"You think your Smash Brothers are innocent in this great conflict. Well, allow me to shed some light on the truth: Nintendo is as corrupt as the other worlds!"

~Professor U. Reeka

Chapter 9: Divine Intervention

Kongo Jungle

As the Funky Flyer made its way through the night sky toward its next destination—the Krystal Koconut pub—the three Smashers were afforded some much-needed rest, and Donkey Kong was brought up to date on Link's and Yoshi's tales, and on their quest to open the hearts of the twelve original Smashers.

"Heart Fruit, huh?" DK swished saliva around his mouth, hoping to find some sweet vestige of the miracle-working morsel, which had tasted beyond delicious—divine, even. If the Kongs had any equivalent of a Heaven, even Golden Bananas would come short of Heart Fruit in its exalted storerooms. It didn't just taste good; it made him happy, as its name indicated. It gave him hope.

"So if you've only got two left, what're you gonna do once we run out?"

Link and Yoshi glanced at each other. "We'll have to find another way to open hearts," Yoshi said. "Until then, we should be really selective about who we give them to. Only other members of the Twelve, unless there's a really good exception."

"Our next best bet would be either Kirby in Dreamland or Red's Pokémon, Pikachu and Jigglypuff, in the Kanto Region," Link said. "But there are a couple problems. For one thing, Kirby might be in Dreamland, but he could also be anywhere else in space, whereas we're pretty sure to find the Pokémon in Kanto."

"But the original Pikachu who fought in the first Smash Tournament with us was killed by Metal Mr. Game & Watch," Yoshi said, "so would Pichu-evolved-Pikachu count as one of the Twelve? And if we found him and Jigglypuff, would we have to leave their Trainer, Red, behind, since I've only got two Heart Fruit left?"

"Either way," DK said, looking ahead, "our first concern is refueling the Flyer; we have less than half a tank left, and I don't know when we'll get another chance to find more past Funky's reserve at the Krystal Koconut. If what that weirdly helpful Master Hand said is true, Link, and the portals scattered all over Nintendo are no longer safe from Xehanort's lackeys, then we'll have to plan long-term. Speaking of which, we're almost there!"

And indeed, they saw not far ahead that the jungle thinned out for a considerable space, as if to make way for the isolated pub below. The Kongs didn't really know how to build with anything except jungle wood, and so the Krystal Koconut appeared more or less like a larger version of one of the Kongs' cabins. A bright, glittering title broadcasting the establishment's name did give it a special flair, the letters composed of what DK was fairly sure were fragments of actual Crystal Coconuts, their magical potential probably dormant and limited to advertising the place's existence beyond its already well-known reputation.

Link looked down at the Krystal Koconut uncertainly. "What exactly is the Funky Flyer fueled with?"

DK looked at him as if he'd just asked what color a banana was. "Crystal Coconuts, of course. Nothing weird like that hovercraft Professor Gadd used to fill with his ghost-blended gasoline."

Link decided to let that stand. "So we go down and grab Funky's coconuts while he's asleep."

DK then looked at him as if he'd asked what a banana was. "Are you crazy? Have you never been to a bar? This'll be its busiest time. We'll hunker down in a cave I know nearby, then sneak over and swipe 'em in the bright of day. I'm usually lucky if I can get Funky and Candy to do something during daylight hours once a week; with the Heartless bringing out the worst in all of us, I'd be surprised if there's a single sober soul down there."

"You guys have strange ways of enjoying yourselves," Yoshi couldn't help commenting.

DK just shrugged.

They made sure to make a wide loop around the Krystal Koconut so as not to attract attention, then found an inconspicuous spot to land behind a cluster of boulders, which was near a raging river teeming with jumping piranhas and Klaptraps and water snakes—much to the disappointment of Link's unbathed body.

The cave was small, but well hidden, and warm and comfortable enough for the three of them to find mossy rocks to sleep on. Link placed a few bottled Fairies on rocky ledges to give them a little light, and they helped themselves to more of Yoshi's Super Happy Tree fruit before going to sleep, the rushing water outside providing white noise both for their ears and for their troubled minds.

They woke at first light, Link and Yoshi unaccustomed to the myriad jungle noises which penetrated even the walls of the cave. DK did a quick push-up routine; they each ate another piece of fruit (Yoshi was almost out by this point), and then they left their temporary shelter behind.

Leaving the Funky Flyer hidden as best they could among a thicket of tall shrubs, they walked over roots and under low-hanging vines for about ten minutes before reaching the clearing with the Krystal Koconut, peering through leaves and bushes at the apparently vacant building.

"Funky keeps his coconuts in a storage room around the back," DK whispered. "He and Candy have rooms in the basement, so unless we're incredibly unlucky—and believe me, coming across that weapon-wielding gorilla in a sour mood would be very, very bad news—we should be good to haul a few crates out and be on our way without anyone being the wiser."

Without further delay, he quickly led them across the clearing and up to the front doors. The entrance was never locked because Funky assumed (correctly) that no one would dare attack him since he always slept with his pillow under his gun and, even without a firearm, could pulverize most any Kremling as effectively as DK or Chunky.

The only light inside came through the round porthole-like windows, shedding light upon dozens of tables and scores of chairs arranged across several different levels, all connected by a few stairs here and there. Vintage weapons hung on the wall: Boot Guns; Raisin Rifles; Banana Bazookas; as well as bandoliers and photos of Funky holding up the prizes of hunting and fishing expeditions with Kiddy and DK and Diddy and the Brothers Bear. A giant golden anchor hung from the ceiling, probably heavy enough to crash through the floor into the basement were it to fall. And, of course, along the right side were bar stools, counters, and glasses. The truly remarkable part of the whole thing, though, was that everything was clean. DK had to hand it to Candy's crew of cleaning ostriches; they could really do a quick, thorough job.

They passed through the eerily empty pub to a rusty iron door behind the bar that looked like it belonged on a steamship. DK pushed it open with a discomforting creak and entered the storage room. Dozens of crates and barrels—most of which were likely filled with strong drinks and bananas and such—were stacked across the dark room and up to the ceiling in many places. Dust saturated the air, making it rather difficult to breathe—but then again, this place wasn't exactly meant to serve as living quarters.

"Bingo." After they'd searched for a while, inspecting the faded black labels that were stamped on the stacks of crates and barrels, DK found what he was looking for: a corner of crates with the words "CRYSTAL COCONUTS" printed on them in fancy gothic lettering.

They weren't as heavy as Link or Yoshi expected, so each hero was able to load up several boxes—DK over his head, Yoshi on his back, and Link in his arms supplemented by the magic of his Power Gauntlets. And with what DK assured them would be weeks' worth of coconuts in tow, they made their way out of the storage room and toward the Krystal Koconut's exit.

And were faced with a huge silhouetted figure blocking their way out.

"No…" DK set his crates down with a grunt (Link and Yoshi did the same) and stared at the monstrous figure, taking in its great protruding belly, its reptilian toes and claws, its distinctly crocodilian head, and the trademark crown perched on top.

"Yes, Donkey Kong."

The source of the deep, electronic voice stepped forward into the natural light coming from one of the windows.

King K. Rool's body was now only about a quarter actual scaly flesh, and three-quarters chrome prosthetics. Only one of his limbs—his right arm—was still his own. But what was most disturbing was his face. His normal right eye glared at them from within its scarred green socket, which extended only to about half of his snout. But the rest was a robotic maw with silver steel teeth—and his larger, bloodshot left eye had been replaced with a bright red bulb, which glowed ominously in the empty building and seemed to scan them with a cold malevolence even worse than its organic predecessor. DK's nemesis was technically alive; and yet, the crocodile's motives had always been cruel, but mortal—whereas now he was more machine than beast, his previous personality consumed in programming. He wasn't even breathing, as far as DK could tell.

He was Cyber K. Rool.

"Admit it," Rool boomed. "You have missed the King Croc's schemes; the Kongs are incomplete without the Kremlings to oppose them. So in gathering up the few fragments of his body I was able to scavenge in Dreamland with my undercover R.A.W.s; in fusing them to this beautiful cyborg apparatus; and in uploading my consciousness to its computer so both he and I could live on; really, I have done you and your friends a favor."

DK was confused, but Yoshi quickly picked up on what was going on.

"You're not K. Rool," Yoshi said. "You're Professor U. Reeka. But you're dead; I saw Metal Mr. Game & Watch destroy you in Wizpig's Palace. How can you still be alive?"

"Oh, I'm not really alive, technically speaking," the cyborg admitted. "I am but a simulation—a shadow—of my living self. But that is beside the point; for with this new body begun by me and finished by my Heartless cousin, Elvin…I will be able to exact every bit of revenge as a simulation which I would have done were I still alive. I am now the King of the West, Smash Brothers…and as one of Master Xehanort's endowed Vassals, I shall end your pathetic attempt to undermine his new world!"

His metal claw folded in on itself and became an arm cannon. And began firing exploding oranges.

The three Smashers dove in different directions, narrowly avoiding the explosions which shattered shot glasses and splintered tables and chairs with each hit.

Yoshi encased himself in an egg, rolled up several of the spaced steps to the upper level, and propelled himself off the elevated edge, aiming to pound K. Rool's head with his own. But the robotic red eye was too quick; the head swiveled to face him, and from the eye shot a bright scarlet laser, searing Yoshi's underbelly and sending him into one of the walls.

Link took cover behind a tipped table, fitted a bomb to an arrowhead, lit the fuse, took aim with his bow, and fired. But before it could reach its target, a hatch opened in K. Rool's metal belly and projected a translucent green shield, which caused the bomb arrow to detonate harmlessly.

DK somersaulted behind the bar counter for cover. He paused at the end of the counter, took a deep breath, then flung himself around the corner, pushing off with his hands and launching his feet toward the croc cyborg's back.

But before he could reach it, hatches opened on the shoulder blades and fired two small missiles, which blasted the Kong at point-blank range, followed by a heavy lash from the crocodile's flexibly hinged steel tail. He crumpled against the wall by the entrance, barely able to raise himself up.

This isn't working, he thought. Then he noticed a broken crate, and he had an idea.

K. Rool was trying to blast Link out from his hiding spot. While he was distracted, DK crawled over to where several Crystal Coconuts lay scattered on the ground, their many glistening facets reminding him of the good old days, when life was simple: he and his fellow Kongs competing against King K. Rool for control of DK Isle. But everything had changed—even himself.

He crushed a few coconuts in his fists, feeling their magic flow into his body and turn him both invisible and invulnerable—temporarily.

While Link narrowly dodged a volley of missiles but took a hit from Cyber K. Rool's eye laser, which scorched his shoulder and forced him to retreat, DK came at K. Rool once more—this time from the front. Reeka's consciousness produced a deep laugh, the cyborg's infrared lens easily detecting DK's presence, but failing to identify the Kong's brief state of invincibility.

All of K. Rool's exploding oranges, lasers, and missiles deflected harmlessly off of DK as he wound up his arm, jumped, and landed his best punch directly to K. Rool's face, toppling the robotic reptile onto the ground. He turned to Yoshi as the coconuts' powers flickered and left him.

"Yoshi! The anchor!"

Yoshi followed DK's pointing finger and worked out the Kong's request. He nodded, lifted himself painfully off the wooden floor, and hopped onto the giant anchor's lower edge. He flicked out his tongue, wrapping it around the single chain holding it up, and pulled himself toward the ceiling, using the momentum to drive his tail into the point where the chain met the ceiling, thus severing its connection.

He quickly hopped back to the ground as the anchor, which surely weighed at least a ton, crashed onto Cyber K. Rool's chest, piercing straight through the metal body and causing sparks to fly and wires to crackle and shrapnel to shoot across the room. K. Rool attempted to move, but his computer system soon gave up.

DK strode over to his collapsed nemesis. The cyborg seemed to be dying, but the Kong noticed something strange: a small, flashing shadow just above the spot where the anchor had impaled him, shaped like a keyhole.

A deep, warbling laugh. "You foolish heroes; Xehanort granted all his Vassals immortality. If I do not kill you, one of the others will…" The last few words faded as if the machine were operating on AAA batteries which had just run out of juice, and as they faded, so did the light in the cyborg's giant red eye. But the keyhole kept flashing, as if the creature were just an appliance that needed to be recharged.

DK turned to Yoshi and Link, who had staggered over to him and witnessed the strange phenomenon also.

"Let's get out of here…before Funky comes up."

Within two hours, they had loaded the Funky Flyer with all the Crystal Coconuts they could carry and were in the air, making a tentative course toward the Kanto Region—albeit through a roundabout route which would take them back to the Unclaimed Territory before heading back east. The reason for this was that according to DK, the Funky Flyer wasn't designed to traverse cold, mountainous regions such as the Icicle Mountains, and he was afraid the frigid climate would cause it to shut down even with its Crystal Coconut fuel, especially with the battering it had taken from Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky back at the Kong Family Treehouse.

Thankfully, most of their morning and early afternoon journey proceeded without incident. But there was much to discuss in the meantime as they rested and planned ahead.

"That mark on K. Rool's chest…" Link couldn't get the image out of his mind. "I think I know what it means. I think…that's why we need Sora and his Kingdom Key: to finish off the Vassals by unlocking their hearts, and hopefully, the hearts of the territories they control."

"So that's why the Reeka simulation claimed to be immortal," Yoshi said. "We can beat him around all we want, but it won't mean anything unless we end it right."

DK, meanwhile, was ironically the only one whose mind had moved beyond Cyber K. Rool. "I wonder who the other Vassals are," he said. "If K. Rool owns most of the West…and Ganondorf's over Hyrule…then who'll be in charge of Kanto? Or Dreamland? Or the Mushroom Kingdom? Or the rest of Smash Planet and the Smash Universe?"

That gave Yoshi pause. "I actually don't think Bowser'll be in on this. He's changed a lot since the Smash Tournaments. Even King Dedede…he's a greedy coward, sure, but he wouldn't have it in him to doom his whole kingdom."

Finally, they reached the crossroads where the last of the Icicle Mountains blended into the Kongo Jungle on one side and the Unclaimed Territory on the other. At this point, however, both Link and Yoshi were fast asleep, while DK was at the helm, steering the Funky Flyer around the last of the mountains. Then he heard a faint voice coming from the peak.

"Woo-hoo!"

A speck dove through the air, spiraling down toward the Flyer's level, then boosting itself on its twin-barreled jetpack so that it passed right beside DK's vessel.

The Kong rubbed his eyes. K. Rool was one thing, but there was no way this was happening. And if it was…then was he a friend or an enemy?

"Diddy?"

The chimp grinned, tossed his hat in the air, did a backwards loop-de-loop, caught the hat on his head, and propelled himself back down to face his uncle.

"Hey, DK! Where d'ya think you're going?"

DK reached for his coconut gun uncertainly. Was this some kind of illusion or trap? But Diddy noticed his hesitancy.

"Don't worry; I'm not brainwashed—er…heartwashed—like the rest. Mostly because I'm dead. But I'm here to give you an important message: Don't go to Kanto yet."

"What?" DK shook his head, still in disbelief. "This can't be real. But even if it was, why shouldn't we go to Kanto? That's where we'll find two more of the Twelve. Where else would we go?"

Diddy chittered. "You see those clouds?"

DK turned to where Diddy was pointing and saw a great complex of fluffy golden clouds. "Yeah. What about them?"

"You've gotta go up through them. There, you'll find someone you need to finish this quest of yours. Trust me." He winked, twirling his Peanut Popguns in each hand.

"Uh…okay." DK began to redirect the Funky Flyer. "But…who sent you, Diddy? How do you know where we need to go?"

Diddy chittered again. "Let's just say the Hand of Fate has lots of ways of making things happen."

DK felt his heart pounding; he hadn't expected to have such an emotional upheaval so soon after his encounter with the quasi-resurrected K. Rool. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. You and Dixie…you left our family with a big hole in it that can never be filled."

Diddy shook his head. "I was never meant to survive the Second Copyright Wars, DK. My death, my connections to several different worlds and to RareWare, helped cement the unity that you guys've enjoyed since…or at least, until three years ago." He smiled, sad and genuine. "As for the fam…I wouldn't worry too much about the things that seem messed up right now. In the End, the wrongs that've marred our existence for as long as we can remember will all be made right. You've just gotta do what you were made to do."

"Made right?" DK scratched his head and glanced again at the almost blindingly bright clouds. "What do you…"

But as he looked back, the spot where Diddy had just been was now empty air. At the same time, Link and Yoshi were waking up, yawning and stretching.

I'll do my best, Diddy, DK promised silently.

They flew up into the clouds, their vision completely obscured by the nebulous whiteness, the afternoon sun combining with the chilly breeze to produce a refreshing blend of both warm and cool. DK quickly explained what he'd seen, and to his surprise, neither Link nor Yoshi questioned his story. And so they flew on, and soon the clouds cleared to reveal Skyworld.

It was still as abandoned as it had been when Pit had visited it three years ago. But for DK, Yoshi, and Link, it was a much tenser silence than a sacred one. It was as if they were entering a minefield whose explosive clocks had been waiting all this time just for them to arrive.

DK steered them to the lowest part of the giant floating island and landed on a grassy ledge beside a courtyard filled with statues of Greek gods and goddesses; angel fountains; ridiculously extravagant flower arrangements; and twisting olive trees that gave the place an extra Classical flair.

They disembarked and began walking slowly through the garden, wary for any sign of activity—because if they weren't careful, that activity could very well mean their deaths.

Link almost wished some mythological monster would pop out. This ethereal silence was uncomfortably similar to his experience in the sunken Hyrule Castle as the Hero of the Winds, in which he had wandered through a castle of frozen, grayscale monsters that had suddenly come to life once he'd pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal. He felt much the same now as he beheld the stone Chimeras and Hydras and Pegasi—not to mention Medusa, who according to Pit's stories was capable of turning others into statues just by looking at them.

A familiar winged angel stepped out from behind a hedge sculpture of Hades—except now his Greek robes were a dark plum rather than white, and his expression lacked the buoyant friendliness it had once possessed, instead reflecting scathing disapproval and condescension. He notched an arrow and pointed his bow at the trio.

"No outsiders are allowed in Skyworld. Why are you here?"

"Pit…" Link didn't know what to say. So Yoshi jumped in for him.

"We've come bearing an offering to Lady Palutena," he said, raising one of his two remaining Heart Fruit.

Pit looked surprised, but still highly suspicious. "Why? Skyworld is the grandest of all of Nintendo's kingdoms; Lady Palutena hardly has time to trifle with ground-dwelling simpletons like you."

"This fruit is the sweetest and most savory of all of Smash Planet," DK said, and he wasn't lying. "Master Xehanort sent us to deliver this as a token of goodwill, that Palutena's favor—and that of her glorious angels—might smile upon us."

"Really?" Pit couldn't help but look flattered. "It's about time Nintendo paid Skyworld and its divine personages some proper respect. We must go to the temple, then, and if you are fortunate, Palutena may let you live."

That didn't sound too reassuring to Link, so he spoke up again. "Wait! We also have an extra offering just for you; wouldn't you like to try it for yourself so you can make sure it will be pleasing to Palutena?"

Pit eyed the second Heart Fruit which Yoshi had pulled out; it was clear his pride was his worst trait, and it had been appealed to magnificently.

"I'm no god, but I suppose as captain of the guard I must ensure Lady Palutena's offerings are not wasteful or envenomed. You have my thanks; perhaps I might convince her to let a favorable wind follow you home."

He took the fruit from Yoshi and bit into it with relish. A few seconds later, his heart was opened, and he looked just as confused as DK had been.

"What's going on?"

"You've just had your heart opened," Link said, walking up to Pit and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "The fruit in your hand was the key. But now we need your help. We need to free the rest of our universe from Xehanort's Heartless."

"Help?" Then realization dawned on Pit. "Yes. That's what Quill told me three years ago." His conversation with his old mentor replayed in his head:

Though you are not one of the Twelve, it will be your duty to help them seek out the items necessary to save This World. Otherwise, the Smash Universe will be lost to darkness, as was the Disney Universe before it.

Link was hoping Pit would carry their conversation further. "So…what did Quill tell you to do exactly?"

"I, uh…" He paused. "I'm supposed to help you 'seek the items necessary to save This World.' Though honestly, I'm not entirely sure what that's supposed to mean."

"Items…" Yoshi looked down at his one remaining fruit, which he definitely didn't intend to waste on an altar at this point. "I think you're supposed to help us find more things like this Heart Fruit—things that can open people's hearts."

"Yeah…" Pit's mind was becoming clearer by the second. "Heart Softeners; I know how we can find others! There aren't many, but come with me and I'll show you where to go!"

The Smashers followed Pit up several flights of marble steps, which curved up perfect grassy slopes to the heart of Skyworld's abandoned city. They passed many marvels of Greek architecture: columns; arches; towers; statues; and many things none of the visitors could name. But they could certainly appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship, the detailed carvings of great mythological events, gods, demigods, and beasts.

They entered a long undercover walkway, passing dozens of aligned columns on each side until they came into an enclosed circular chamber, at the center of which was a large basin filled with a pristine midnight blue reflection pool.

Pit and the others gathered around it as the angel closed his eyes, uttered a Latin incantation he didn't know that he knew, and dropped a small stone into the center of the pool, sending ripples out from the middle.

"Whoa," DK said. He and Yoshi, who weren't as used to seeing magic at work as Link and Pit were, watched in wonder as the ripples rose and then subsided, forming borders and mountains; rivers and oceans; valleys and islands. Forming a map of the Nintendo World.

"I used to use this pool to watch the Smash Tournaments, until the Ancient Minister and Tabuu started doing their thing," Pit said. He pointed to a certain spot on the map. "This is Skyworld. The map should show us where we can find other Heart Softeners. They're really rare, though—so rare that even Xehanort wasn't aware of their existence—so hopefully there's one that isn't too far away…"

Sure enough, a moment later, two sparkling white dots appeared. A red dot indicated the Super Happy Tree on Yoshi's Island, which was now destroyed. Neither of the white marks, however, were on the mainland itself. One of them was near the southern border of Dreamland; the other was a good distance north of Mute City, on an island that was several times the distance of Yoshi's Island, Delfino Island, or the Waffle Kingdom from the larger continent.

"Those are both pretty far," DK said. "But I guess we'll be going to Dreamland first; that's much closer than the one all the way out in the northern ocean."

"Actually," Pit said, "it'll be much easier for you to get to that one. It's called the Orre Region—an island of Pokémon whose Pokémon Champion once came to help us in the War of the Hands."

The Smashers had vague memories of the seven-on-seven Pokémon battle that had taken place in the Battlefields. But none of them had been near that particular conflict; they had just heard about a couple heroes and villains from Orre who had come to join the fight.

"Okay," Link said. "So if it's faster, then how do we get there?"

Pit smiled conspiratorially. "Not all the portals in the Nintendo World are being watched by Xehanort; just the ones set up by Professor Gadd. I think you've had experience with a couple of them." He looked at DK.

DK nodded. "Bowser, Ganondorf, Falcon, the other Kongs and I were duped by Chet Rippo into passing through an arch in the Unclaimed Territory that took us to Corneria; then we flew through a weirdly shaped circle in the sky that took us to Onett."

"Exactly," Pit said. "And there's one just like that—only, the cloud's shaped like a Pokéball—that should take you right to—"

A great shudder nearly knocked them all off their feet. The walls and ceiling and surrounding columns cracked, debris falling all around them.

Pit looked horrified. "No…she's discovered you're here…we must go! Hurry!"

Without time for questions, they followed Pit back out of the room with the Reflection Pool, across the undercover walkway, and began racing down the steps toward the garden where the Funky Flyer was parked.

And then they saw her: the hovering figure of Lady Palutena herself—her eyes and her staff glowing with angry, rippling sapphire energy. She noticed them and lowered herself to confront Pit.

"How dare you bring these traitors to Skyworld!" Her voice rang like the musical (though grating) sound of a town bell.

Pit took a knee. He tried not to show how devastated he was that even his cherished deity, Palutena, had fallen victim to the Heartless' mind games. Quill had even warned him of this, even though Pit hadn't realized it at the time.

Never lose faith, Pit—even when those who you put your faith in fail you.

"Milady…you misunderstand. These travelers are going about Master Xehanort's business; they had come here to receive instruction on their next mission and to pay their devotions and offer oblations unto your Gracefulness."

"Lies!"

From the tip of her staff, thick segments of blue light shot down toward the heroes. Link quickly jumped on Yoshi, and DK ran and Pit flew beside them as they closed the gap to the Funky Flyer. A particularly large beam shot directly toward the vessel; Pit cast himself above it and drew the Mirror Shield. It reflected the beam back at Palutena and struck her, eliciting a cry of outrage.

Still keeping himself aloft by beating his wings, Pit turned to the others who were prepping the Flyer below.

"The portal is due northeast of Skyworld; look for the cloud formation. Find the Heart Softeners and gather as many of them as you can so you will be able to free the rest of the Twelve. Take these…" He dropped a bag full of pebbles into Link's hands. "And use them to contact me whenever you need my help finding portals, or other Smashers, or Heart Softeners, or anything else."

"You're not coming with us?" Link asked as Pit swerved to deflect another beam.

Pit shook his head. "I can't leave Skyworld, just as no other intelligent being in the Nintendo World can leave their native region—except for the Twelve, or unless Xehanort grants you special permission. But I'll deal with Palutena here; she won't harm me, because I'm the only angel left to worship her. Now go!"

The Funky Flyer lifted off the ground, and its engines propelled it forward, Pit flying beside them and deflecting Palutena's magic attacks all the while. He occasionally turned and fired an arrow back at her, but she easily teleported to the side to avoid them. She was a goddess, after all. An angry one.

"Hurry!" Yoshi urged as Palutena began to charge her largest beam yet. DK expertly steered the Flyer under the floating island and toward the northeast, and soon enough, their way out became apparent: an unmistakably odd cloud formation shaped like a Pokéball.

Pit cried out as he dove away to avoid the massive column, which was heading straight for the Flyer.

They all yelled as the approaching energy shook the Flyer violently even without having touched it yet. Their ship sped toward the portal and just barely made it through before Palutena's beam consumed it. And just like that, Skyworld was gone.

The sky they came out in was just as bright, but definitely much safer than the last. No wrathful deities pursued them as they descended toward a rather large island which was half brown wasteland, half lush greenery, a dark mountain rising like a barnacle between the two sides.

"Now what?" DK yelled over the roar of the wind.

"I vote we go toward the nice side," Yoshi said.

"Red told me once about the Pokémon Champion of Orre," Link said just as loudly. "I think his name's Wes. We should seek his help. Let's just find the biggest town and start from there."

But the Funky Flyer began to splutter. Uncomfortably so.

"That magic woman's beams must've done a number on the Flyer's engines," DK said. He noticed a decently large settlement residing in the midst of a cluster of plateaus and cliffs nearby. "Wasteland it is."

DK made a point of landing behind a tall ledge a moderate distance away from the town, just in case they had to make a quick getaway but didn't want anyone else tinkering with the ship. They disembarked and began meandering toward the town, the weather hot and dry, the mountain towering above them some ten miles away, the ocean to their backs.

They rested for about half an hour and ate the last of Yoshi's fruit, then proceeded into a low canyon which was the result of several different mesas almost colliding from different directions, leaving a wide snaking gap which led to a colossal gray dome. And within that snaking gap resided Pyrite Town.

Link, Yoshi, and DK felt like bigger misfits than a spaceship in the middle of medieval Akaneia (which had, in fact, happened on one occasion). But they had no choice other than to walk straight into the town, for there was nowhere to hide—just a wide paved path with rusted buildings lining either wall of the canyon. Some of the structures looked like small industrial plants; others like military barracks or storage facilities; others like simple metal cubes with filthy windows. One building had the appearance of a green barrel with a fan spinning on the roof for some reason. The paved ground was stained and scarred and littered with trash of every kind. It was as if someone had tried to build a city out of a dump and had given up halfway.

And the community didn't look any more welcoming. Shady young people in hooded jackets and ripped jeans and decaled bandanas lurked around every corner, engaging in who-knew-what kinds of sketchy business enterprises.

Notably, there were no Pokémon to be seen—at least, not out in the open. Link wondered how the Pokémon worlds had been affected by the Heartless. He didn't have to wait long to find out.

A girl with turquoise hair and a pair of hunting goggles, wearing a brown leather jacket over a yellow long-sleeve shirt and blue trousers, gave them a suspicious look and strode up to Link, glancing at the other two warily.

"What do you think you're doing, bringing Wild Pokémon into Pyrite Town?" she asked.

Pokémon? DK and Yoshi then realized that any animalic creatures here in Orre—them included—were assumed to be Pokémon.

Link caught on as well. He cleared his throat. "Of course not. These are my Pokémon. Who I've trained. Because I'm their Trainer. Yeah." He wasn't exactly sure how a Pokémon Trainer was supposed to act, but he was positive his peasant's garbs weren't how a Trainer was supposed to dress. And it was not lost on the girl accosting him. But her response surprised him: She approached him and spoke in a hushed voice.

"Kid, you can't just waltz around with Snagged Pokémon; you know how things are. If the Ascetic's underlings catch you training Pokémon, you're done for—and you'll put the entire Under at risk."

There were way too many unfamiliar terms in those two sentences for Link to follow. So he clung onto the small part he understood. "Don't worry; I checked to make sure there were no Ascetic agents around. I'm looking for a Pokémon Champion named Wes; know where I can find him?"

The girl's expression went from one of condescension to disbelief. "Pokémon Champion? There hasn't been so much as a Bug Catcher for three years now. Did you come from another planet or something?" She lowered her voice again. "As for Wes…these days we call him the Deep King. If you're looking for an audience with him, you must have your fingers in a lot of pies. So let me give you some advice: Get out of here, get rid of these Pokémon, and start over somewhere else. The Under isn't a place for the fainthearted…or the sane, really."

Link nodded. "All the same, my business is urgent. I must get to the Under and find him."

She sighed and shrugged. "Your funeral. It's across the bridge and down the elevator, as I'm sure you know. Don't make eye contact with anyone else; you're lucky I wasn't in the mood to beat you to a pulp, but you won't likely find much mercy from most folk in these parts. Especially in the Under. Now get those Pokémon back in their balls before you get us all killed!"

"Uh…back in their balls. Right." Link glanced at DK, who looked like he would strangle him if he threw so much as an apple. Yoshi just shrugged at him helplessly. "Yeah…they're not really too keen on Pokéballs; I've been going for a more down-to-earth, rustic training style, you know?"

"Whatever…just get your butts into the Under where they won't find you, and you'll be safe. Relatively."

She turned and stalked away.

With that, the three of them proceeded through the town, Link walking in front of the other two to make it seem as if DK and Yoshi were indeed just obedient Pokémon following their master. But even that got them a lot of strange looks, for apparently Pokémon Trainers weren't supposed to exist anymore. But Link hoped this underground network would get them to where they needed to go: the Heart Softeners.

After a few minutes of heightened vigilance for potential muggers and pickpockets, they came to a chasm about ten feet wide with a suspended bridge connecting the two sides. Link hesitated, sure that he was about to get sniped by some evil sharpshooter Pokémon as soon as he stepped on the bridge. But they really had no other choice; if having Pokémon out in the open was as dangerous as that girl had said, then the sooner they got indoors, the better.

They traversed the bridge—slowly but steadily—without incident. Then they entered the huge steel dome which look like it contained (and in fact did contain) its own stadium. But once they walked into the waiting room and approached the bespectacled, dark-haired attendant, it became clear that the Pyrite Colosseum wasn't where they would be going.

The man raised his eyebrows and removed his glasses at the sight of the three odd newcomers. "What kind of Pokémon are these? I've never seen anything like 'em."

"I'm here to see the Deep King," Link said coolly. "He sent for me to bring these fine specimens for consideration."

The man stroked his chin. "Well, normally we require a special pass card to take the elevator. But I can see from your appearance that you've come a long way with a valuable prize, and it sounds like you know what you're doing, so go on in." He pressed a button which opened the elevator to his left. "If you're not who you say you are, they'll find you out anyway."

Link nodded to the attendant, and they entered the elevator. There were no buttons, but the attendant must have been operating it himself, for no sooner had the doors closed behind them than they began dropping with a lurch, the whole machine vibrating in the rough shaft. After several uncomfortable minutes, they came to a grinding halt, and the doors creaked open to reveal The Under.

It was more or less a small underground city, with lots of glowing signs and halogen bulbs making up for the lack of natural light. A seemingly endless, misty chasm surrounded the rocky plateaus upon which the liquor stores and taverns and apothecaries and other such buildings were constructed. The air was still and frigid, and a creepy silence dominated the mostly empty paths and plazas. At the far end of the cavern, another steel dome signified what was surely the Under Colosseum.

Link had barely taken a step off the elevator when suddenly they were accosted by a Bodybuilder with shades that were rather useless underground, but they did make him look extra intimidating. He folded his arms menacingly.

"Where are you taking these Pokémon?" he grunted.

"To the Deep King," Link said promptly. "By special request."

The Bodybuilder briefly looked him up and down, then paused longer to inspect DK and Yoshi, clearly impressed.

"Some right unique Pokémon you've got there. Get back on and I'll clear you to go down to the Deep."

Link was confused, but Yoshi pulled him back into the car just as the bodybuilder swiped a card on the outside of the elevator. A green light of approval flashed, and then they were plummeting once again.

This ride took much longer—at least ten minutes. Link was starting to wonder whether they'd nearly reached the center of the planet when the elevator finally clanged to a halt, opening its doors to reveal a passage of near pitch darkness which ended in a bright, glass-covered dome.

"This had better be worth it," DK grunted, still in a bad mood ever since he'd been labeled a Pokémon.

"I have a feeling it will be," Yoshi said optimistically—an attitude that seemed almost inappropriate in this environment.

They crossed the long path of darkness, able to see almost nothing but the shining dome ahead. At last, they reached the front doors, which were blocked by two suit-wearing guards who were also wearing rather ineffective shades.

"Are you in the queue?" one of them demanded.

Link paused. His ability to lie was wearing thin. "No…but I bring with me two never-before-seen Pokémon. I challenge the Deep King to a battle…for his crown."

The guards glanced at each other and laughed. The other guard responded. "Good luck, kid; it was nice knowin' ya."

They parted and allowed him and his two "Pokémon" through. What followed was a short tunnel which led up to the bright entrance of the colosseum itself, from which the roar of a large crowd could hardly be ignored.

"Are you sure about this?" DK asked. "I mean…it sounds like this Wes person's some kind of crime lord. What if he just decides to off us all?"

Link didn't know what to say. But then the words came to him. "We just have to have faith that the Hand of Fate is on our side."

There wasn't much to say to that, so without further ado, they walked out into the blinding lights and beheld the heaving masses of spectators on tiered seats all around, as well as the combatants in the center.

"Forretress, Rapid Spin!"

The Pokémon looked like a floating boulder with two eyes peeking out of maroon-colored openings in the center and four turret-like protrusions from each side. It shot forward, spinning rapidly as the move suggested, and smashed into the opposing Exploud, eliciting a deafening roar as the huge violet beast collapsed to the ground and fainted.

The disappointed Trainer, another Bodybuilder in a muscle shirt, Returned his Pokémon and left the field in disgrace, leaving the victor and his Forretress to await their next opponent.

Link gulped, but kept walking toward the Deep King. The champion before him was still a young man, but the strength in his amber eyes was as intense as a Charizard's Fire Blast. His unkempt ashy hair; his sharp cobalt jacket and black shoulder armor; and the white stripe of paint across the bridge of his nose identified him as the greatest Trainer Orre had ever seen. He frowned as Link, DK, and Yoshi came to the opposing side on the battlefield.

"What manner of Pokémon are these? I've seen no such species in any known Pokédex—and I know them all."

Link tried to look and sound more confident than he felt. "New species, just discovered in the…uh…Termina Region. Are you too scared to fight me or somethin'?"

"Hm." Wes considered him thoughtfully, showing no sign of whether he accepted Link's story or not. "Very well, then. Let's see what you've got. You have two, so this shall be a team battle."

He Returned Forretress and tossed two other Pokéballs, from which sprung two foxlike Pokémon: Espeon, with soft lavender skin and red-violet eyes and a red jewel on its forehead; and Umbreon, with jet black skin and glowing yellow rings shining like halos in random spots on its body, its eyes just as bright.

"Right," Link said. "Um…Go, Donkey Kong! Go, Yoshi!"

DK threw him a scathing look as he and the green dinosaur took to the field. And then the fight began.

Five minutes later, DK and Yoshi were sprawled on the field, groaning and unable to get up.

Wes smirked. "I have to say…the green one's egg powers were quite impressive; the monkey's rather useless, though. But I digress." He held out his hand. "Pay up. Five thousand Poké Dollars."

"Uh…" Link reached into his pockets. All he had were Coins and a few Rupees. Then he felt something soft in his pack. "Yeah, I've got your money. As a matter of fact, why don't I throw this in along with it? It's an extremely rare Berry; gotta be worth a thousand Poké Dollars at least."

Wes caught the Heart Fruit with one hand and inspected it. "Interesting," he said. "I've never heard of your Termina Region, but it intrigues me. Perhaps my crime syndicate, Cipher, can arrange some under-the-counter business with your people. We mainly deal in Pokémon, but other goods of value might appeal to my buyers."

He bit into the fruit.

And then, just like the others, an expression of confusion crossed his face. He looked around him at the Deep Colosseum, at the screaming spectators still celebrating their reigning champion's latest victory. Then he looked back at Link.

"What's going on?"

"It's a long story," Link said.

They sat in Wes's private chambers in the Under, a penthouse apartment with a view of the only interesting scenery around here—the city itself. Most everything in penthouse—the furniture; the walls; the appliances—was dark gray or black, in keeping with the shady criminal black-market theme.

"So you're trying to save the Smash Universe from Xehanort by finding magical objects that open people's hearts—Heart Softeners, you called them?"

"Yep," DK said.

"Well," Wes said, standing up, "you're in luck. I think I know exactly what you're looking for. I'll take you there as soon as I can untangle myself from all my current crime syndicate business."

"Sounds good," Yoshi said.

Wes closed his eyes and clenched his fists, as if in pain. "You have no idea what it's been like—forced back into my criminal ways from when I served Team Snagem. I was the one who single-handedly put an end to Cipher, who defeated Gonzap and Nascour and Evice and the rest of those crooks. But it seems these Heartless influenced me to reform it again myself. Everything I've worked for has been undone, and with the Ascetic watching Orre and Kanto like a hawk, there's hardly any chance we'll be able to recruit any Pokémon to our cause."

"This Ascetic," Link said. "Who is he?"

"From what you've described, I think he's one of Xehanort's Vassals, in charge of Nintendo's Pokémon regions. When Xehanort took over, the Ascetic dismantled the Pokémon League—and society itself as we knew it, really. All Pokémon were released into the wild; they have all become savage and aggressive toward humans. And now people are at each other's throats all the time over petty disputes that they'd once resolved through Pokémon battles. Or worse—they've joined crime rings like mine that illegally train and traffic Pokémon. Things are worse than they've ever been."

"We agree," Yoshi said. "Which is why we need your help."

Wes nodded. "This World is sick. And I'm going to do everything in my power to help you heal it—or die trying. This isn't just a battle for the Smash Universe's freedom; it's a battle for our souls. And if we fail, then we'll no longer exist in a world worth living in."

Hyrule Castle

"Lord Ganondorf…what news have you from Xehanort? Did you ask him to grant me Vassalage?"

Ganondorf groaned as, once again, he was accosted by the short, pale man in a purple tunic with long lavender hair and passionate red pupils. He couldn't walk down a single candlelit corridor in his own castle without having to deal with this wannabe supervillain's vain, whining aspirations.

"As I have told you many times already, Vaati," he said, glaring down at the Minish, who was no more than three feet tall, "the Master requires no more than thirteen Vassals; that is why it's called Organization XIII. He granted you freedom from the Heartless only because your heart already happened to be dark enough to fulfill his purposes without them. Now leave me be!"

But Vaati followed him down the hallway, talking in his annoying, silky voice all the while. "But Ganondorf…surely both of you must see that I can be of great value to you—that I can harness some of the power of Kingdom Hearts just as well if not better than many of the other Vassals! I mean, not all of them are even completely evil! That robotic crocodile, which has no mind of its own; the Pokémon extremist, who still cares more about his spiritualism than keeping his realms in check; and the soft-hearted pilot, whose only claim to fame is his deranged ancestor—"

"SILENCE."

Vaati stopped speaking.

Ganondorf spun around and grabbed the front of Vaati's tunic. "Xehanort, in his wisdom, chose eleven Vassals whose hearts were perfectly dark—and then two which still had trace amounts of light, but had remarkable potential; their stewardships and their experiences with the Master have purged them of light many times over. He did not choose you…not because you lacked the heart, but because your dark heart is a pathetic one, useful only for responsibilities as small as your Minish race. You think because you have faced the Heroes of Legend a few times that you deserve greatness…but you do not. You are nothing compared to me."

That seemed to strike a nerve in Vaati. He narrowed his eyes. "But if you'll just let me—"

"Begone, dwarf!" A surge of purple magic blasted from Ganondorf, blowing Vaati clear down the hall into the opposite wall. He turned and went on his way. "Hmph."

He had no time for aspiring nuisances like Vaati. Not when after three years, great events were soon to transpire.