North Tribe
Samus led the group from Tribal Council, only to stop and turn around just before reaching their site. She stood silently, staring at them as they bunched up in front of her. Her fists were clenched in absolute rage, and the fire in her eyes made several of them step back in fear.
"You are," she seethed. "Infuriating."
"Samus, please," said Yoshi softly, stepping forward with an arm reaching for her. "We understand your anger, and we know we can't do anything about it."
"Did none of you listen to Zelda over these past days? Everything she complained about, everything she said has been true. Yet none of you listened."
"Samus, it's a game," said Falco. "It's a game where you fight for survival."
"Survival means listening to the wisest," Samus argued.
"And it also means eliminating your weakest," Falco retorted.
"It isn't any consolation," said Yoshi. "But you should know we're all going to try our hardest in this next challenge."
"None of us want to see you go," said Sonic. "In fact, when we win this next challenge, the tribes will switch."
"You'll get a second chance," said Donkey Kong. "There's still hope."
Samus shook her head. "That isn't the point. Falco doesn't even see this as a game of survival. You heard him last night; he thinks this is a game. He isn't treating this seriously."
"If I wasn't treating it seriously, it probably would've been me going home tonight," Falco replied. "I'm not neutral. I have teammates of my own. It meant stepping on some pretentious toes, but we're better for it."
"There's only one winner," said Olimar. "It was just Zelda's time."
"She didn't even need to win," said Falco. "She's a princess. She's loaded."
"You're taking this too personally," said King Dedede. "Getting angry won't solve anything."
"It'll help me calm down for the future," said Samus, kicking a nearby boulder and shattering it. "I'm done yelling at you. Leave me alone and I'll apologize in the morning."
So her tribe awkwardly left her standing, and when she was sure she was alone, she dropped to her knees and started crying. King Dedede was right: she took her losses personally, but that was because she had so little left in the world. Every friendship she had on this island had been taken away from her, and now she was alone with a group of people who would remove her at the first opportunity. Her years alone had left an emptiness where love and friendship once existed. She accepted the invitation into this game for the friends she would make, not for the money. And now, they had been taken away.
"Fine," she muttered, rubbing her red, dry eyes. "I'll have to start again." She didn't see the point. No matter how deep she worked her way into their alliance, she wouldn't be able to survive even Falco. So her one opportunity for safety was the Tribal Switch. Be friendly until then, and then strike at any opportunity.
"And that," she said with finality, getting to her feet and staring directly at a camera. She had never teared, and she pointed with confidence. "Is when I will make my move."
Day 18
South Tribe
Link hadn't slept much. Fighting usually had this effect on him. He'd stay awake for hours after every engagement, analyzing his opponent and himself, figuring out what he could have done differently, or congratulating himself on moves performed flawlessly. He had climbed into a tree and was playing with his bobblehead, staring at it absentmindedly.
As the sun rose over the horizon, bathing him in a golden glow, he was reminded of his home, and the peaceful village carved into the giant tree trunks that made Kokiri Forest. He felt momentarily nostalgic, and longed for thicker trees to allow him to carve another, more private home.
A knock from below brought him to his senses, and he looked down to see Fox staring at him. Link waved him up, and in one swift movement Fox jumped up to Link's branch.
"You slept well," Fox noted the bags under Link's eyes.
Link rubbed his eyes, immediately feeling incredible exhaustion. "What do you need?"
Fox sat. "Why didn't you bring a bobble head? You still have them, right?"
Link pulled out his Roy bobblehead and placed it next to his own. "I did," he said. "But it was a tournament, so I wanted it to be fair."
Fox nodded, smiling slyly. "Right, I should've realized."
Link raised his eyebrow. "Would you have kept it fair?"
Fox bit his lip. "Well, when in space, you learn to take any advantage you can get. Even if that advantage would screw others."
Link raised his other. "What about a fair competition?"
"I know, I know," said Fox. "I wouldn't say it'd be a popular decision, but I don't really see the point in calling this 'fair'. After all, Mewtwo's been terrorizing us through every competition, and only now did they decide to shut him down."
"So you'd take that logic and harm everyone else?"
"Harm? Of course not! But I wouldn't feel guilt if I was given something designed to give me an advantage, and then use said advantage whenever possible."
"We won, didn't we?" Link argued. "We're all competent fighters. A simple tournament would not be a problem for us."
Fox sighed. "True. But making it easier-"
"Fox, please," said Link. "I need some sleep. Tell the others I won't be down for breakfast."
Fox winced, realizing that this conversation had achieved its opposite effect. "Sorry. I will. Get some sleep. We'll need you for the reward."
He hopped down, leaving Link to his rest. He kicked the dirt. "I've never been that good of a debater," he said to himself. "That was absolutely awful."
West Tribe
Snake, Luigi, and Captain Falcon had woken up as the sun rose for their morning jog. As usual, Luigi lagged behind the entirety of the trip, and finished nearly a half hour after his partners. This discrepancy only pushed him forward and motivated him. After all, during their first run, Luigi hadn't made it half way through Snake's imaginary path. It took the tribe nearly an hour to find him scrambling through the brush. Since then, Snake had put markers indicating the path.
Captain Falcon clasped Luigi by the shoulders, preventing him from collapsing from exhaustion. "Walk it off," he advised. "Or you'll faint."
"Is that what causes it?" Luigi asked. "I always wondered."
Snake looked over at the rest of the tribe, still sleeping. He motioned for them to step outside the site. Captain Falcon followed, keeping a firm grip on Luigi.
"You want to talk strategy?" Captain Falcon asked.
Snake thought a moment, and then shook his head. "There's nothing much we can do except wait for the Tribal Switch and hope we don't lose the Immunity Challenge."
"So, what's up?"
"What's your motivation?" Snake asked.
"Besides the money?" Captain Falcon was answered with a nod. "Well, there's this girl back home that I was hoping to impress."
"Being the best racer in your world doesn't count?" Luigi asked. He received a light punch in the shoulder.
"Surprisingly not. I want to prove to her that I'm not some – and I quote – 'big ego, pig head, macho man who can sit on his ass in a car and do nothing else'."
Luigi looked mortified. "You'd want to impress someone who called you that?"
Captain Falcon shrugged, looked to the side, and grinned guiltily. "I liked her feisty attitude. It wasn't malice, at least I assume it wasn't. There was affection in those words."
"And you, Luigi?"
Luigi blushed. "Actually, I was planning on starting a family."
"Congratulations!" Captain Falcon exclaimed, knocking Luigi down in excitement. "Oh, sorry."
"It's fine," Luigi brushed himself off, but remained on the ground. "I was just-" Snake leapt forward and lifted Luigi back onto his feet, reminding him that he'd faint. "-going to say that the money would be great to get a house and sustain ourselves."
"Being a hero doesn't pay well?" Captain Falcon asked.
"The house is Mario's," Luigi explained. "Eventually, I'll need to upgrade the house – if Mario moves with Peach – or move out if he stays single."
"Does the lady know you're proposing?" Snake asked.
Luigi shook his head. "She'll know when I come home. These weeks without her have been awful. Win or lose, I'm asking."
"I wish you the best of luck, then," said Captain Falcon.
There are a few moments pause. "You don't speak of Mario much," Snake noticed. "Any reason why?"
Luigi shrugged. "I'm always in his shadow. I assumed that I didn't need my only discussions on this island to be about him too."
"How about one?" Snake asked.
Luigi thought a moment, and then shook his head. "Maybe later. Right now, I'd rather see him as little as possible."
East Tribe
For the first time since the competition began, the trio finally felt secure in speaking privately. As embarrassing and as detrimental to their success as Mewtwo's helmet was, it was, by far, the best thing that had happened to them.
Finally, Ike could reveal to his teammates what his future was. "Eliminate the Pokémon," was the simple phrase that sparked conflicted feelings in the others. They both had arguments, but they knew that Ike had considered them.
"It doesn't have to be through Tribal Council," Ike clarified, noticing the looks of sadness. "But the Tribal Switch, assuming it is identical. We convince ROB, and hopefully Ganondorf will feel scorned enough to agree, and send two of the Pokemon to the other tribes. We'll maintain the majority alliance."
"Hopefully," Mario repeated thoughtfully. "I'll never like this plan. Betraying them when they risked everything."
"He wouldn't have joined us if he thought something like this would hurt his chance for victory," Ike countered. "He can't see the future, but he can definitely calculate something like this happening."
"Seems like a huge risk if he knew this was likely," said Diddy Kong.
Ike shrugged. "He might not have seen the helmet coming so soon. Thought he had more time to plan."
Mario sighed. "I'd rather it not come to this."
Ike looked at his partner carefully. He was very soft and hated betrayal. He was too trustworthy for this game. "And if it does, will you follow through?"
Mario shrugged. "If there's no other option."
Diddy Kong voiced Ike's thoughts: "You really need to change your attitude if you want to survive this game."
Mario blinked, surprised. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're too soft, too trustworthy," Diddy Kong explained. "In a game like this, you have to step on some toes, or you'll be the one with the broken feet."
"And the one with the weakest legs would be sacrificed for the stronger, for those able to adapt," Ike agreed, avoiding Mario's eyes.
Diddy Kong could also sense the pain. Even explaining this to Mario hurt him. He just couldn't imagine acting with such carelessness, treating people like pawns in a grand strategy. Even witnessing all he had in his years, even these past two weeks on the island hadn't phased him. He remained a pure soul, pure of thought. It was noble, but also incredibly naïve.
"We'll act when the time comes," said Diddy Kong reassuringly. "No need to think about if now, if we don't have to."
Mario had bitten his lip, was looking at the ground, and was speaking quietly. "I'm not a burden to you guys?"
Ike and Diddy Kong looked horrified at each other. This was not what they had wanted to imply, nor was it true.
"Absolutely not!" Diddy Kong said immediately. "We understand why you're thinking like this."
"We sympathize-"
"It's not even sympathy," Diddy Kong interjected, shaking his head rapidly behind Mario's back. "We also understand that these thoughts aren't going to get you far in the game, especially when people become more desperate and more treacherous."
"I just can't think like that," said Mario.
"We know," said Ike, quickly realizing that this was accomplishing nothing. "We'd simply like you to understand, to prepare you for the future. It's inevitable, so we'd like to give you a warning, at the very least."
Mario slowly nodded. "I appreciate that you care so much." He paused for a long time before continuing. "What we do at the Tribal Switch, I'll let you decide. And what happens after that, I'll let fate decide. I'm not going to become like that. If I win, I want to win honorably."
Ike thought a moment, then stepped forward and placed a hand on Mario's shoulder. "Then we'll be behind you and help you forward."
"We'll do your dirty work," Diddy Kong agreed, chuckling. "Just focus on your honor."
Reward Challenge
The four tribes reached one of the many beaches along the island, where Master Hand floated above his new course: a square of rope attached to the tops of four pegs about forty yards apart in waist-deep water. On the mats lay life jackets clipped to a short rope, with a clip at the other end. All of the life jackets of a particular tribe were clipped together with three feet of rope.
"As you have likely noticed, Zelda was eliminated at last night's Tribal Council," Master Hand began.
Some others, Link especially, had expressions of shock and dismay. Falco could barely contain a victorious smirk.
"Today's challenge will get you soaked, and you'll hate water for years," Master Hand began. "Completely intentionally, with every trace of irony possible, your prize will be a rubber swimming pool that will be delivered to the winning camp by the time you reach it. Today's challenge will be a test of coordination, balance, and speed.
"Each tribe will be attached to the rope above, beginning at each of the four corners. When the game begins, you will move clockwise around the ring until you reach the tribe in front. Once the person in front touches the person in back, that tribe will be eliminated. All tribes must then stop immediately to allow the eliminated tribe to fully disconnect, and the game will continue until the last tribe is standing.
"We believe that this challenge in particular will be a test of your tribe's coordination and teamwork. Your tribes have strengths that counter your weaknesses. Every tribe has a fair shot in winning.
"Speaking of fairness, Link?"
Link stepped forward, rather guiltily, brandishing his Roy bobblehead. Master Hand continued: "the South Tribe will start in the middle of its two posts, then. Now, decide your orders. No riding on people; everyone must be touching the water at all times. Tribe Leaders are, by default, in the front, so keep that in mind. You have five minutes to prepare."
"What about the North Tribe?" Bowser demanded. "They're one short!"
"Then hope you can catch up to them," Master Hand replied. "It balances out. One less means a lighter load, but less strength to run. We've calculated it, Bowser. We see no reason to alter the tribes any other way."
"Calculated nothing," Bowser scoffed. "You're just lazy."
Five minutes later, the tribes had strapped themselves together and attached to the rope. There was one common theme: the smallest member of the tribe was in the back, right behind the largest. The reason was obvious: a smaller target meant less chance of elimination if things got too close. Furthermore, while there were rules against carrying tribe mates, there were no rules about holding onto shoulders with feet dangling in the water.
Admittedly, this strategy was Snake's originally, and the other tribes saw its brilliance and followed suit. Snake felt no pride in this. He understood the implications of copying his strategy, what they saw in him, and how threatening he appeared simply by suggesting it.
He thought about this for too long, for he felt a shove from behind, signifying that the challenge had begun and they hadn't moved. He made up for this by diving forward, and immediately regretted it by slingshotting back into Captain Falcon. He was then shoved forward, got back to his senses, and started leading his team.
It was a good thing that he was part of the West Tribe, for the South side of the ocean was the furthest from the beach, and therefore the deepest. Consequently, despite their initial lead, they were unprepared for its depth and slogged through that side. Their sluggishness nearly cost them the game, as Mario had caught up and nearly grabbed Mr. Game and Watch. Only a preemptive dive headfirst into deep water bought them enough time to escape, and it was the East Tribe's time in the deep end.
And so the challenge fell into a pattern of sorts. The three shallow sides allowed tribes much needed speed to gain distance before heading to the deep side. Eventually, the lead had diminished to nothing, and Snake's error was forgotten quickly. The four tribes kept an even pace with each other. Occasionally, during the transition from the East to South sides, an attempt was made to eliminate, but the grab always ended in failure.
This went on for nearly ten revolutions, and then fatigue began to set in. The leaders had expended most of their strength trying to carry their tribes, and the pace had halved. The deep end had become painful and exhausting, and several of the smaller survivors could barely keep their heads above water. Those nearby had to carry them, slowing their tribes down.
It was at that point, when Popo had slipped for the sixth time and forced his tribe to stop to pick him back up, when their entire tribe was stuck in the beginnings of the deep end, was when Mario's plan was put into action. Mewtwo had been put in the middle of their tribe, for his powers were just strong enough to part much of the water nearest him, allowing his tribe to stride without much trouble. Mario shouted for them to charge, and they rocketed forward, catching quickly up to the struggling South Tribe. Mario dove forward and grabbed all of Mr. Game and Watch's rope, making sure that he couldn't escape. For good measure, he swam forward and grabbed Fox as well.
"The South Tribe has been eliminated!" Master Hand exclaimed, and the eliminated tribe unclipped themselves and left the course. After this, he commanded the tribes to continue forward.
Another part of the plan involved Ganondorf, who began stomping hard into the soft sand. This created small holes across the course. As the East Tribe sped forward, catching up to the struggling West Tribe, the largest members of the North Tribe were getting caught in the holes. After just one revolution, in which they tripped multiple times, and even got stuck for a few seconds, the North Tribe reached the deepest side of the square. By this point, they had lost so much ground that Snake was able to reach out for them and eliminate them.
But by that point, the outcome had all but been decided. Mario had caught up to them and was only a few yards away. While they had no great swimmers, they were able to use their preserved strength to make one final dash toward their enemies. Mario grabbed the tip of Pikachu's tail, making themselves the winner.
"With that, the East Tribe has won their much-appreciated pool of water!" Master Hand declared. "You should expect it by the time you get back to your tribe. For the rest of you: good luck tomorrow, for this is the final Immunity Challenge before the next Tribal Switch. Winning or losing this next one could affect every one of your strategies. Prepare, and be ready."
North Tribe
As he arrived, Falco ran forward and kicked the sand, spraying it into the trees. He shouted in anguish, and then turned on his tribe. Many of them, taken by surprise, reacted defensively, preparing for him to strike. Falco noticed this, and quickly calmed down before speaking.
"That Mewtwo," he spat, despite himself. "How are we expected to compete with him? I thought they said they fixed his cheating. Why is he still allowed to do that?"
"We all have our gifts, Falco," Olimar explained.
"You're defending him?" Falco accused.
"I'm not any more happy with the challenge than you are," Olimar stated firmly. "Don't turn on me. I'm simply saying that he used his powers – what little he had - intelligently."
"Intelligence should be all that he has," Falco said, shaking his head. "He doesn't need that telekinesis to go with it."
"Yes, one skill per player," said Samus. "Do anything to give yourself an advantage, and you're automatically eliminated. That would make a fair competition."
"I don't need your lip," Falco said. "I'm venting."
"You vent too much," said King Dedede. "I haven't said much because I didn't know if I could. But your complaints are all I've been hearing. Shut up with them."
Falco shook his head silently and walked away. After a while, the others looked at each other with concern and followed. They noticed him sitting under a tree, resting, and decided it was safe to talk.
"Are you happy you chose him over Zelda?" Samus taunted. "Because I can't wait to hear another few weeks of this."
"It wasn't a matter of personal opinion," said Olimar. "We had an alliance, and we decided not to go against it."
Samus glared at him, until he continued. "But if you want my honest opinion: no, I'm not happy. I actually preferred Zelda's company. But we did what we had to do."
"You could survive without one member," Samus argued. "Especially one who none of you like."
"You know who got betrayed by their alliances?" King Dedede asked. He pointed at Donkey Kong and himself. "I don't know about you, but I intend to get back at them for breaking up what we had. They've already paid for it with Wolf. They'll pay for it with the rest of them."
Olimar opened his mouth to argue, but then he realized what King Dedede had meant. "You're saying," he said to Samus. "To vote for him at the Tribal Switch."
Samus nodded. "If I don't choose him, I'd expect all of you to. I don't plan on losing this next challenge, and I can't change what happened in the past. So, I'm leaving it until then to see him off of this tribe."
"Tell her about our deal," came a voice in the distance. Startled, they turned and saw Falco looking at them, with an undeterminable expression on his face. "I don't care if you send me out in a few days, but I want you to know that I'm with the penguin. You betray me, and you'll feel my wrath when I have the power."
"Why did we expect him not to hear us?" Sonic groaned.
"We're drawing straws," Yoshi explained. "None of us want to leave or choose another. So, the person who leaves will leave due to luck."
Sonic looked at Yoshi. "And luck will decide who wins the game."
West Tribe
Bowser had already ranted about Mewtwo before the Tribe had reached their camp, so when they arrived they were ready to get as far away from him as possible. As soon as they were within sight of the beach, they took off at once, leaving Bowser alone.
"Well, fine," Bowser spat, crossing his arms. "I'm sure you'd agree with me, anyway."
"It does beg the question," said Pokemon Trainer, turning to Ness. "Why didn't you do that? You're psychic, right?"
Ness sighed. "Not technically. I have psionic abilities, but I'm not actually psychic. I can shoot bolts of energy using my mind, but I can't move water."
"You can throw us, though," Kirby argued. "If you don't remember all those times you crushed us in battle."
Ness smiled. "Single bodies are easy to move. Water is far more complicated, and it's something beyond me."
"So why didn't you throw them off us," Bowser demanded, having now caught up to them.
"Too far away," Ness countered. "Even so, I'm sure it would've been considered cheating. I didn't want to risk disqualification over some pool."
"It's not about the pool," said Bowser. "Everytime we lose, we're looked down upon, chastised, by everyone. We look weak and pathetic."
"No one's going to think that," consoled Luigi.
Bowser pointed a finger accusingly at Luigi. "You of all people should know where I'm coming from. All of you, in fact, were taunting me about losing to Mario so often." He was seething at this point. Bursts of smoke were blown out of his nostrils with every word. "My own minions have trouble remembering that I'm their king. I'm tired of losing!"
"It's a pool of water," said Ness. "It's nothing to get worked up over."
By now, nearly everyone had gotten to their feet and were slowly stepping away from the enraged koopa. They were prepared to flee at any moment. Bowser shook his head, spraying smoke everywhere.
"Every loss infuriates me," he argued. "Every. Single. One. That damn Pokemon has caused half of them. Mario the other." He looked at Luigi. "We destroy your brother tomorrow. We make him wish he had never set foot on this island."
"No one is going to agree to that," said Snake, calmly staring at his feet, the only one in the tribe who hadn't moved. Bowser noticed this and stepped right up to Snake, stomping just away from his feet. Snake never blinked. "Leave this camp before you hurt someone. Come back when you've calmed down. Burn down nothing, and hurt no one."
Bowser leaned forward and set a claw so near Snake's eye that he could see the crusted blood. "You think you can tell me what to do?"
"Yes" was Snake's simple answer.
Bowser thought a moment, then swiped down, taking a chunk of the log and ripping it off. He ground the log, spewed fire into his hands, and sprayed the blackened ash around Snake.
"You taunt the wrong person," Bowser threatened. "I can't hurt you here. But outside."
"Outside, you'll lose to a chubby plumber for the thirtieth time, and then cry back to your turtles," said Snake, revealing a touch of anger, looking up to stare into Bowser's eyes.
The pair held the stare for several minutes, before Captain Falcon was brave enough to step in between them.
"That's enough, from both of you," he said. He turned to Bowser first. "Do what he said." He turned to Snake. "Don't agitate him."
"Who're you to tell me what to do?" Bowser scoffed, but nevertheless he walked into the forest. Almost immediately, smoke floated over the treetops, and a distant alarm signaled a fire to be put out.
The tribe remained silent, all staring at Snake and Captain Falcon. They were sharing similar thoughts: marveling at Snake's bravery, and worrying about Bowser's return. Whatever remarks they had made about Snake's cool head, about his lack of emotion, were solidified in this exchange. There was immense respect and admiration toward the West Tribe's leader.
East Tribe
Although the tribe entered camp with high spirits, when they saw the pitiful size of the pool, they were incredibly disappointed.
"That pathetic thing can't even hold all of us," said Ganondorf. "Can't even hold half."
"You want to be the first to try it?" Diddy Kong asked, grinning cheesily. "I heard a nice relaxing swim is good for a grump."
Ganondorf flipped him off and turned away. "I'll be planning your demise in private. Have fun with your pool."
As Ganondorf disappeared into the trees, Diddy Kong shook his head and sighed. "Is there any reason why he can't have a little fun? I know he's a bad guy, but even King Dedede had fun, in the little time we were with him."
"If you hadn't noticed," said Ike. "Antagonists are how they are for a reason."
"Even when he helped me, Bowser was always grumpy and complained a lot," agreed Mario. He looked at ROB, who returned the look gleefully. "How do you survive the water?"
"I was keeping it out of his system," Mewtwo explained.
"Wait," Diddy Kong gasped. "This whole time? Nobody fitted him with anything to keep the water out?"
"He's decades old," explained Mewtwo. "Simply redesigning him would ruin the appeal of the robot. So, during challenges involving water, I've been keeping it from destroying important parts."
"That's incredibly dangerous," said Ike. "Are you positive they haven't done anything with him?"
Mewtwo nodded. "Do not worry. Until they do something with him, which I believe is highly unlikely, I'll keep him out of danger."
"So I guess that's why you wanted him close to you," said Mario.
"The closer he is, the more likely I am to protect him," said Mewtwo. He floated away.
After a while, Ike exclaimed, "Damn it!" Mario and Diddy Kong, startled by this outburst, jumped and turned to him. "He knows what we were planning this morning."
Mario and Diddy Kong exchanged looks of confusion, so Ike continued: "That last thing he said, about being close to ROB. He's implying that if we eliminate him or send him away during the next Tribal Switch, we could be endangering ROB."
"Would he really?" Mario gasped.
Ike nodded. "It's Mewtwo" was all that needed to be said. "So that means we only have two options."
"What if he decides not to help ROB," said Mario. "Out of revenge?"
"Then," said Ike. "We have evidence to indicate that Mewtwo is sabotaging players, and he would be disqualified. What he just said is to make sure he stays on this tribe."
"Why?" Diddy Kong asked. "Why this tribe? Why would he suggest it if he thought we were going to switch him?"
Ike sighed. "He must have a plan for even beyond the switch. One that involves him staying on this tribe for as long as possible."
"Something that even we haven't heard about," said Diddy Kong. "Merges?"
Ike shrugged. "Most likely."
"So then, should we prevent him from staying?" Diddy Kong asked.
"No," said Mario. "We can't endanger ROB. We're going to have to choose Pichu and Jigglypuff."
They considered the possibility that Mewtwo was lying about ROB, but denied it. The robot was beat up, rusted, and worn. Mewtwo was telling the truth there. But by telling the truth, he revealed that, despite his alliance being inevitably broken, he still held the power in the tribe. Everything that was being done was according to Mewtwo's plan.
South Tribe
Lucario found Link beneath a tree shortly after the tribe dispersed. He walked over and sat down across for him, waiting for him to speak.
"What?" Link asked, annoyed, looking at his feet.
"What are your plans for the next few days?" Lucario asked.
"Why would you think I would tell you?"
Lucario faked a look of surprise. "I had assumed that everything was out in the open now. We were honest with each other. We'd already told you who we were going to eliminate if we lose. Aren't you?"
Link looked Lucario in the eyes. "That stunt you pulled with Pichu and Donkey Kong. That completely ruined our plan."
Lucario remained silent during this pause, wanting to see where Link was going.
"And now, because we were too slow grabbing people, pulling them into our alliance, we've lost the game. I wish I could've been as strategic as you. You got the strongest, and you allied with them immediately. I got the leftovers."
Link sighed and paused a long time. Lucario remained completely silent, staring at nothing but Link, watching him change from anger to sadness to fear.
"And you tore us apart. That first vote, where Peach had six votes against her. That was the only time you and I voted together. I shouldn't have voted like that. I should have seen her as an ally, and not as a nuisance."
This tidbit was the first that intrigued Lucario. He had assumed that Link, suspicious of him from the beginning, was his only vote that Tribal Council. Now he had to find new suspects. But he let Link continue.
"By then, I guess you had already gotten your alliance together. I was only with my clone at the time. I didn't realize it had happened so quickly. The votes did tip me off, mind you, but I thought you all voted similar to how I did."
Lucario was beginning to regret playing the honesty card. But, Link had a lot of emotions to sort, and this talk would definitely make him more friendly in the future.
"Then, I guess you got Pichu and Donkey Kong before the Tribal Switch. Only to send them out of the Tribe." Link paused at this part. "I still don't know why. But that was what sealed my fate."
Link looked at Lucario. "So I have to ask: what now? What are we going to do?"
Lucario thought a while. "I would say: assuming we do not lose, and that your alliance remains, then during the Tribal Switch, let them go."
Link nearly gasped, but Lucario continued. "Marth is a bystander; he is completely innocent. If Mr. Game and Watch is eliminated which – as I have implied – our next goal, then Marth will be next. If you want to remain safe, keep him as a scapegoat, and hope that we win enough challenges to warrant your survival. But if you want to be noble and keep a powerful player in the game, then use your vote to switch him."
Link replied, "What about the people we bring in?"
"Our alliance is set in stone. None will be removed; none will be added. Everyone else will be eliminated. Before you, of course."
"I have to ask: why this special treatment for me?"
"Because, Link, despite your early failures, you still remain a strong competitor, and we all respect that. We do not want someone unworthy winning. If you're able to survive, we want to see you as equals. Eliminating you so soon would be distasteful and worthless."
Lucario got up, but Link held out his hand. "If I do choose Marth, who will you choose?"
Lucario contemplating walking away, but he felt it would be almost as disrespectful as voting him off right then and there. "We will choose Popo, and wish him the best when he leaves."
Day 19
North Tribe
Sonic woke up as soon as the sun rose, feeling fantastic. He jumped to his feet and was shocked to find nobody else awake. Usually he was the last one to wake up, but for the first time it was his turn to cook the morning meal.
"I can't cook," he groaned, after contemplating his situation. "I'll screw it up."
"Soup," came a disgruntled penguin's voice. "Boil water, put some random plants and cut up pieces of other food. Call it a meal."
Sonic grinned sheepishly. "Thanks Dedede. I'll give you the largest helping." But King Dedede was fast asleep, his one moment of consciousness brought about by the sound of there being no food.
A few hours later, everyone had woken up, and Sonic proudly handed out his meal.
"This is a first," noted Falco suspiciously. "It's also pretty dull."
"I can't cook," Sonic admitted. His tribe members looked at him in shock. "Hey, I have someone else do that for me, or I get it from the store, or something. I've never had the need to cook."
"Wow," Falco shook his head in disbelief. "Who knew our hedgehog was such a spoiled teenager."
"It's not like that!" Sonic said defensively. "Tails is a good friend! He-"
Yoshi walked in between them. "That's enough, Falco. Sonic, we appreciate the effort. If you need help in the future, wake one of us. We'll help."
"It was too early," Sonic muttered. "I woke up hours ago."
"Really?" Olimar asked. "Why?"
"I had a good feeling about today," Sonic replied. "Like, we were going to destroy them in the competition."
"That's good enough for me," said King Dedede, having swallowed his soup and reaching for seconds. "I like words of confidence."
"Let's hope so," said Donkey Kong. "I'd like to get through this Switch not being two people down."
"I'd like to make it to the Switch," Samus countered bitterly.
The others avoided her eye, but nobody wanted to speak. "Treating us with such animosity isn't going to help our odds," Olimar explained.
"We already have one brat," Sonic commented, glaring at Falco. Falco took no notice and swallowed the rest of his soup.
"The animosity will continue until I'm given a fair shot at surviving," Samus replied.
Olimar shrugged. "Tribal Switch is tomorrow. Hopefully the animosity stops by then."
King Dedede whispered, "Her getting a fair shot means our advantage is lost."
Olimar replied. "I know, but a fair shot for her might not be an actual 'fair' shot. It might just be, for her, enough for her to survive until the merge."
"So, have you decided who you are going to choose tomorrow?" Donkey Kong asked.
Samus thought a moment, and then shook her head. "As much as I want to say that it'll be easy, I know it won't. I have to think about it a lot tonight"
"Think hard," said King Dedede. "Because if we win today, you're going to make the most important decision of your game tomorrow."
"'If'?" Falco scoffed. "You mean 'when'. I've got the same feeling as Sonic, believe it or not. We're going to win. Not only that: we're going to destroy them!"
"Now I'm really confident," said King Dedede.
"North Tribe!" Yoshi chanted.
"North Tribe!"
West Tribe
Ness and his alliance sat around the burning fire, eating their latest meal, silently waiting for their leader to speak. At this time, normally, they would discuss strategy immediately, but today was different. They had so much to discuss, but they were not.
Finally, Bowser said, "Ness? Are you awake?"
Ness nodded. "I've been weighing our odds of being chosen for the switch," he said. "It would not surprise me if it came down to either Bowser or myself."
"Good thing to start with," Bowser grumbled. "I don't want to leave. I actually have an alliance, which is something I thought I'd never have."
"You wouldn't be the first," Kirby muttered, and Pokemon Trainer giggled and nudged his side.
"How would we get along without you?" Pokemon Trainer asked. "None of us have the strategy."
"That's exactly what Snake wants," Ness replied. "We will still have the majority if one from each of our alliances is removed, but it will be the newcomers who Snake will attempt to recruit."
"And he chooses those," sighed Kirby. "Guess we have to hope the other guys choose people who like us."
"We're doomed," muttered Bowser. "Nobody's going to want to join me. People will get sick of the puffball. The Pokemon can't speak, and his trainer is useless."
"Insulting your alliance," said Pokemon Trainer, glaring at Bowser. "That'll get you far."
"I've heard it before," said Bowser, waving the comment aside.
"We'll have to make a list of the most likely recruits," said Ness. "I've been thinking about it, and I believe I have one."
And Ness spent the next hour discussing potential candidates with his alliance. His suggestions were met with many instances of nodding or shaking heads. At Ganondorf, a name which they weren't expecting, they shared unanimous disapproval.
"Just because I'm evil," said Bowser. "Doesn't mean he'll stick with me."
"You know how desperate and disliked he is," said Ness. "He'd want someone. Anyone who shares his ideas."
"Terrible idea," Bowser said. "Awful, horrible idea."
Ness frowned, not used to his ideas being met with such disdain. "So I suppose Mewtwo's out of the question too?"
"You know," said Pokemon Trainer. "I'm not sure why you're making this list. It's not like Snake hasn't already thought about who he'll choose. We have no say in that."
"Preparation is never a bad thing," Ness explained. "Knowing who we'll have the best chance at recruiting will prepare us for when they inevitably do not happen. I was hoping we would discuss strategies before the Switch itself, trying to convince people as quickly, but as subtlely as possible."
"Subtlety won't work," said Bowser.
"Everyone's part of an alliance by this point," agreed Kirby. "We may not know everyone's place in this game, but pretending like we want people for the sake of wanting them is useless."
"The puffball knows strategy," noted Bowser. "Consider me impressed."
"The turtle knows compliments," Kirby countered. "Consider me shocked.
"Hey, you guys were subtle with me," said Pokemon Trainer. "I chose you guys because I liked you more. Because you hung out with me as soon as I joined the tribe. Made me feel welcome."
"We liked you," said Kirby, grinning. "We knew you were good material for our alliance."
"You didn't mention anything about an alliance until a few days later," continued Pokemon Trainer. "Why can't it work again?"
"Because not everyone is like you," said Bowser. "Same strats won't work for different people."
"Which is why," repeated Ness. "Preparation is key. We'll have to plan for different people joining. Analyze their personalities and appeal to them."
"Alright," admitted Bowser. "I understand now. We need all the help we can get."
"Then let's begin." Ness pointed at the first member of his list. "First, Pichu…"
South Tribe
Link was preparing his weapons for the upcoming challenge, ensuring everything was tied and collected, when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Pit standing, arms behind his back, smiling brightly.
"Ready for the next challenge?" Pit asked.
Link nodded slowly, unsure by this change of tone. Pit wasn't the most depressing member of the tribe, but he certainly was never this cheerful. Link didn't know much about him, except that he was quick and as accurate with a bow as he was. He didn't speak much during meals, and spent much of the days practicing with his weapons.
"Are you? Link asked in reply.
Pit unsheathed his bow, broke it in half, and swung both halves like swords. "Absolutely!" He noticed Link acting uneasy and resheathed it. "Sorry. Didn't mean to show off."
Link began to turn back to his equipment, when Pit stepped forward hurriedly. "Hey, hey. Listen, I know we don't talk a lot. But for the future, I'd like to change that. But, and I'd hate to be this transparent, I'd like to know how you feel about us."
Link looked behind Pit's shoulder, expecting someone to be watching him. There was nobody. "Why? Who?"
"Our alliance, and curiosity," Pit replied. "I know we aren't on the best terms, but I'm sure Lucario told you about us respecting and admiring you. So, to see where we stand, how about it?"
"I feel like a hostage," Link replied, turning his back on him and refusing to turn back. "Like I'm the most prime Dodongo meat in a prison, and you're making sure I keep the freshest and most tasty before you devour me."
Pit was confused at this analogy, so he didn't know how to respond. "Well, I guess that's something?"
"No," Link said, turning back, eyes filled with rage. "It's not. It's terrible. I respect your abilities and your strength, but your strategy makes me uneasy and weak. Why keep me around if you're going to treat me like one of your own, only for me never to be? I don't understand why you simply can't let me into your alliance and ease my constant fear."
Pit started backing up, completely caught off guard by this hostility. "We don't think of.. . We, uh, aren't…"
"I do not agree with anything you have done or will do," Link concluded. "Believe me when I say: you will regret telling me everything. I may not have been the best strategist in the beginning, but now that I've learned, I will not stop fighting."
"This is not going according to plan," Pit mumbled. "Well, Link, listen, you may be angry, but after the challenge, when we win and are safe for another few days, we'll talk later. Maybe during less stressful times. Sorry to have bothered you."
Pit turned to walk away, but Link called, "Wait. I'm sorry I snapped. I just feel so confused right now. You're right. Let's talk when we don't have elimination in a few hours."
Not relieved in the slightest, Pit put on the happiest smile he could and waved. "Of course! Let's win this challenge!"
East Tribe
As they were preparing to leave the site, Ganondorf stopped his fellow tribe members. He held his hands out in a sign of peace, noticing their expressions immediately turning to distrust and worry.
"If there's one thing I'd like right now, it's to win this challenge," he said. "Believe me when I say that I will be trying harder than all of you to keep from going to Tribal Council. If there's anything else I'd like, it's to be away from you. Tomorrow, if we win, switch me. Let me leave this tribe and find someone else to anger. None of you want me here. Why keep me?"
"This is not the time to discuss," muttered Ike.
"Have I not been betrayed by everyone else in my alliance? Do I not deserve better?"
"Would you give us the same relief?" Ike countered.
Ganondorf shook his head admittedly. "I'm not as noble. But you, Mario, must understand the pain I've been going through ever since Wolf's elimination. The loneliness I've felt."
Mario refused to look Ganondorf in the eyes. Nevertheless, he said to his feet, "I have already made my decision, Ganondorf. You're not going to convince me to change."
Ganondorf understood, so he turned to his last hope: Mewtwo. "Please. You've put me through too much. Will you not convince your Pokemon to vote for me? We'll have the majority."
Mewtwo glanced at Mario. "The tribe made its decision long ago."
Nobody was giving him a straight answer, and that infuriated him. "Why do you fools not understand? Do you not care about everyone on this island? Do you sleep better at night knowing that I worry constantly?"
"Of anyone on this island," said Diddy Kong. "You deserve the least sympathy."
"I'm not Wolf," said Ganondorf. "I wasn't cruel."
"You're right, and you're wrong," said Diddy Kong. "Mewtwo knows what you said, remember? You can't lie to him."
"Don't speak for me," Mewtwo replied.
"This is pointless," said Ike. "You're only holding us up. Please, get out of the way."
Ganondorf began to unsheathe his sword, and Ike reacted immediately by charging forward and grabbing his arms.
"You will regret moving your arm," Ike seethed. "Now save your anger for the challenge, or you will be going home tonight."
Ganondorf remained stiff, staring into Ike with incredible fury. But, eventually, he let go of his sword. Ike only removed his grip when he heard the muffled clank of steel against cloth.
"If we're done," Ike said, regaining his composure. "We have a challenge to win."
The tribe passed Ganondorf single-file, taking care not to look at the gerudo. Ganondorf, now alone, looked at his hands, staring at his Triforce of Power. What did such a symbol mean, if none would fear him? None felt threatened by his very name? Could hold him down and prevent him from wielding a weapon?
He was not lying about his worry. He did not regret his actions, but he regretted their consequences. Betrayed, left alone to fend for himself. He was used to it, but normally he was the traitor. He did not question that it would have happened eventually, but he had assumed that, later, he would have been the initiator, the one in power. Feeling so vulnerable was foreign and confusing. Being left with no hope of survival, forced to fight for something he didn't agree with, with people who he despised. It was a terrible situation, that unfortunately he felt he deserved completely.
But he refused to be eliminated quietly. He would fight with all his power to ensure his survival.
Immunity Challenge
The four tribes gathered around the center of the island, where four machines had been placed facing each other. The machines looked similar to arcade machines, only there were only three buttons placed in a row, all far within the machine so that anyone would have to lean deep into the machine, or crawl inside, in order to press it. In the space between the machines was a platform with twelve holes in four rows facing the respective machines. Above this platform floated Master Hand.
"Greetings, Survivors, for your final Immunity Challenge as you are now," Master Hand began. "Tonight, one of you will be eliminated. Tomorrow, eight of you will switch tribes. As we have noticed, you are beginning to understand each other. You've been predicting each other's strategies, trying to take advantage of their weaknesses and understand their motives and actions. So, we'd like to put this to the test.
"There will be eight rounds – the North Tribe will have a player playing twice – where one member from each tribe will come up to the machine and pick one of three item. The leftmost button will choose a Mushroom, the middle a Heart Piece, and the right a Pokeball. Your goal for each round is to choose the item that your opponents will not pick. Those who get separate items will earn a point for their tribe. If all four competitors pick the same item, no points will be rewarded for that round. If there is a tie, a best of 7 round of rock-paper-scissors will determine who will go to Tribal Council.
"Choose your order, analyze your opponents, and be the tribe with the greatest knowledge of your opponents. You have five minutes to decide your order and plan."
Five minutes later, the first four came up to the machines. Donkey Kong, Marth, Diddy Kong, and Bowser. After a few moments to decide, and some careful looks at the others, the four made their choice and stepped back to see which items would rise. Three Mushrooms rose, for the monkeys and Bower. Marth, having chosen the Pokeball, walked back to his tribe victoriously.
"The first point goes to the South Tribe!" Master Hand announced.
Falco, Fox, ROB, and Pikachu walked up next. The next few moments became a humorous internal discussion with the members of Star Fox, each trying to pick, and counterpick, and counter-counterpick the other. Eventually, they were forced to choose randomly, having run over the time limit, and ran back to find that they had picked the same one. Pikachu and ROB, meanwhile, had chosen the other two, and gained points for their tribes.
"The North Tribe is the only tribe without a point," Master Hand exclaimed.
"We're going to crush them," Falco muttered to Sonic. Sonic looked nervous, now, but tried to fake a grin.
Yoshi, Link, Ganondorf, and Ness were next. Link slammed his answer immediately, and walked back, sure that his main enemy wouldn't have picked it. Sure enough, he didn't, but he had forgotten to take into account the others. Ness had picked the Heart Container as well, sure that neither of them would have picked something so obvious. Ness looked at Link amusedly, while the other stared at the platform dejectedly as Yoshi and Ganondorf's items rose differently.
"North, South, and West Tribes now have a point," Master Hand announced. "East is leading with two!"
Olimar, Metaknight, Ike, and Kirby went to the arcade machines. Sure to prevent Link's mistake, the four spent the entire allotted time trying to think about each other. This proved to be not nearly enough time for a full analysis, and the round resulted in two stalemates. The polar tribes answered with the same item.
"No tribe gained points announced," Master Hand said.
"You don't give us enough time," Bowser complained.
"That is the idea," Master Hand countered. "With how much you've been thinking about each other lately, we were sure that this would be plenty."
Samus, Mr. Game and Watch, Pichu, and Pokemon Trainer were next. Mr. Game and Watch and Pichu hadn't a care in the world and pressed their buttons immediately. After noticing this, the other two realized that anything they thought would be left completely up to chance, and so the round became the first round where all four answered randomly. This random chance allowed the North and West Tribes to gain their second points.
"South Tribe is now in last place," Master Hand announced. "With only three rounds to go, there isn't much time for error."
King Dedede, Lucario, Mewtwo, and Snake were next. The penguin, realizing what he was up against, threw his arms in the arm in defeat and slammed a random button. What resulted from this was a trifecta of intense thought and consideration, and a careful pressing of a button much later than the time limit allowed. And the final result was a three-way tie. King Dedede was the only one to pick correctly.
"Well, that's a first," he chuckled. "Mewtwo lost a mind game."
"We all did," said Snake, looking at his opponents with as great respect as they showed him.
"And as a result of this loss, the North Tribe has taken the lead," Master Hand segued.
Sonic, Popo, Mario, and Luigi walked up to their machines. The brothers thought carefully about only each other. The other pair thought of them as one person, which was their mistake. A press of a button later revealed that all four had chosen the Mushroom.
"Huh," said Sonic. "I thought it wouldn't have been that obvious." Popo admitted the same.
"I guess that's what I was hoping," said Mario, grinning at his brother. Luigi grinned back in agreement.
"With the final round, the North Tribe is guaranteed safety from Tribal Council!" Master Hand announced, and the tribe cheered. "You won't have to send a member for the final round."
In the final round, Pit, Jigglypuff, and Captain Falcon walked up. Neither considered the puffball an obstacle, a thought cemented by her immediate decision of a button. So the pair considered each other in the little time they've seen each other. What they've heard about from others, what they've witnessed themselves. In the end, they, like everyone else, couldn't make such a decision with confidence. As they stepped back, everyone had tensed, waiting for the results.
"Pit and Captain Falcon have both chosen the mushroom," said Master Hand. "The South Tribe did not get any points, and therefore are going to Tribal Council!"
The other two tribes cheered, congratulating their last players on achieving victory. The losing tribe congratulated the winners and then walked off for Tribal Council.
Tribal Council
The eight members of the South Tribe carried their torches into the ruined building and took their respective places on the logs. Master Hand floated across them, illuminated in the blackened sky by the rays of the fire.
"Not a good feeling, being back here," noted Master Hand, seeing the calm looks on their faces. "Although none of you seem too worried."
"Unfortunately, I think the tribe made its decision long ago," said Link.
"If that's the case, then let's discuss the past week," Master Hand said. "With the removal of Toon Link, how have things been about camp?"
"Popo hasn't said much," said Fox. "That's a good thing."
Popo smiled. "I think I spent all my energy arguing with him. I'm just tired right now."
"Do you feel worried that your past actions will affect your team's opinion of you?" Master Hand asked.
"Too late to change," said Popo. "At least, for this Tribal Council. I'll worry after the Switch. But I'm part of the dominant alliance. They had my back last time. They'll keep it this time."
"Dominant?" Master Hand repeated. "I'm assuming you all know who that is, then?" There were several nods. "And you're ok with this? Those not in the alliance?"
"Of course not," said Marth. "But, honestly, what are you going to do? Why would people join the weakest alliance if theirs is so solid and safe? How could you convince them to join your cause? It isn't a matter of right or wrong or life and death. It's simply a matter of trying to win a game. You can't do that in this game."
"No moral high ground," said Master Hand. "But surely there had to have been deception."
"Of course," said Link. "I'll admit: I don't like it. But, they won. They won dominance of the tribe, and they'll keep it."
"Aren't you going to fight back? It sounds like you've already given up," said Master Hand.
"Of course I'll fight," said Link. "Especially tomorrow, when we'll get our best chance."
"Do you have secrets?" Master Hand asked.
"Don't we all," was Link's reply.
"How did you know of Lucario's deception?" Master Hand asked. "Did you figure it out on your own?"
"I… I had help," Link replied. All eyes were on him, and he sighed. "Donkey Kong told Yoshi. Yoshi told Marth on the boat. Marth told me a few days ago."
"I see. And how do you feel about Lucario?"
Link turned to Lucario. "I feel like he's one of the strongest competitors in this game," he said. "And that he's a brilliant strategist and powerful fighter." He turned to Master Hand. "And that I respect him greatly, but he needs to be removed of his power as soon as possible."
If he had eyes, Master Hand would have been staring directly at Link. "Then, do you believe you have that power, leader of the South Tribe?"
"If not me, then who else?"
Master Hand remained silent. "Any more comments?" There was silence. "Then, we shall begin the voting. Mr. Game and Watch, please choose your bobblehead."
Mr. Game and Watch walked up, placed a bobblehead into the jar, and walked back.
Fox went up to vote.
Link went up to vote.
"I'm sorry I have to do this to you, but there's nothing we can do."
Lucario went up to vote.
Metaknight went up to vote.
Pit went up to vote.
Popo went up to vote.
Marth went up to vote.
"I'm not sure why Link told me to vote for you, but I'd rather it be you than me."
After Marth sat down, Master Hand floated over and collected the vote jar.
"I will now read the contents of the jar. The person with the most votes must exit Tribal Council immediately." He said, and he picked up Lucario's bobblehead. "One vote for Lucario. Second vote: Mr. Game and Watch. Third vote: Mr. Game and Watch. Fourth vote: Mr. Game and Watch. Fifth vote: Mr. Game and Watch. Sixth vote: Mr. Game and Watch. Seventh vote: Mr. Game and Watch. Eighth and final vote: Mr. Game and Watch."
Mr. Game and Watch was already walking forward when Master Hand continued his usual routine. "Mr. Game and Watch, you have the most votes. Please bring me your torch."
Master Hand noticed the man already below him, and he put out his torch. "Mr. Game and Watch, you are the tenth person voted out of Super Smash Bros: Survivor."
His tribe watched as he waddled away, feeling slightly saddened. Master Hand turned to them and tried to cheer them up: "Tomorrow is a big day for all of you. Your decisions then will impact the rest of your game. Good luck, and I'll see you then!"
The South Tribe got up and exited the building, their torches dancing brilliantly against the black until they disappeared into the forest.
Mr. Game and Watch's beeping was given a proper translation, as it had been throughout the show: "It's always frustrating being unable to be understood. If Link had just listened to my advice from the very beginning, he wouldn't be losing the tribe. If he had worked with me, with Peach and Pichu, and not voted her out immediately, thrown Pichu aside for the wolves, voted me out. If he had been smarter, we would have been the dominant alliance. But now, I wish him the best of luck. He may have voted for me, but I feel no anger or betrayal. He knew it was inevitable. He's going to need all the luck he can get."
