Aw, goddammit! I think the chapter's short again!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN the following: SSBM, its characters or stages, or the name "Gamecube." That is copyright of Nintendo. I DO OWN the following: the story itself, Gamecube herself, the portal system, and the layout of the Realms.

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"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Pikachu asked.

"Very sure," Gamecube replied, pulling the fungus out of the ground. They were some way away from camp, just the two of them, looking for red mushrooms. She held out the two bright-eyed, red and white-spotted plants and continued, "I've heard all the stories. I heard the stories where Mario ate these whenever he needed more energy."

"And how would you remember that?" Pikachu retorted as they started walking back through the forest.

"I may have forgotten most of my past, but there's no way in hell that I'd forget stories of Nintendian adventures!"

"Well, then, which one were you referring to? Like, what game did that story become?"

"The Paper Mario Series."

"Okay… so… is that how you came up with this idea?"

"The Spirits probably sent it to me."

"Really?" His tone was sarcastic.

"Really! Sometimes, it's just – well – sometimes, you have absolutely no clue what to do, but then the idea just suddenly comes to you, y'know? And I'm pretty sure it was the Spirits!"

"How do you know this for sure? You've only been here for like, a week and a half or so," he pointed out.

"Well, I don't know for sure, but it's always a possibility! So I'm gonna go on believing that the Spirits sent it to me because I don't know for sure. Like with meteors. You know that," she said.

Gamecube looked over her shoulder to find Pikachu with an unreadable expression, although she caught a hint of thoughtfulness. She looked back, in deep thought herself about what he could be thinking. Gently clutching the mushrooms, the two friends continued on to camp.

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"Everything okay back here?" was the first thing Gamecube said when she approached Ness, Mario, Peach and Yoshi underneath one of the rocky overhangs, where a sleeping place for a sleeping Luigi was set up.

"Yep. Did you find the mushrooms you were looking for?" Ness inquired.

"I sure did!" Gamecube replied, placing them down in front of the waiting group.

"Thanks, Gamecube. It means a lot to us that you care," Mario said.

Gamecube smiled. "You're very welcome. And I'd do this again. A million times over."

Mario's expression beamed. "Th-thank you. I guess we were right to rely on you."

"You can always count on me." Gamecube lay down on her stomach, crossing her arms and placing her chin on top of them. "Hey, Ness, when can we expect Luigi to wake up?"

"The same time as Jigglypuff did. Around moonrise."

Gamecube was grateful that it was sunset. Luigi's re-awakening would come soon.

They lay where they were until the last golden rays of the sun sunk behind the overhang and the forest, and the indigo sky and silver moon began to cast their colors over the clearing behind them. Gamecube felt the moonlight reflecting off of her fur once again underneath the mysterious stare of the heavenly body.

It had also been so silent. She and the others did not say a word, and the scene had almost been out of a painting, so quiet, yet you could add all the noise you wanted. It was so silent, that Gamecube almost dozed off where she was. The only thing that kept her from doing so was Ness' voice ringing at the last moments before she dozed off.

"Any second now, guys."

Sure enough, in about a minute, Mario's brother stirred with a shiver. His eyes immediately shot open.

"Where am I?" he said, looking around. Then his eyes met those of a cheerful Mario. "Mario? Mario! What are you doing here?"

"Er… it's a long story, Luigi," Mario replied, scratching the back of his head.

"And look who's here! Yoshi, Peach, how are you?"

"We're just fine," Peach answered, smiling.

"Well, I am if you count having a recently-bruised tail fine," Yoshi remarked.

"Really? What happened?" Luigi asked, concerned.

"We fought enemies called Wire Frames, and one of them grabbed my tail!" Yoshi exclaimed. "But, it's better, for the most part. It's still a little uncomfortable."

"Oh, good." Luigi then laid eyes upon Ness and Pikachu. They widened in surprise. "Can it really be?"

"Yes," Ness replied.

"Ness of Eagleland and a Pikachu?"

"Ash's Pikachu," he pointed out.

"No way!"

"Way!" Pikachu flashed his small, sharp white teeth.

Luigi then turned to Gamecube. "And… I'm sorry. I don't recognize you. Who might you be?"

"Don't worry about not recognizing me. That's to be expected. My name's Gamecube Silvermoon, and I only came to the Realms about a week and a half or so ago, but I still know who you are, Luigi."

"A pleasure to meet you, Gamecube. Say, if you came here a short time ago, where are you from?"

"I actually don't remember. But this isn't the best time for you to learn about me. We need to know… What happened when you went missing?"

"Gamecube, we need everyone to know. In fact, I'll gather them myself," Ness reminded.

"Oh. Right." Gamecube then turned to Luigi, pushing the mushrooms towards him. "Are you injured or tired, Luigi? Pikachu and I got these for you."

"Well, a bit tired. Thanks."

Gamecube proceeded out into the clearing where the Nintendian heroes were gathering. Gamecube took her place next to Ness as Luigi came out with the others around him. He came to the center of the group, looking around in awe.

Gamecube opened her mouth to ask Luigi to tell his story when he shouted:

"Hey, what's he doing here?" He had an accusing glare fixed on Bowser. "You aren't a hero! Hell, you're far from it!"

Gamecube's fur bristled. She didn't want Luigi to try to fight Bowser like she did when they first met.

"Well, you're stuck with me! Just like I'm stuck with you and you brother. Deal with it," Bowser snarled.

Gamecube caught Snake growling: "This is not the time, Bowser."

"Luigi, remember that the Spirits have their ways! I felt the same way when I first found he was here, but he hasn't tried anything! He probably won't with us around all the time," Mario whispered. Luigi seemed to calm down, and Gamecube relaxed, her fur falling lat again.

"Okay, now that that's over…" She cast glances at Bowser and Luigi, along with a slightly amused one at Mario because he had said the same thing once. "…can you tell us what happened when you went missing, Luigi?"

"Well, I was just walking in the woods around Mario's and my house, just minding my own business when I was jumped! They were purplish human-like things, but trust me. They were far from human!"

"Those were the Wire Frames!" Yoshi exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh! Jigglypuff said that she saw them, too!" Kirby yelled.

"Did they take you somewhere? With two giant gloves in some place we don't know?" Gamecube pressed.

"Yes! I didn't stand a chance! I was knocked out! When I woke up, I was on some sort of purplish and grayish platform. And there were two giant gloves there!"

Purplish and grayish platform? Final Destination, Gamecube thought. Jigglypuff didn't remember what this place was like. A small piece of the puzzle has been filled. But I still don't understand something. If we fight on Final Destination to save the others, how can they be there? Do the Hands and their prisoners hide out?

"Master and Crazy," Pikachu growled, snapping Gamecube out of her thoughts.

Gamecube tilted her head to the stars. She silently asked the Spirits: Final Destination… were any of you there? Witnessing the fights with us?

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I apologize again for the shortness and the delay, but I'll try to be faster and longer-chaptered. I've just been so busy with school, parent conflicts, events, and a spot or two of teenage depression.

Review! Comment on anything and everything, sil vous plait. (Where the hell does that accent or whatever go?)