"Stay... stay back... I'm warning you..." Ashley hissed, suddenly not so confident anymore.
"Tell me how to turn all those people back to normal, and I'll consider it," Shinji said while Knuckle Joe glared at her.
"This... this isn't over yet," Ashley shouted. "I can still call upon as many helpers as I can. Isaac! Saki! Attack them already!"
Suddenly, a green dinosaur stepped next to Shinji. "Yoshi." In his hands, he was holding two Assist Trophies.
"Yoshi... are those the Assist Trophies we brought along from the castle?"
Yoshi smirked. Then he held them up... and when they broke, two other fighters appeared.
"I'll handle this!" Lyn said as her hand moved to the hilt of her blade.
Little Mac raised his boxing gloves.
"Fools..." Ashley whispered. "Attack!"
And while Lyn crossed blades with Isaac, Little Mac dashed forth, evading shots and slashes from Saki, attacking him with powerful punches himself.
"Now it's just you and us, witch!" Knuckle Joe proclaimed as he stepped forth.
"Not if I can summon even more helpers..." the young witch muttered and reached up to touch one of the Assist Trophies standing in the shelf next to her.
"Oh no, you don't!" Knuckle Joe shouted. "Mach Punch!"
And the force of his punch was so powerful that he created a shockwave, which flew at Ashley. The witch gasped and stepped away just in time. She realized that this time, she had lost. With no magic wand to help her and no allies to back her up, there was only one thing she could do...
"I will be back and have my revenge..." she shouted and ran towards the exit on the other side of the hall.
"She's getting away!" Shinji shouted. He, Knuckle Joe and Yoshi ran after her. When they stepped outside, they realized that they were standing on another cliff... and Ashley was already flying high in the air, on her broomstick.
But Yoshi didn't want to get up this soon. Quickly summoning a green-spotted egg, he hurled it at the escaping witch. "Yoshi!"
The egg flew through the air, Ashley sensed the incoming danger, turned around... but before she could evade the spotted projectile, it smacked into her backside... and threw her right off her broom.
"NO!" she screamed. "RED! WHERE ARE YOU? HELP MEEEEEEE..."
Her voice died away when she fell deeper and deeper, down into the blue sea that surrounded Cookie Mountain.
Yoshi was aghast. He didn't mean to do that. Normally, when he threw his egg at flying enemies, they didn't fall down right away...
Shinji and Knuckle Joe looked over the edge. There was no trace left of the witch.
"How can a living being be so evil at such a young age?" Knuckle Joe murmured.
Unnoticed to them, a small, red devil peered out of the door behind them. He had seen everything.
"Poor Mistress..." Red sighed.
Then a smirk appeared on his face. "Well, now she is certainly at a better place. Lady Medusa will make sure she enjoys her stay in hell..."
And with a mad cackle, the tiny devil disappeared in a small plume of fire.
Lyn and Little Mac came walking outside. "We managed to hold off the two warriors until their time was over... they have turned back into Assist Trophies."
"I think the same will happen to us as well in a few minutes," Little Mac added. "Did you get the witch?"
"She fell down..." Shinji muttered. He shivered. This was the first time he had fought a human... who died afterwards. This was certainly something else than fighting Angels...
The Angels...
Shinji looked at Knuckle Joe. He still couldn't believe that this was in truth Sachiel, the very first Angel he had fought.
"So... 'L.' sent you guys, is that correct?"
The tiny martial artist turned around to face him. "Your guess is correct. Lilith... she is the sister of our father, Adam. And she was always saddened by the fact that we have battled our sibling race..."
"Sibling... race?" Shinji wondered.
Knuckle Joe raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you know? Humans are in fact the offspring of Lilith, just like we are the children of Adam." He sighed. "We fought you because we had no home... but in the end, our appearance was what doomed your homeworld..."
"That's not true!" Shinji protested. "My father..."
"Your father fell victim to his own stubbornness. Refusing that his wife had died, he misused the abilities our bodies have offered humanity and created a clone from Lilith's cells and those of your mother... the result were Rei and her clone sisters."
"Clone sisters?" Shinji muttered.
Knuckle Joe nodded. "We have many things to talk about... but for now, let's see if there's a way we can turn all these unfortunate souls back to normal."
Shinji was overwhelmed by all this sudden information, but he decided that Sachiel was right... it could wait.
"One more thing," he said. "Will you guys now stay like that?"
Knuckle Joe smiled sadly. "We have chosen to abandon our old bodies and powers... like you, we have merged with a part of Pop Star. But unlike you, we haven't become the replacement for a Champion, instead, we have become the embodiment of the abilities Kirby can copy from his enemies. Know that you can summon one of us any time... but only one at a time. For now, my work is done. Call upon our help when you need us again, Shinji."
And with those words, Knuckle Joe disappeared.
Fortunately, the formerly enslaved Gearmos knew nearly everything about the machinery they had operated.
"Wario and Ashley used these machines to turn all sorts of people into Assist Trophies," the head technician said. "But it can easily be used to reverse the process. As a token of our gratitude, my friends and I would be honored to do it... since we also were part of what turned them into trophies in the first place."
"That is good to hear," Yui smiled. "I was afraid all these people would have to stay like this forever..."
"Still, they are stuck here for now," Fox realized. "According to what Lyn and the others told us, they have been brought here from many, different worlds."
"Sorry, we don't know how they brought them here," another Gearmo spoke up. "They were brought here as life-sized trophies and we had to use our machines to compress them into the smaller Assist Trophies."
"So, that means they turn them into another sort of trophy first?" Rei asked. "I wonder how they accomplish that..."
"I'd like to know how they can visit all those different worlds and bring them here," Mario said. "But I think-a there's someone we can ask..."
And he looked into the corner where Wario was sitting, bound by a metal chain that was wrapped around his arms.
"That's so unfair!" Wario yelled. "I was-a gonna be rich!"
"Mamma mia, you already have a big castle and lots of gold," Luigi shouted. "As well as a company that brings you plenty of income. Isn't that enough?"
"No! I want more!" Wario grumbled.
"Your greed will be your downfall some day, Wario," Mario said. "For now, tell us how you brought all these people to the Mushroom World."
"Make me!" the greedy villain grunted.
Mario sighed. "As you wish... Luigi?"
Luigi grinned and pulled a couple of items from his pockets. "Talk, or else we'll be forced to use these!"
Wario's jaw dropped. "You... you can't do that!" he protested. "That's inhuman!"
"But... that's just a toothbrush and some toothpaste..." Shinji wondered.
"Well, yeah, Wario has a small problem with hygiene..." Mario grinned.
"So, you can decide..." Luigi smirked as he approached the struggling form of Wario. "Talk... or I'm-a gonna brush your teeth!"
"NO! NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT! Okay, I'll talk, I'll talk!" Wario whimpered.
Luigi put the brush and toothpaste away, and the plumber brothers chuckled. "Well, I'm-a listening..." Mario said.
Wario groaned in defeat. "Bowser... he's using some device, something his 'business partners' have invented... it's a device that allows to transport things and peoples from one world to another... basically, teleporters with a range that exceeds those of our warp pipes by far. They also install these machines into ships and other vehicles. They invade other worlds, defeat the local defenders and either turn them into trophies, or enslave them. Then the trophies are brought here via the 'Transdimensional Drive'. Bowser keeps them in his keep... and sometimes, he brings a couple of them to the factory, so we can turn them into Assist Trophies, basically warriors that will fight on our side..."
"Those bastards!" Fox growled. "They need to be stopped!"
"Well, after the Gearmos help us turn the people back to normal, they can stay in the Mushroom Kingdom for a while... Princess Peach would never turn down requests from fugitives."
"Bro, do you know how many Assist Trophies are back there?" Luigi asked. "Do we even have enough place in the kingdom to give them all a place to stay in?"
"We'll make some place," Mario said.
"I still can't imagine what creature could possibly be able to do such things..." Yui whispered.
"I am-a surprised that Bowser sides with such guys," Luigi grumbled. "He's bad news, we all know that, and he likes to kidnap Princess Peach, but... he has never done anything like that before."
"Wario, what can you tell us about those guys is working with?" Mario asked. "Are they responsible for what he is doing?"
"I only know that their main base is on a planet called Venom..." Wario muttered. "And their leader's name is supposed to be Andorf or something like that..."
Fox froze. "Andross..." he whispered.
Wario nodded. "Yeah, that's-a the name!"
"Is something wrong, Fox?" Rei asked. "Do you know that man?"
"Know him?" Fox laughed bitterly. "He is the reason many of the good people that have lived in the Lylat System are now dead! Among them... my father..."
"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that, Fox..." Yui murmured.
"And I thought it would all be over when my team and I defeated him..." Fox groaned. "But then he came back as some sort of spirit, using the powers of the Krazoa... and we defeated him yet again! But now... how can he have returned?"
"Well, I don't know much about that guy myself," Wario shrugged. "But the pirate guy who was here just a few hours ago, Weavel, he said that he has met the man before. And according to him, Andross is not that guy's true name..."
"N-not?" Fox gasped. Maybe it wasn't as bad as he had thought. "Maybe it is Andrew, and he somehow makes everyone believe his uncle has come back..."
"Naw, Weavel said Andrew is one of his lieutenants. The big guy's true name is supposed to be Gendo Ikari."
"WHAT??" Shinji shouted.
When he heard a sigh and a dull thud, he turned around. He gasped when he realized that his mother had fainted.
"MOM!" he shouted and ran over to her.
With a deep scowl on her face, Lupe sat in one corner of her cell and shoveled the stew into her snout.
"Is this all they can come up with?" she grumbled. "Mushroom stew, mushroom pancakes, fried mushrooms... I want a big, juicy steak, dammit!"
"It's your own fault, you know?" With a soft, tingling noise, a yellow fairy appeared. "If you had chosen the right side from the beginning, they would have had no reason to imprison you, and you wouldn't have to eat this stew."
"Great, Tinkerbell is back!" Lupe groaned. "Do me a favor and spare me your senseless tirades, okay? What was I supposed to do? Let those Aparoids assimilate me, like they did with the rest of humanity?"
"We talked about this," Tatl sighed. "You know, you are not being very cooperative here..."
"Screw cooperative! All I want is a good future at the side of my Pardus!"
"You mean Toji!"
"Whatever..."
"Lupe, you can't just ignore..."
SPLUT!
Lupe watched with satisfaction how the bowl of stew slowly slid down the opposite wall of her cell, until it clattered to the floor, revealing a fairy that was plastered to the wall by aforementioned stew.
The she-wolf giggled at the high-pitched obscenities and death threats that were thrown at her. "Your voice is still annoying, but somehow, I feel better now!"
"You... you ungrateful, little b..." Tatl took a deep breath. 'Calm down, girl, calm down... you wanted this mission, so don't complain if she's difficult.'
Using all her might, she freed herself from the wall, and even though most of her body was covered in stew, so you couldn't even guess the color of her dress, her wings still worked perfectly fine.
"Listen," she said as she hovered in front of Lupe's face. "I'm doing this for you, you know? I know destiny wasn't exactly fair to you and your friends, but you still can save yourself."
Lupe leaned back against the wall. "You know, I think that stew goes perfectly with the color of your hair. Don't you agree?"
Tatl slowly counted to ten while her head turned as red as a tomato.
"I must say she is right," a third voice suddenly spoke up. "You've never looked better."
"Who's there?" Lupe shouted.
In a small flame, a red, winged devil appeared and bowed in mid-air. "Vire, minion demon first class, my pleasure!"
"Oh great, it's you..." Tatl groaned. "What are you doing here? Aren't there enough souls in hell to torture?"
"I'll have you know that I was being promoted," Vire smiled proudly. "I am now the personal assistant of... no, I'm gonna let you figure that out yourself."
"You know that guy?" Lupe asked. "What do you want from me?"
"Only the best, my dear," the demon grinned. "You see, I am here on behalf of my master... and he really doesn't like to see you behind bars. I am here because I have a proposal for you."
"A proposal?" Lupe asked.
"Let's call it a little job," Vire smirked. "I know you are currently under contract of Andross, or Gendo Ikari, whatever you prefer. But if you would work for my master..."
"No!" Lupe said.
"You tell him, Lupe!" Tatl cheered.
Vire frowned. "Listen to what we have to offer, please. We don't want you to quit your current job, on the contrary. You will still do whatever Ikari tells you, help him while he helps us to achieve our goals. Still, we are afraid that he might use the power he finds against us... so we want you to be our little spy within his ranks."
"You seem to believe that I am doing this because of some stupid contract," Lupe grumbled. "I'm doing this on my own, free will. My team and I help him because we owe him for saving our asses. But we could quit anytime."
"You keep on believing that, girl..." Tatl sighed. "Don't you see Crazy Hand's manipulation still works on you?"
"Shut up!" Lupe yelled.
Vire rubbed his chin. "You know, I could get you out of here anytime..."
"I don't need your help," Lupe huffed.
"So you finally realized that staying here would be better?" A big smile appeared on Tatl's stew-plastered face.
"No way! I just prefer to do this by myself, I don't trust creepy guys with bat wings that just want me to betray the Commander. I'll escape on my own and get back to Venom, where my Pardus is waiting for me."
"Ah, and this is where my other offer comes in," Vire smirked. "You don't know it, but Pardus isn't on Venom anymore... he has accompanied a young boy, a spy, to fly to Planet Sauria."
"Sauria?" Lupe wondered. "What is he doing there?"
"Oh, not much... he's just beginning to realize how Gendo is trying to blackmail him. And did I mention he is about to escape from Gendo's helpers on Sauria... accompanied by his little sister?"
"WHAT?" Lupe barked and jumped to her feet. "All right, stop telling me lies, you little maggot!"
"I'm telling you nothing but the truth," Vire said. "Gendo has taken little Reika prisoner in case Pardus would stop obeying him... and not just that, he also did the same he did to you: He forced her into a role that was not hers to begin with."
"You... you lie..." Lupe stuttered. She then looked at Tatl. "He is lying... isn't he?"
"Hikari... Lupe, I... I'm sorry... he's speaking the truth," Tatl said softly.
"And you didn't TELL me? All that talk of being manipulated and you forgot to mention that he's holding Toji's little sister captive?"
"If I told you and Toji - or Pardus - that his sister was imprisoned on Sauria, what would he have done?" Tatl asked.
Lupe drooped her hand. "He... I guess he would have tried to get there immediately."
"That's it!" Tatl nodded. "Do you think we wanted you or him to go on a suicide mission. Right now, he has at least companions that can help him."
"I should be the one on his side..." Lupe grumbled.
"See?" Vire smirked. "She's telling you nothing but lies. Listen to me, my master and I only want to help you and your friends."
"No, don't do it, he's a demon, he's going to trick you!" Tatl pleaded.
"You know what?" Lupe murmured. "I think I know what I'm gonna do."
"Yes?" Tatl and Vire asked at once.
Lupe walked over to where the stew pot was lying on the floor. She picked it up. It was still half full with mushroom stew.
She then glared at Vire. "I'm going to do things on my own!" And she hurled the pot for the second time this evening... and this time, it was aimed at the winged demon.
Vire had only time to gap before the stew pot hit him right in the face. Just like the fairy before him, he frantically tried to free himself from the sticky substance.
"HELP!" Lupe yelled. "There are disgusting, flying rats in here!"
Tatl facefaulted. "WHAT?"
Right away, two Toad guards came running around the corner, holding their lances.
The right one gasped. "Th-that's the biggest rat I have ever seen in my life! Where does it come from?"
"Don't ask stupid questions," the second one shouted. "Don't you worry, we'll get rid of these pests in no time." He took a small Power Star out of his pocket and opened the door. Together, the Toads stormed the cell and pointed their lances at Vire and Tatl. "Okay, you rats, don't more, or else..."
Lupe gave the left guard a shove so that they stumbled into each other. While running past them, she snatched a Power Star out of his pocket, zipped through the door and closed it, using the star.
She looked through the translucent star door and waved at the dumbfounded Toads, fairy and demon.
"Later, losers!" she grinned... and ran away.
The two Toads looked at each other. "You know, I'm beginning to think that was a trick."
"Idiots..." Vire grumbled from the floor. "I'm outta here..." And he vanished in another flame.
Tatl groaned. "Oh well, I guess that counts as a half success..." She shrugged and disappeared in a flash of light.
Meanwhile, another fairy witnessed how a young boy in the body of a pink Dream Lander was worried to death for his mother.
Fox pointed his gun at the blue ball of light that suddenly appeared above Shinji's head. "Freeze! Who are you!"
Navi looked at him and sighed. "Fox McCloud, you are a brave warrior and space pilot, but a bit too edgy. Would you please put that thing away? I'm not your enemy."
"Who are you then?" Mario wondered.
Navi smiled. "I am Shinji's guardian!"
Rei understood. "Like Stafy?"
"Yes, you could say that. Only that Stafy helped you on behalf of your true guardian, his brother Twink."
"Twink is a friend of yours?" Mario wondered.
"We know each other," Navi nodded.
"Navi... your name is Navi... right?" Shinji asked. "You spoke to me during the battle..."
She smiled. "Yes, that's true!"
"Navi, can't you help my Mom? She just fell over like this..."
"Oh, I think she is going to be all right," Navi assured him. "It was just the shock when she heard about your father..."
"So it is true..." Shinji sighed. "My Dad is working for the Subspace Council..."
"I'm afraid so," Navi nodded. "He seems to believe that it is his only chance to keep his family intact."
"That makes no sense," Rei frowned.
Navi looked at the blue vixen thoughtfully. "You know, you should probably hear what I have to say as well... would you two mind if I talk to you in private? Your friends still have to help all those transformed people..."
"That's-a fine with me," Mario said. Luigi and Yoshi nodded.
Fox looked uncertain. "I don't know... If this concerns Andross..."
"I will be fine," Rei told her commander. "I have the feeling this is a family matter, Fox. I will inform you of all important things."
Finally, Fox nodded and went over to Yoshi and the Mario Brothers, who helped the Gearmos putting the first victims into the machine that was supposed to turn them back to normal.
Shinji made sure his mother was lying comfortable, then he turned to her small robot helper. "R.O.B... will you look after my mother until she wakes up?"
"Affirmative!" the little robot nodded.
Rei and Shinji followed Navi outside.
"I'd like to ask you something, Navi," Shinji then spoke up.
"Yes?" the fairy asked.
"Please, tell me: Why didn't come you earlier?"
Navi sighed. "I'm really not allowed to help you any further, Shinji. That is... one of the two high gods I am serving believes so. The rules of heaven are highly complicated, and explaining them would take too much time. But I can assure you that Palutena, who is Pit's mother, is on your side."
"You we... could we have prevented Pit's death?" Shinji wondered.
"Perhaps... but perhaps that would have been the cause of even worse happenings. No one can really predict the future, you know? Not even Dialga, Celebi and Farore's powers combined could do that..."
"So, why is Commander Ikari... why is FATHER doing this?" Rei asked.
Shinji looked at her in surprise. While he knew that Rei had always had certain feelings to his father, this was the first time he had heard her addressing him as her parent.
"When your mother died... your father became very confused," Navi tried to explain. "And bitter. He believed he could use the DNA of the Angels to make everything all right, to revive his wife. That's the reason why he created a clone, made of the DNA of Yui Ikari... and the Angel, Lilith."
"You are talking... about me..." Rei muttered.
"Rei..." Shinji whispered. "I... I never knew..."
"He did not just create one clone. There were many clones, identical to Rei, ready to be released when the actual Rei died in battle against the Angels."
"That's... that's horrible!" Shinji gasped. "He would never replace a human being like that... would he?"
"Actually, I... I am the second Rei..." the fox-girl whispered. "The first one... was killed... by Naoko Akagi..."
"Akagi?" Shinji wondered. "Dr. Akagi's mom?"
"Still, things have changed ever since your planet was targeted by destiny," Navi said. "Pit and I have been your guardians a long time before you became an Eva pilot, Shinji... but when we learned that your world was doomed, we just couldn't leave you to your fate. We agreed with Master Hand's plan to save you. And that's how you got placed into the roles of Kirby and Krystal. Not only that, your mother's soul, who was trapped inside your Eva Unit all the time, was saved by Celebi, and he put her in a new body, in the role of Samus Aran. Which effectively brought her back from the dead. But, you know... your mother isn't the only one who was brought back from the dead..."
"And who... is the other one?" Shinji asked.
"I think I know the answer," Rei said. "It is my younger self, isn't it? The clone that died before me..."
"Yes..." Navi said sadly. "We call her Rei-I... and she is currently the new Queen of the Aparoids."
"I thought so..." Rei looked at the floor. Her face was almost emotionless, but when Shinji looked into his sister's eyes, he could sense a deep sadness. "I thought I felt something when the Aparoids contacted me with their minds... they wanted me... to become part of the family."
"The new family your father is trying to build up," Navi nodded. "Every living being that is assimilated by the Aparoids becomes a new sister for Rei-I, a new Rei that looks like you, but is half machine. Their ultimate goal is to form the perfect family, with Gendo as their father and Yui as their mother..."
"But... but what about me and Rei?" Shinji murmured.
"I'm sorry, Shinji..." Navi sighed. "But he seems to think that you are a failure as a son... I'm so sorry...
"Well, what else is new?" Shinji groaned. "And Rei?"
"He... thinks she is a defective clone. Right now, he doesn't see either of you as part of his family. Soon enough, if you continue to give trouble to him and the beings he assists, you will have to face him directly... and possibly fight him."
"Is there... is there any way to save him?" Shinji muttered. "I don't know about those other Reis, but what about Dad? Can't he realize the truth? Can't he become the same as before?"
"It will be difficult... but Palutena believes that there is a small chance."
Shinji and Rei then both felt how soft arms got wrapped around their bodies, hugging them close to their mother, who was standing behind them, in her Zero Suit.
"We will make it possible..." Yui whispered. "I am not ready to give up on Gendo Ikari. He might have made many, grave mistakes... but he is still the man I married and love. And he is your father... and if he wants me to be part of his family, he will have to accept both of you as well."
"Mom!" Shinji shouted in surprise. "You're awake?"
"How are you feeling, mother?" Rei asked.
Yui sighed. "I... I guess I'm fine... as fine as someone in my position can be. But then again, I came back from the dead, so I guess a little dizzy spell is no big deal, huh?" She smiled at her two children, who returned the hug. Shinji with much enthusiasm, Rei with meek shyness.
Yui looked up at the blue-haired fairy. "So, you are the one who always took care of my Shin-chan, huh?"
Navi smiled. "I am his fortune fairy."
"Well then," Yui snickered. "Let us hope the fortune you bring him will help us all!"
"What about Asuka?" Shinji suddenly asked. "We still don't know anything about her. And Misato, Maya and the others... where did Palkia send them?"
"To the continent of Tellius," Navi explained. "There, they have helped the army of the Crimean kingdom in the battle against the army of the Subspace Council."
Navi decided not to tell Shinji and the others that Fuyutsuki and Aoba had been helping the Suspace troops... for now.
"Is Asuka-chan all right?" Yui asked with worry.
"Oh, yes!" Navi smiled. "In fact, she is currently attending the ball at the castle of Elincia, Crimea's princess. At least that's what her guardian Mew told me..."
Shinji snickered, and even on Rei's muzzle, an amused expression appeared. "Asuka... on a royal ball?"
"Why not?" Navi asked. "After all, she is the princess of Hyrule!"
"Well, she can say what she wants, but I won't kneel down in front of her the next time we meet," Shinji huffed.
Rei giggled.
Shinji did a double-take. Did he just hear that?
"Rei," he grinned. "You giggled!"
"I... I did not," Rei said, but he could see that she was blushing underneath her fur.
Shinji's grin widened even further. "You so giggled!" he said.
"Awww, isn't this cute?" Yui gushed and hugged the vixen. "My little sweetie is coming out of her shell..."
"M-mother..." Rei blushed. "Please, everyone's watching..."
"Who's watching? Just your brother and his little fortune fairy! Can't a mother give her daughter a loving hug?" She smiled. "Oooh, your fur is so soft... how nice!"
"M-m-mmmoooommm..." Rei stuttered, but it turned into a blissful murr as her mother began stroking her tail. "Oh... a little to the right, please..."
Shinji and Navi looked at each other and chuckled.
