Super Smash Bros. Shadows - Chapter Six
By Catman
There's only one more day until the Opening Parade and the Exhibition Match of the 137th Brawl Tournament, and the competitors are preparing - namely Samus, Ness, Falco and Luigi. Meanwhile, Mewtwo makes one last effort to shut down the Tournament - with a little help.
Samus woke up, once again, with a jolt. She sat up too quickly in alarm, giving herself a head rush. When her eyes adjusted to the bright lights around her, she looked around, and once more found herself in her grand bedroom in Smash Mansion. She cussed quietly, rubbing her head. Every night had been filled with nightmares since she'd returned to Smash Land. Everywhere she saw Tabuu's featureless face; every shadow she saw transformed into a Subspace mercenary.
She sat up and crossed over to the giant mirror. Once again, she'd fallen asleep in her Zero Suit. She sighed and grabbed a brush from her cabinet, pulling it through her hair. Once she was done, she pulled it out of her face and into a long ponytail. She would normally have showered, but this morning was special: they would be announcing the competitors in the Exhibition Match, and then post the bracket for the tournament.
Samus put on her Power Suit, her mind wandering as she subconsciously applied all of her armour. It all clicked into place while she anxiously wondered how she'd been ranked. The training week had been successful; she's won quite a few matches, including one against Corinne. Like all humans, Corinne was easily persuaded, so it also depended on how compatible they were with their trainer. Samus hadn't spoken a word to her, but judging by how Corinne watched her fighting she assumed that she admired her.
She twisted her helmet on, and then looked in the mirror. Her suit was a little scuffed from the training week and should be polished, but for the tournament she would be wearing her Varia Suit anyway, which would be cleaned daily. She then marched out of her room and down the hallway, towards the main hall. That would be where Corinne, Master Hand and Vivian would post the schedules.
Halfway down the stairs, Samus saw another person making their way towards the front of Smash Mansion – Solid Snake. She looked at him quizzically as he strode ahead of her. He loped along with a heavy kind of grace; he looked stealthy and powerful, although it was obvious that he'd seen many a war. It showed on the deep scars across his face and the slight limp he had.
Samus shadowed him, watching him closely. Only Vivian was there, tacking a few papers onto one of the main columns that lined the side of the main hall. Samus looked behind her, and could see several others following her: Red, Fox, Falco, Captain Olimar, Link and Zelda.
Snake approached the list and scanned over it for a few moments. Then, his face unreadable, he turned on his heel and left. Samus looked over at him discreetly, confused. She then looked up at the charts for herself.
She'd ranked fairly well: number four out of twenty-two, behind Meta Knight, Link and Ike. Those four were all trained warriors who fought regularly; Samus spent most of her time in her starship, only in combat when on a mission. She allowed herself to feel good about her ranking. In the competition, she would be facing the winner of Mr. Game & Watch and Meta Knight's battle, which she predicted would be Meta Knight. That could be a problem.
She then looked up at another sheet of paper. For the Exhibition Match, it would be Falco Lombardi against Captain Olimar. Behind her, the falcon looked down at the tiny captain with a look of mild disgust, as though he didn't think of the captain as a worthy opponent. Samus already resented the falcon pilot; she'd only met him once before and thought he was overconfident, cocky and only subpar at combat. Olimar, on the other hand, was much more cunning than he looked. She was already rooting on the inside for Olimar to win.
Samus turned and left the main hall, deep in thought. This would be her fourth tournament – third, if you didn't count the one five years ago. She had never won a single tournament, although in her second one – the one hundred and thirty-fifth – she had beaten Yoshi in the Exhibition Match and came in second, behind Mario. She had nothing to prove to anyone, nobody to impress, but still she felt like it was her time to win.
She walked absent-mindedly around the grand staircase leading to the second floor. Mario and Peach were headed towards the schedule as well. Although they weren't competing, it seemed to Samus that Mario was just as interested in the going-ons of the tournament as if he were. He had dropped by every single day during training, even going so far as to give them hints and tips during combat. She had sparred with him during her free time; as usual, Mario had defeated her, so badly that she was thrust into Trophy Form. She awoke seconds later, the inviting gloved hand already stretched out to help her up. She admired the Mushroom Kingdom hero and all that he did for his own region as well as Smash Land.
After a short hallway, a set of white double doors awaited her. She pushed them open easily and found herself in the gorgeous gardens of Smash Mansion. There were many secret locations found around the Mansion, ones that could only be found by those who had been there long enough; this garden was one of them. The only other people that she had seen in the gardens were Master Hand, Peach and Zelda, and the latter two were hosting a picnic. Certainly Mario, Link, Luigi and Daisy had to know about it as well.
The gardens were teeming with life. Tall trees, some bearing peculiar fruits, others holding beautiful, blossoming glowers, stretched towards the sky from every garden. Flowers in every color burst upwards, seemingly glowing with life. A wide, winding cobblestone path lead through the garden. Little stone benches and tables were set up periodically to rest. At the very end of the garden was a little circle of grass, surrounded by more flowers and trees. That was where Peach and Zelda had their tea party, and where Samus spent most of her time. She rested on the grass and looked up at the sky.
A few exotic birds flew through the air, cutting across the stretch of perfect blue sky. Immediately, Samus' helmet targeted them, zooming in to a close-up. Annoyed, she tried to switch it off. "The tropic bird," the voice said in its dry monotone. "Also known as the tropicus smashus. Found exclusively in Smash Land, particularly in its northern jungles." Finally, Samus managed to switch it off by pressing her finger to the eyepiece on her helmet. She looked around and saw a little blue butterfly; once again, her helmet zoomed in. Samus growled loudly as it continued to speak. "The blue butterfly," it said. "Also known as the azurus plexippus, is an insect native –" In her irritation, Samus pulled her helmet off with another growl and set it firmly on the grass next to her.
She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air of Smash Land. She had to control her temper. She just felt so boxed up in Smash Mansion, training underground all week. She had to focus on the tournament ahead of her. It wasn't like her to lose her cool like that.
A rustling noise alerted Samus to someone's presence. Her head shot to the side where she thought she had heard a noise. Narrowing her eyes, she could just see something black from behind a tall tree. In a flash, she raised her arm cannon and shot a small blast of energy towards the area. Sure enough, the black thing retreated. She cocked her eyebrow, waiting for whoever it was to say something or show itself. After a few moments, Solid Snake bent around the tree warily.
He opened his mouth to say something, but immediately frowned and cocked his head. "I'm… I'm sorry, you're Samus, right?" he asked. His voice was low and rough. He seemed slightly embarrassed for spying on her. Samus nodded, and he walked around the tree, standing a few feet away from her still. "I don't think I've ever seen you without your helmet on." She made no movement, so he cautiously approached and sat on the grass next to her, although leaving a fair amount of distance between them.
A few more moments passed in silence, before finally Snake spoke again. "You're a legend here, you know that?" She gave him a curious look. Snake nodded. "I mean, you've been here as long as Mario. You're a veteran." She shifted, looking up at the sky. "I've never been in something like this before. It's a little overwhelming."
"Why are you speaking to me?" Samus interrupted. Snake gave her another look, one that looked slightly insulted. Finally, he simply shrugged.
"What else is there to do?" he responded.
She did not reply. She didn't like making friends with people, especially not ones as suspicious as Snake. She was fine with Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Yoshi and Kirby… they weren't threatening to her. Even Mario she was comfortable around. But Snake looked shifty, and as though he'd been in many fights in his lifetime.
"Why are you in the Brawl Tournament?" he asked. Samus merely shrugged. Snake bit his lip, looking down. "I don't know why I was invited. Maybe it's because I helped fight Tabuu last time, but I'm really not a hero. I don't think I've ever done anything heroic in my lifetime." The way he spoke made Samus feel like he was maybe regretting his actions in the past. Although it was awkward, she felt like at that moment he wasn't a threat to her.
Snake looked her over. "What's that suit you're wearing?"
Samus looked down. "It's a Power Suit. It was made by the Chozos for me many years ago."
"What does it do?"
She half-smiled. "Whatever I want it to."
At that moment, a loud noise made both Snake and Samus jump. It was coming from everywhere; every plant, flower and blade of grass spoke as one, making a sound that reminded Samus of a child blowing a raspberry, trying to make themselves sound like an airplane as they held their arms out, running around in its likeness. Although the tone of the voice was deep, like a man's, but much more powerful and commanding. Only one being had the power to do this, and the immaturity to use it for such an effect. She sighed in irritation again, closing her eyes. Snake looked at her, alarmed.
Sure enough, Crazy Hand came floating around the corner, his giant thumb and pinky finger stretched out on either side, replicating the wings of an airplane. His other three gloved fingers were curled in as it soared from side to side. The airplane noises it was making grew louder and louder until the hand plummeted to the cobblestone path. The voice made a mock explosion noise as it crashed.
"Mayday! Mayday!" the voice hollered.
Snake looked confused. "Master Hand?"
Samus shook her head. "Nope."
Crazy Hand rolled on the ground before popping back up into the air, hovering before Snake and Samus. "Me?! Master Hand?!" he said in mock surprise, before laughing heartily. Snake looked even more confused. "Nah, I couldn't do what that guy can do… he's always just so uptight, you know? I'm just a fragment of him. You could say I'm all that's… left!" With another manic laugh, he flipped backwards into the air. Snake narrowed his eyes.
"That's Crazy Hand," Samus explained as the left hand twitched with laughter. "Master Hand's brother, I suppose. The left hand of the two. Not as powerful as Master Hand, but definitely more malicious. Watch out." Snake looked at her and nodded seriously. Finally Crazy Hand straightened up again, his fingers and joints still twitched into strange shapes.
"And you must be Solid Snake, correct?" Crazy Hand asked. Snake nodded slowly. "I'd imagine you're pretty solid around this one, huh?" The hand let out another peal of laughter after pointing at Samus. Snake blushed, and Samus swiftly stood up, grabbing her helmet.
"That's enough, Crazy Hand," Samus snapped, walking past him. Crazy Hand continued to laugh maniacally, falling to the ground with laughter. Snake got up as well, walking off to a different area of the garden.
Samus blushed herself, reattaching her helmet. One again, Crazy Hand had succeeded in ruining everything. If ever she had been suspicious of Master Hand, she was downright suspicious of his partner. Typical of its attitude, he had ruined everything, and just when she was beginning to enjoy talking with the mysterious mercenary.
She walked back up the stairs. It was time to prepare for tomorrow's event, and there was no time to worry about the other competitors.
"Come on, Ness. You have to make a decision."
The PSI-powered boy rolled his head over towards the large closet. Lucas stood there, holding up two clothing hangers. Clipped to one was a pair of denim shorts and Ness' traditional, blue and yellow-striped t-shirt. The other featured black denim pants and a sleek black jacket. The newer outfit was more functional, but Ness had worn the other outfit for every other competition he'd been in. It was his signature, in fact; but times were changing. So much had happened since the last tournament. Perhaps it was time to spin tradition on its head.
Ness groaned loudly and flopped back onto his bed. "I can't pick!" he wailed dramatically.
Lucas groaned as well, storming back into the closet. "Fine, then!" he shouted. "You can do it yourself later. I just thought since the parade is tomorrow, followed by the highly-covered Exhibition Match, you'd want to look nice for a change!" Lucas stormed back into the main room again, crossing to the large mirror in the corner. Other supplies for the tournament, including Ness' weapons, were all in a large black bag next to it. "You know what, you've been awfully ungrateful the past few weeks! I came all the way from Eagleland with you just to watch this tournament, and you won't even listen to me!"
Ness sat up, watching his best friend storm around the room in a rage. He smiled to himself. Lucas wasn't really upset; he was nervous. But still, he was speaking his mind, something that he never would have done five years ago. They were both so much older and more mature – the Subspace War had changed them, but for the better. They were wiser and less rash now.
As Lucas continued to rant, Ness ventured back into the closet and looked at the two outfits. Finally, he took one off and carried it into the main room. Lucas looked up, pausing in his rant, and stopped. Then he smiled slightly, marching towards him.
"The new outfit it is, then," he concluded, his voice softer. Ness laid it down on the bed and Lucas bent over it, adjusting the zipper. "We're going to have to find you a new hat… I'm thinking black, maybe? I think that's kind of your theme for this year. Less cute and more intimidating." Lucas looked at him with a small smile.
For a moment, the two just looked at each other. No judgement, no questions, nothing. Ness just examined Lucas' dark eyes, and Lucas stared right back, unafraid and unflinching. A moment passed, and Ness looked away, back down at the outfit. He cleared his throat and scratched his nose awkwardly, unable to see the quiet look of disappointment on his friend's face.
"So, um, what does this jacket do exactly?" Ness asked.
Lucas took a deep breath in. "It'll channel your PSI powers easier," he explained. "It doesn't necessarily make them any more powerful, just more concentrated and easier to control. Kind of like a water faucet," he related easily. Ness nodded, stroking the fabric of the jacket. It was made of a strange material. "I had to order it from Silph Co. all the way over in the Pokémon Islands, but I tested it first. It works incredibly."
Ness nodded. "And what will you be wearing?"
His friend shrugged. "Since you're wearing this, and I'm basically your equivalent of a hype man, I'll have to wear something to compliment it." He raised a hand to his mouth in wonder. "Maybe something white, just to set it off."
Ness looked over at his friend. "Lucas, why didn't you want to compete this year?"
Lucas shrugged, not fully paying attention. "I'm not much of a fighter, I guess."
"But during the Subspace War you fought like a professional," Ness pointed out, straightening up. "Come on, you can't say you aren't prepared for it. I mean, you can control your PSI powers twice as well as I can –"
"– with half the strength," Lucas interrupted. He smiled at his friend. "I don't want to have to fight ever again. Helping you win this is enough for me." With that, his friend turned and quietly left Ness' room. The dark-haired boy watched him leave, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Just don't get too cocky, alright?" Fox said warily.
"Why not? I'm going to beat him anyway," Falco replied coolly.
The two animals wandered around the gardens, just a few minutes after Samus, Fox and Master Hand's confrontation. Fox felt the need to prepare his best friend for the Exhibition Match, but he had to admit that Olimar wasn't the best opponent for an experienced fighter pilot such as Falco. After years of training, the blue falcon was a master of combat with unmatched agility, speed and strength.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Fox said, despite his true feelings. "Olimar himself isn't what you need to worry about, it's those Pikmin of his. They're surprisingly vicious, especially in numbers. I suggest you get rid of them as quickly as possible before he has time to plant more. Oh, and if he does, try to stamp them out, they're weaker when they've been hurt during growing."
Falco frowned. "How do these Pikmin work, anyway?"
Fox shrugged. "I don't know. A couple years before the one hundred and thirty-sixth tournament, he was sent on a space voyage but crash landed on some foreign planet. He met these Pikmin and somehow managed to fix his ship, making it back here with a pocketful of seeds. I guess he's considered a hero now, since he was invited to the tournament last time."
"Yeah, but his ship's a beater though," Falco pointed out. "Come on, remember how trashy it looked? It looked like somebody duck taped it together. You can always judge a pilot on the ship he rides," Falco said firmly. "So why'd you bring me here?" he asked after a moment.
"To spy on Olimar, of course," Fox said, lowering his voice. "He's always out here."
The two quietly made their way down the cobblestone path. Fox held out his furry arm to stop his friend, and the two crouched behind a tall hedge. They peered silently over it, and sure enough, Olimar was there. He was bending down in a flower bed, holding back a tree branch with one arm and reaching into a big burlack sack at his side with the other.
As they watched curiously, Olimar withdrew a few small, stubby, cylinder-shaped things from his bag. One was bright red, another bright blue, the last purple. Each had a big, white number 1 emblazoned on it. He hummed as he buried them gently in the ground. Right before their eyes, little sprouts shot up immediately, making Falco jump. Olimar pulled a few more seeds out of the bag, including a yellow one, a white one and another blue one. After he buried them, he marched over to the sprouts and grasped each one tightly.
He pulled each one out with a strong tug. Right before Falco's eyes, a Pikmin emerged, fully formed, from the ground. His beak dropped open. He had seen Olimar fight with his little colorful friends before during training, but he had never known where he got them. Every day he came with new ones, as the others seemed to die rather quickly in puffs of smoke that descended to the skies. Everything about the little captain was strange.
The red Pikmin was very small, like all Pikmin, with a thin, humanoid body tainted entirely red. Its sprout still came from its head, with a big leaf at the tip. It had no mouth or ears, but a long, pointed nose and big, round eyes. Olimar set it aside and uprooted the blue one. It looked similar to the red one, but with only a mouth and no nose or ears, as well as big round eyes. Lastly, the purple one was chubbier, with a giant head and long eyelashes. It looked harder to pull out than the last two, as it was so much heavier.
Instantly, the tubby purple Pikmin began wandering off. Olimar didn't seem to notice, as he had busied himself with uprooting the others. To Falco's huge shock, the purple Pikmin was wandering towards them, behind the hedge. It wandered around the corner and looked up at them, blinking comically.
Once Olimar had harvested the other three – another blue Pikmin, a shrimp white Pikmin with bright pink eyes, and a yellow Pikmin with large ears – he turned and noticed the purple Pikmin. Fox and Falco ducked down, their hearts racing. The purple Pikmin continued to watch them curiously.
"Now, now! Stay with the pack, young one!" Olimar said. His voice was electronic and static-y, as it came from a speaker outside of his spacesuit. A loud whistle was heard, and from over the hedge a bright red light shone. The purple Pikmin immediately disregarded the animals and hurried back to the little Captain.
"Let's go," Falco whispered to Fox.
Fox nodded, and the two stealthily retreated. Meanwhile, Olimar stood in the centre of his little circle of Pikmin, smiling to himself. "They think they're quite clever, don't they?" he said quietly to his little Pikmin. None of them replied, opting to just stare up at him with their round, emotionless eyes. "We'll show him, won't we? Then nobody will look down at Captain Olimar ever again!" He rested his hands firmly against his hips, smiling gloatingly for a moment. Then, finally, he began walking back to the Mansion. "Come on, Pikmin!" he called, and they all chased after him eagerly.
Daisy had been looking all over for her boyfriend all afternoon. It was her first time in the Smash Mansion and she found it ridiculously confusing, with all of its multiple floors, flowers and rooms. Once, on her way to the cafeteria, she'd accidentely found herself in what appeared to be a secret library. By now, she at least knew how to make her way to the Main Hall. Frustrated and irritable, she descended the stairs heavily – only to see the green-clad hero standing in front of a tall pillar. Daisy's heart began pumping quickly.
"Luigi!" she shouted. Her boyfriend jumped, letting out a noise of shock. When he saw the beautiful princess storming towards him, as quickly as her high heels would allow, he blushed and couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. Many years ago, he had been set up with the monarch of Sarasaland by his brother and Princess Peach, and had never regretted it. She was as beautiful as Princess Peach, and looked slightly similar; they both wore long, intricate dresses and bore shiny crowns on top of their long hairdos. However, similar to Peach's affinity for pink, Daisy preferred to wear orange, and everything from her jewelry to her dress looked sunshiny and happy. Her hair was long and brown, and waved around her waist. Her deep bronze crown was embedded with little sapphires and emeralds.
"Yes, my dear?" Luigi asked timidly.
"I've been looking for you all afternoon!" she hollered. "Peach and I wanted to play some two-on-two tennis with you and Mario, but lo and behold, you were nowhere to be found!" Luigi cowered from his girlfriend, who glared at him with her hands on her hips. "Come on, Luigi! You promised if you brought me here you wouldn't desert me. Maybe you just don't love me enough," she huffed, turning her back to him and crossing her arms.
"No, no, no, Daisy!" Luigi assured, running around her large dress. He rested his gloved hands on her arms, looking up at her tenderly. "I'm sorry I've been ignoring you. I'm just so caught up with the tournament, you know?"
Daisy sighed. "I know, I know. I just get so lost around here, and I know nobody," she snapped. "Except for Yoshi. But even he's been too busy with training. All I've been doing is spending time in my room."
Luigi nodded sympathetically. "How about we take Mario and Peach up on that tennis offer, then?" he suggested perkily.
"No, they've already left the court," Daisy informed. "Let's just go for a walk instead."
Luigi nodded and took his girlfriend's arm as they walked towards the main doors of the Mansion. He pulled it open for her, and they entered the warm, breezy courtyard. The statues of all the heroes of the Subspace War rose from the cobblestone ground, shining in the sunlight. The next tournament was only a day away… and Luigi would not be in it.
They walked slowly, in silence. Daisy was content now – just being in the presence of this thoughtful, loyal man made her feel happy. Many of her gossipy, more feminine friends back in Sarasaland would always ask her, "Why do you settle for Luigi? Mario's so much more manly and strong!" She had to smile even at the thought of that statement. Peach, who could be quite demanding herself, could handle somebody as tough as her boyfriend. She was just fine standing at the sidelines, watching him save the Kingdom over and over again. She could see Peach's life before her: them settling down, having a few heirs, and living out their life in a pleasant beach house on Yoshi's Island. Of course, they would live in glamour and fame, frequently travelling to Smash Land and other regions to visit their fans. But that was never what Daisy had wanted.
She wanted a life of adventure and recognition of her own. If she were with a man like Mario, who carried around the burden of his own legacy with him wherever he went, she would end up like Peach: always waiting, never doing. Daisy was athletic and adventurous, and needed someone who would do it with her, not without her. Luigi was the perfect man. He, too, was tired of living under his brother's shadow, and had always had a flair for adventure and sports as well. He loved Daisy as much as she loved him, and would never overshadow her with his own fame. They were equal – they were a pair. Besides, Mario was far too hot-headed and independent… Daisy always liked someone who needed her.
They approached the gates, where more guards wielding dangerous, powerful weapons stood. As soon as they were within their reach, they held out their large, spear-flanked laser guns and formed an X over the handle of the gates.
"Whoa!" Luigi exclaimed, hopping back.
"What's going on here?!" Daisy said, shocked.
"I'm afraid we can't let you through, Your Majesty," one said firmly.
Daisy let go of Luigi and put her hands on her hips again. "What do you mean, you can't let us through?!"
"Daisy…" Luigi said quietly, trying to pull his girlfriend away.
"No, Luigi!" she shouted, pulling away. "Let us through!"
"I can't do that," he repeated, a little more timidly. He held his head forward, staring straight away, but Luigi could still see his nervous eyes. "I'm under strict orders from the Smash Council that no competitor is allowed to pass through these gates. It was one of the agreements that were made when the tournament was permitted to continue."
"Well, neither of us are competitors. So let us out!"
The guard bit his lip. "Well… I guess you technically aren't competing…"
"That's damn right!" Daisy shouted. "Open the gates!"
The guards slowly lowered their weapons, and the other guard unlocked the large gate with his wristband. It swung open and Daisy marched forward, brushing past it impatiently. Luigi followed, slightly embarrassed for his girlfriend. He finally managed to catch up with her, but her arms were still crossed.
"This is ridiculous! All of this security is pointless," she huffed.
"Sonic doesn't seem to think so," Luigi said with a shrug.
They moved through the streets of Smashville, surrounded by the excited civilians. On any other day, Luigi would immediately be spotted and possibly stopped for an autograph or two – particularly after the Subspace War. However, this was the day before the Opening Ceremony and the Exhibition Match – people everywhere were dressed as their favourite heroes. Quite a convincing Link and Zelda couple marched past them, while a cheap, poor impression of Samus' Varia Suit ran past them anxiously. Daisy, distracted, slowed down her pace enough for Luigi to walk beside her comfortably.
"Why are they all dressed up?" she asked.
Luigi shrugged. "They get really into the tournament, I suppose."
The Princess had never been to a Brawl Tournament before. It was all so exciting, but also full of tension – particularly inside the Smash Mansion. Luigi looked up to see big, crimson flags emblazoned with the Smash symbol hanging from telephone wires and clothing lines between tall buildings. The sky was blue and cheery; little puffy white clouds dotted the sky innocently. It was going to be a perfect day.
Exactly like last time, Luigi thought darkly.
Not watching where he was going, he bumped right into someone else walking the opposite direction. When he saw who it was, he felt slightly shocked. It was Mario. How could he have possibly gotten past the gates?
"Luigi!" Mario exclaimed loudly and boisterously. Shocked, Luigi was pulled into a big hug. "How-a are you, my little-a brother?" the portly red hero exclaimed. Luigi frowned. He was speaking in a terrible accent, and he was smiling as if he'd just won the tournament. It was everything Mario was stereotyped to be by the people of Smash Land. It was only at that moment did Luigi realize that he was not facing his older brother, but an immaculate, perfectly detailed impersonator.
Luigi smiled slightly. "Oh, ah, yes! I'm well, um… Mario," Luigi stammered. Behind the Mario impersonator stood a Peach impersonator. She wasn't identical to the Princess, but was fairly close. Daisy gave her a wary eye as she scuttled towards her costumed partner.
"Come on, Mario!" she exclaimed in an overly peppy, high-pitched voice. "We have to get to the bakery before it closes! And then we'll have a tea party, alright?" Daisy rolled her eyes. It was almost as if they were mocking their favourite heroes rather than dressing up as them.
"Alright-a, my pretty little Peach!" the Mario impersonator exclaimed. "See-a you at the tournament, Luigi!" The two walked off. Daisy scoffed, and continued walking with her boyfriend.
"That was pretty impressive, I must admit," Daisy commented.
Luigi nodded. He couldn't help but feel a little sad, being surrounded with all the excited civilians. The Mario impersonator had thought he, too, was just a spectator decked out in a costume; and in reality, he was nothing more. This year he would only be in the crowd, watching.
"What's the matter, Luigi?" Daisy asked, looking down at him.
Luigi sighed. "I guess I was just looking forward to the tournament this year. But because Mario is so certain it'll end in disaster he said I couldn't participate."
Daisy nodded sympathetically. "I know. But at least you'll get to watch with me!" He took his hand and the two darted into the crowds of people, blending in like everyone else – just like Luigi felt every day of his life.
"Why have you come here?"
The cold peaks of Sinnoh were suffering from a serious blizzard. Snow and hail blocked out almost everything of Mewtwo's vision, but through the storm he could sense a strong presence. As well as being able to read it, Lucario gave off his own significant, distinct aura – one that only Mewtwo and other powerful Pokémon could read.
"I need your help," Mewtwo said telepathically.
For a moment, there was silence. Then, as if it were speaking in his own mind, Lucario's voice rang out. "You want me to stop the Brawl Tournament from occurring, don't you?"
"Yes," Mewtwo replied, slightly confused. "How do you know?"
"I have my ways."
Silence prevailed for many long minutes. Then, for just a moment, the wind broke, and Mewtwo could see him. Lucario stood on the very top of Mt. Coronet, facing away from the Legendary Pokémon behind him. Although he was not of legendary status, Lucario was very respected by Mewtwo – his ability to read, sense and control aura was extremely impressive, and even surpassed Mewtwo's.
The Pokémon resemble a jackal, with its long snout and tall, pointed ears. It was roughly the same size at Mewtwo, and like him, he also had a humanoid body shape. Short fur covered its body; some black, some dark blue. Its torso was light yellow, and its upper legs were blue. Large spikes protruded from its two hands and its chest. A long tail extended from its body. Even stranger, four black appendages stretched out from the back of its head that rose whenever it used its aura powers. It was balanced on one foot, at the very tip of the peak, its hands pressed together as if in meditation.
"When does it commence?" Lucario asked.
"Tomorrow."
A few more moments.
"If we leave now, we can make it in time."
Mewtwo nodded, then rose up into the air, glowing slightly purple. Then, the Pokémon flew through the air, over the mountain range, flying south.
"I will assist you."
Below him, Mewtwo could see Lucario leaping from peak to peak, its eyes and black appendages glowing bright blue. If the Smash Council would not help him, then he had to use his own kind – the Pokémon. Surely Pikachu and Jigglypuff would assist.
The ocean approached rapidly. In just an hour or so it was upon them. At the moment that it did, Lucario leapt up from the shore. Mewtwo watched, confused as to how the Pokémon could cross the sea. But instead of leaping into the waves, it stretched its arms out in front of it. They glowed bright blue, and a jet seemed to materialize under it, propelling it forward.
Together, the two Pokémon sped towards Smash Land together to stop the tournament.
Thanks for reading! :3
