is it?"
"Sorry, sorry!" Bruno whimpered, tears running down his face. "I apologize!"
"Apologize for attacking me," Ganondorf continued, speaking in a calm tone.
"I'm sorry for attacking you!" Bruno practically yelled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, my God I said I'M SORRY!"
"Good, very good," Ganondorf replied, his eyes like steel. "Only one last thing. I need you to admit to all the people here that you are a disgusting, pitiful specimen of a man. Just do that, and I will let you go. Do you understand?"
"Yes, yes," Bruno replied hastily, gritting his teeth against the pain.
"Then do it!" Ganondorf said, giving Bruno's wrist an extra jerk for emphasis.
"I'm a disgusting, pitiful specimen of a man! I'm a disgusting, pitiful specimen of a man!" Bruno yelled, throwing his head back. "Please, please, please let me go!"
Ganondorf complied, loosening his grip. Bruno sighed in relief, taking deep, shuddering breaths. Just before Bruno's mangled wrist fully slid from his grasp, however, Ganondorf seized it again and pressed as hard as he could. There was an audible cracking sound. Bruno screamed in agony, thrashing in Ganondorf's grip.
"Remember the name of Ganondorf Dragmire," Ganondorf stated, completely releasing Bruno's wrist. "For your own sake, hope we do not meet again."
Bruno sank to his knees, clutching his wrist and whimpering. He rocked back and forth, oblivious to everything but his own pain. Satisfied, Ganondorf turned on his heel and strode away, his jacket billowing behind him. The crowd watched him go, expressions varying from disgusted to terrified.
The silence was broken by long, low clapping coming from inside the crowd. The patrons shifted aside, trying to get a good look at the source. Wario emerged, slowly clapping and grinning widely. "Great work, man! Dat was pure art right dere!"
"Thank you, my friend," Ganondorf replied, smiling. "I do try."
He and Wario moved past the frozen patrons, climbing on their bikes and turning them on. They slowly coasted toward the street, stopping just before the turn.
Ganondorf looked over his shoulder, staring straight at the Dark Hogs. "Coming?"
The bikers snapped out of their haze, nodding feverishly. They scrambled onto their bikes, gunning the motors and pulling up behind Ganondorf and Wario. A few spared Bruno apologetic looks before coasting past him.
"Well, gentlemen," Ganondorf said, addressing all the bikers before him. "Time for us to leave, I think."
He turned back to the front, revving his motor and riding out into the street. Wario and the Dark Hogs followed, forming a procession behind him.
"Nicely done," Bowser's voice came from a bush on the side of the road.
Ganondorf didn't respond, but instead let his lips curve into a full-on grin. He revved his engine again, riding off into the night with Bowser and the Dark Hogs behind him.
"For the night was not impartial. No, the night loved some more than others, served some more than others."
-Eudora Welty
U92: I apologize if you were disturbed. It won't be that violent in the future.
Everything you've seen of the villians so far has led up to this moment: the villians gaining control of the Dark Hogs. Did the transition seem natural?
Sue2: My last bit was because I was listening to the song 'Carameldansen'. If you've never heard it, LISTEN TO IT NOW. It's HILARIOUS.
Shameless plug for... um... CREAM CHEESE. Because I feel like it.
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