We're near the homestretch folks! Just two more chapters (not including this one) and the bonus chapter to go! x)
Falco: It's about time too!
Oh, and for those who are curious: no; there wasn't a Roy/Link chapter. But that's only because it's still one-sided. But that will change eventually; expect a lot more in The Game of Life and that's all I'm going to say. (Grins)
Ganondorf: The battle against Superior Hand…
Dr. Mario: Away chapter twenty!
"Run! Hurry!"
"This way! This way!"
"Let's go! Remember your tasks! Good luck!"
Jeffrey watched as the smashers split and struck. Frames met them, but all were taken care of with little ease. He watched his brother lead his team towards Superior Hand's resting quarters, where it was believed the hearts would be. He also watched Luigi lead his team towards where they hoped the Altar was.
Meanwhile, he, Link, Bowser, Fox, and Falcon were to seek out and finish off Superior Hand himself. Jeffrey couldn't help feeling nervous; he was about to face off against his father after all, but thinking of the five heartless smashers gave him a newfound courage. There was nothing that could be said; he had to be defeated.
"Umm…how bad is Superior Hand battle wise?" Fox asked, hoping for some insight on the battle ahead.
Jeffrey shook his head. "I barely remember the spars…but I do remember this; he loves holding the battle in his favor, and will do all he can to make sure that stays constant."
"What does holding the battle in his favor mean?" Bowser asked.
"He knows things will work out his way, and he can toy around with his foes without fear," Jeffrey replied. "You'll know when he feels threatened if you focus on his emotions; if things aren't going right, he tends to be enraged, angered."
"He won't try to steal anymore hearts, will he?" Link asked, sounding worried.
"No," Jeffrey replied. "I think he knows that's useless right now, so he'll just be fighting. Brace yourselves!"
The run to the center of the fort was a quiet one; either the frames didn't think to guard the altar, they were heading in the wrong direction, or maybe the frames wanted them to destroy the altar…
Anything was possible.
"Umm…any ideas guys?" Zelda asked. "How do we destroy the altar?"
Luigi looked thoughtful. "I say we unleash our strongest attacks on it; make sure it goes and stays down!"
"Yeah!" Samus agreed.
"Wait a minute…" Dr. Mario said. "What if the hearts are on the altar right now?"
"They can't be," Samus said. "All five have to be offered at the same time. It won't work otherwise."
Dr. Mario looked relieved. "Then all we have to do is destroy."
They soon reached a door, and beyond the door was what they were looking for.
To Zelda, it was almost like looking at the Pedestal of Time, where Link had to place the Kokiri's Emerald, the Goron's Ruby, and the Zora's Sapphire in the Temple of Time. It was gray, made completely of stone, and had ancient wordings all around it. There were five holes that made a star in the center of it, and on the wall beyond looked like it could've been a door.
The four stared in wonder before nodding to each other. Luigi fired his green fireballs as Dr. Mario fired his megavitamins. Samus charged her Charge Shot as Zelda unleashed a string of Din's Fire spells on it.
After a few minuets, the altar began to crack and crumble away.
"Stand back!" Samus shouted, charging up and unleashing her Zero Laser. The giant beam was enough to destroy both the Altar and the wall behind it.
Unfortunately, it also destroyed her Power Suit.
"Oh damn…" Samus muttered, now in her Zero Suit. "Looks like I got a flaw with that thing…"
Luigi smiled before commenting. "You know, you really should wear the Zero Suit more often. You have such amazing hair and eyes!"
Samus turned red as Zelda giggled and Dr. Mario chuckled.
"Well, that's our part done," The doc said. "Shall we find Jeremy and the others?"
"Yeah," Zelda agreed. "Let's go!"
As Jeffrey had though, Superior Hand was located on top of the fortress; his face neutral. A platinum gun, much like Jeffrey's and Jeremy's gold and silver ones, was in his hand.
"Smashers…so you have come."
Jeffrey stepped forward. "There's nothing you can do. If you choose to surrender…I will do my best to make sure you're spared with your life."
"What's the use of having my life if it is meant to be imprisoned?" Superior asked. "Besides, I would rather go down with a fight."
"Must you always be like this!?" Jeffrey growled, angered. "Do you not care about your life at all? Or the lives of those around you? You barge in, steal away five of my smashers, steal two of their hearts, and rampage in order to get the three hearts you have now! One of those hearts in innocent! Were you planning on using Pikachu to get Yoshi!?"
"Silence!" Superior shouted, looking as enraged as his son. "Do you think your words will serve you in any way!?"
"Of course they will!" Jeffrey shouted. "They are the truth!"
"Truth? Truth!?" Superior roared, aiming his gun at Jeffrey. "Never say that word in front of me!" He fired a round of bullets, which the guardian dodged.
"And why not?" Link asked. "Is it guilt? Fear? Or is it both?"
"You would know, wouldn't you, Hero?" Superior asked. "When you sold your friend to me, and betrayed his trust."
"I'm not proud of that moment," Link said firmly. "In fact, I'm still sickened with myself. But you don't have to take my word for it."
"Link did apologize to us," Fox said. "And I have forgiven him and accepted his apology."
"He's not going to get any forgiveness from me until he actually proves it," Bowser said, crossing his arms. "But I accepted his apology as well. We'll do the same for you, since you're Master Hand's dad and all."
"What happened to you?" Jeffrey asked. "You always loved me and Jeremy, so much. Now you're treating us like shit! Did you use us to your satisfaction, then discard us!?"
"I'd never use you!" Superior shouted. "You don't know how proud I was of the two of you! Then everything changed…"
"What happened?" Falcon asked. "Maybe we can end this without violence."
"My boys qualified and entered the Super Smash Brothers Masters Tournament," Superior muttered. "It was the happiest moment of their, and my, lives. I was so proud of them; to have made it so far.
"Then they came. They were hit men, always hit men, but they didn't hurt us, and I didn't know them well enough to press charges."
"Hit me?" Bowser asked.
"They all had the same logo on their jackets," Superior said coldly. "The Super Smash Brothers logo. All the relatives of the Masters were being pursued, and plenty were being killed off."
"Why!?" Falcon asked.
"No one knew!" Superior shouted. "No one knew, and soon Beatrix was killed as well!"
"That's how Mother died?" Jeffrey asked; eyes wide.
"Yes! Beatrix was killed, and they were talking about the Hearts of Armageddon! The five keys that unlocked its mystical and magic powers. They weren't talking about the "end-of-the-world" Armageddon; this was something else. I decided to use its power to bring Beatrix back!"
"But the "End-of-the-World" Armageddon required the same sacrifice upon a different altar," Jeffrey said. "The altar in this fortress; the one my smashers have just destroyed."
"Do what you will with me," Superior said, tossing his gun to the ground and kneeling before the guardian. "I care not. If I live, so be it. If I die, I can join Beatrix. I place my life in your hands, Jeffrey."
"You may join Mother," Jeffrey said. He looked to the four smashers. "Find the others and go to Jeremy; it is finally time we reclaim the lost hearts. I…will take care of things here."
The four nodded and took off. They heard the gunshot, and bowed their heads for the man who was father of their guardians.
Jeremy jumped, just missing the frame that tried to grab his heart. A second frame ran forward, but D.K. jumped in between the frame and Jeremy, and the frame was sent backwards.
Young Link chucked bomb after bomb at the frames before unleashing a spin attack. Peach miraculously pulled out a beam sword, and began slashing away as Ganondorf knocked out bunches of frames with his Warlock Punch.
"Come on!" Jeremy shouted, after all the frames were down. "We have to find Superior's Room!"
The five continued down the halls, beating down any frames that tried to block their way. The final hall was quiet, and when they saw the door at its end, they knew they had arrived.
Sure enough, lying on the bed were five bell jars; each holding a heart inside. Jeremy grinned and walked over, grabbing a jar and passing it to the others. When all five jars were in the five's hands, they left the room.
The time had finally come.
The smashers, minus Young Link, Ganondorf, Peach, and D.K., all gathered outside the fort.
"Woohoo!" Nana cried. "We did it! We actually did it!"
"What was it like fighting Superior?" Samus asked.
"Actually, we didn't fight," Bowser replied. "He was misunderstood. …that's all there is to it."
"The altar's gone," Dr. Mario said. "And Crazy and the others have appeared to already grab the missing hearts and leave. Should we join them?"
"Yeah," Fox said. "Then we can send Crazy Hand back here; I'm sure he and Master Hand will need some time alone."
Everyone nodded, and took off. There was a portal located near the port; the purple wireframes greeted everyone quite cheerfully as they passed though and appeared right in front of the mansion.
From there, everyone ran into the Infirmary's Waiting Room, where the other four smashers were waiting.
A few minuets later, the door opened.
From there, it was reuniting chaos.
Jigglypuff: And that ends the chapter! Yeah, it's a shaky ending at best, we know, but RoyalFanatic wanted to end it there. All that's left for next chapter, which will be AWESOME! x)
Mario: Hmmm…the whole thing with Superior Hand actually came out differently than she thought it would but, but RoyalFanatic is happy with it. Poor Superior was misunderstood. Momma mia…
Popo: Chapter twenty one, the epilogue, then the bonus chapter…and that's it! Then we have The Game of Life, which will certainly be a challenge RoyalFanatic's looking forward to!
Mario: Rejoice! The blocked chapter is finally over with! And umm…I can't find anything else to say.
Jigglypuff: Then that's all from us!
Popo: Review!