CRACK! The Vampire Killer smacked away the last of the Mewtwo puppets as lightning flashed overhead. Drawing the whip back to his side, Simon Belmont looked to the looming building before him.
Dracula's Castle. Just as ominous as ever.
"You don't think this vampire is a guardian?" Lucina guessed, Peach glancing up at the tall spires.
"Dracula despises all of humanity in my world," Simon explained. "If it means death to them all, I will not be surprised if he has pledged his loyalty to the greater evil."
"This is where Luigi got soul-snatched, right?" Pit asked with a tinge of dread. Simon turned to him with a serious look. "Correct. And if you wish to avoid his fate, you will follow my lead."
"A wise decision," Ryu agreed. "After all, you know the hallways and rooms of the castle best."
"As well as the monsters that dwell there. Be on your guard."
"Something tells me we're going to deal with more than just your run-of-the-mill monsters," Marth added. Beside him, Pac-Man gave a nervous nod.
"Marth is right," Samus said. "There could be puppets in there. You lead, Simon. Mega Man and I will watch your backs." At her words, the Blue Bomber converted his hand into his Mega Buster.
Simon approached the doors of the castle with a stern expression, thunder booming overhead. He pushed open the double doors, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of ghouls. Everyone else followed him inside with blades- and frying pan- drawn, fists clenched, and cannons primed.
The ground floor of the castle was eerily quiet. The windows displayed a purple sky, red drapes lay tattered from the ceiling, and a cracked painting looked like it had been punched by something. Simon never dropped his guard. While it appeared they were in the clear, that didn't mean they were.
"Hey, what's that?" asked Pit, pointing a blade to the floor. On the carpet, a silver ball rested right in their path. Simon raised a brow; this didn't look like it belonged there. Mega Man moved past him, swapping his Buster for a hand. "I'll check it out," he said. "Samus, cover me."
The bounty hunter nodded, aiming her cannon down the lobby. Mega Man approached the ball and picked it up with both hands. His Super Arm weapon kicked in, making him lift the heavy object as if it was a beach ball. "Hmm… trace amounts of iron and silver," he muttered, scanning the sphere's composition. "I… I think this is a cannonball."
"A cannonball?" Pit repeated. "What are we supposed to do with that?"
"I think I have an idea," Ryu answered. "Up there, past the staircase."
Everyone looked to where the street fighter was pointing to. Just by the painting, a wheeled cannon sat near the end of a ledge. "Hm. That's one idea," Lucina spoke up. "But what are we supposed to shoot it at?"
"I don't know," Marth replied. "I see no obstacle that bars our path. And even if we could move the cannon, we can't waste our time with it. It'd drain our strength, and we're going to need plenty once we reach the throne room."
"The throne room?" Pit asked him. "What makes you think we're headed there?"
"That's where Dracula will likely be, will he not?" Marth answered, turning to Simon for confirmation.
Simon nodded. "The throne room is in the highest tower in the castle. But the journey there will be perilous and filled with dangers… just not the dangers I am used to."
Mega Man was already ascending the staircase with the cannonball in his arms. Pac-Man headed up with him, watching for enemies in all directions. "As long as we keep this out of the way, that's fine by-"
SHHHRRIIIP!
A figure slid down the drapes, claws tearing through the fabric. With a grunt, it vaulted off and landed in front of the cannon. A single eye gleamed with a purple light, and an animalistic growl echoed through a fanged mouth.
Pac-Man immediately darted forth towards the Wolf puppet, who readied its claws and pounced at the yellow hero. Pac-Man countered with a flip kick, sending the puppet into the air. Using his trampoline to bounce up after it, Pac-Man stomped it back down. The puppet bounced off the cannon, landing on the floor and getting back up just as quickly.
Pac-Man touched down, emitting a pixelated tractor beam from his hand. The Wolf puppet just growled, drew back its head… and unleashed a wave of flame at the yellow dot-muncher.
Pac-Man's face turned into an expression of panic and he bolted out of there before the flames could consume him. Mega Man tossed him the cannonball- to which Pac-Man collapsed under the sudden weight- and whooshed the flames away with his Air Shooter. The puppet threw up a hand at the wind… and was unprepared for the flying fist sent its way.
The Hard Knuckle reattached to Mega Man's arm, allowing the Blue Bomber to launch a Charged Shot at the puppet. The puppet drew its blaster… but didn't even get the chance to pull the trigger. A blue flash of light and an explosion of darkness left nothing in its wake.
Pac-Man shuffled over to the cannon, stuffing the heavy ball inside. He wiped his brow in exhaustion and gave Mega Man a thumbs-up.
"We're not out of this yet!" Marth called. "Something's coming down!" Near the spiral staircase ahead of them, the group could hear the sound of something eerie swiftly approaching. They steeled themselves for another puppet, possibly more than one…
But what shot out into view was a black misty blob with blood-red eyes. It floated towards the Smashers, prompting Simon to swing the Vampire Killer. The whip just sailed through the ghoul with no effect.
"What is that thing?!" Pit gasped. Ryu shot a Hadoken at it, only for the fireball to harmlessly vanish on contact.
"A type of ghost, I believe," Simon answered. At the word "ghost" Pac-Man perked up and turned to the monster. Samus and Mega Man both opened fire, their shots fazing right through it as if it was nothing.
Pit shot an arrow at the evil spirit but made a sound of disbelief when that, too, failed to damage it. "It's no use! We can't get it!"
Pac-Man dove for the ghoul with an open maw, closing his mouth around it. Unfortunately, he only landed face-first on the carpet… right by the main entrance. He shot back to his feet in shock. That thing had teleported him right back to the start!
"Simon!" Mega Man called, continuing to lay down fire. "You're the monster expert! Any ideas?!"
"I've seen my fair share of ghosts and phantoms!" he replied, chucking his cross. As with his whip, the projectile just sailed right through the murky blackness, returning to Simon's hand. "But I've never seen an evil spirit such as this! Normal weaponry doesn't seem to affect it, but keep it distracted! Perhaps a douse of holy water should be enough to-"
BOOM!
Something collided with the dark spirit, making it vanish into thin air with a disembodied screech. Everyone turned to where the shot came from… and saw the cannon had jolted backward, its barrel now smoking.
"I… guess we have our answer," Samus spoke. "Was that cannonball enchanted or something?"
"Possibly, if it were to bring harm to a creature of darkness," Simon answered. "Come. We must move on."
Everyone moved up the spiral staircase, which led to the second floor of the castle. The corridor lit up when lightning flashed outside, startling Peach for a brief moment. A small pillar stood in their path, but not for long. Ryu climbed a nearby ladder and pulled a lever on an outside balcony, making the pillar turn horizontally.
This hallway had its own dangers to be dealt with. First, a metal Simon puppet sprung from the shadows and cracked its whip in wild lashes. Both Mega Man and the real Simon attacked it in response. The whip struck Mega Man in the side, barely leaving a dent as the Blue Bomber continued to shoot. Simon struck with his own whip, scoring successful hits. He bashed it aside with an ax, leaving it open for a Crash Bomber to connect to its torso and blow it to kingdom come.
Further down the hallway, a Meta Knight puppet backed by five tiny Mewtwo clones appeared from behind a wooden staircase, Simon deflected sword strikes with the Vampire Killer, leaving the others to take care of the fake Mewtwos. Peach knocked a Shadow Ball back at one, Ryu grabbed one by the tail and flung it into another, and Mega Man fired a Charged Shot at the fourth while sliding underneath a Shadow Ball. Marth and Lucina tag-teamed the last one, cutting it down.
Simon grabbed the Meta Knight puppet and smashed it in a chokeslam. The following crack of the whip sent it careening into the wall, where it returned to its trophy state. Simon turned and walked away from the burst that followed.
Ryu found another cannonball at the top of the wooden stairs, taking it into his arms. The group went up another spiral staircase, coming out onto the roof of the castle. Not long after they appeared, a Bowser puppet came crashing down.
With a roar that echoed into the night, it blasted fire onto the roof. Simon flipped away while Pac-Man and Pit shielded Ryu, tossing a flask of holy water at it. The fake king snarled and batted at the flames, and Mega Man sprayed it with his own flamethrowers. The Bowser puppet swatted the robot aside with its tail… but failed to see Marth slash at its torso and topple it. He landed on the chest and stabbed downward, slaying the beast where it lay.
Ryu moved up the staircase the puppet was near, finding another cannon at the top. Near a ledge, the rest of the group noticed a figure in a dress guarded by another one of those dark spirits. Its evil eyes locked onto them, prompting it to float towards them with a hiss…
Ryu fired the cannon, blasting it on the spot. It shrieked again, leaving no trace behind when the black faded. The World Warrior jumped down, joining the others in cornering the figure in a black dress… who held a corrupted-looking flower in her hand.
"Enjoying Lord Dharkon's new pets, I bet?" she asked with a glint in her violet eye. "The Phantoms surely are nasty little devils. That's what I like about them."
"Princess Daisy!" Peach gasped. "Oh, my!"
Daisy turned to the other princess with a disgusted look. "Princess Peach. Ugh, always the cheerful one. And the lame one…"
Peach gasped again, a hand flying to her heart. "How hurtful! The Daisy I know would never say such things about me!"
"So, this is what Dharkon had in mind for you?" Pit asked. "Turning you into a bully?"
"LORD Dharkon made me better than I ever imagined, you little brat," Daisy spat at him. "And lemme tell you… I'm gonna enjoy making you suffer." The corners of her mouth lifted in a sadistic smile… and she blew on the flower. A purple mist emerged from the plant, reaching the Smashers in no time. Everyone suddenly coughed and choked from the mist, save for the mouth-covering Peach. Mega Man just looked around in shock, watching everyone collapse to the castle roof. Peach turned back to Daisy with a horrified look.
"Oh, don't give me that stupid face. They're just sleeping. But soon… they're gonna be sleeping for a long, long time."
"Keep dreaming, princess!" Mega Man shouted, aiming his Mega Buster at him. At the sight of the Blue Bomber, Daisy just face-palmed.
"Argh! Stupid! I forgot robots can't breathe! But on the bright side, I have an excuse to do this." She raised her foot with a devious giggle, stomping her heel onto the stone.
The roof exploded beneath a surprised Mega Man, revealing dark thorny vines that snaked around his form. The tendril pinned his arms to his sides, immobilizing the Blue Bomber. Peach staggered back, her blue eyes locked on the struggling robot.
"No good! You gotta take her down yourself, Peach!"
"Can't you shoot yourself free?" the princess asked.
"And blow my legs off? No way!"
"Here it is, you blue bucket of bolts," Daisy taunted. "Once I'm finished punishing this stupid girl, it'll be more than just your legs you need to worry about."
Peach turned to Daisy with an angry expression. "You're nothing more than a cruel, unforgiving shell of my friend!" she spouted, drawing her frying pan. "And I'm going to get her back!"
Daisy feigned a look of surprise. "Oh, no! The great Princess Peach is threatening to hit me with a frying pan! Whatever shall I do?" she chuckled to herself, cutting off her act. "How about THIS?!"
She threw a hand out, summoning a volley of vines to burst from the stones and snake their way towards Peach. The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom sidestepped the vines, running over to Daisy. She hopped off a vine, swinging her pan down…
Daisy whipped out a thorn-covered golf club, blocking the tool with a sneer. Peach quickly parried the club away, nailing Daisy in the face.
"Why you…!" Seething with anger, Daisy threw up her arms. A massive stalk burst out from under her feet, carrying her into the air. Two plant stalks opened, blasting out explosive seeds from their buds. Peach opened her parasol and made a hasty retreat, letting the tool act as a shield.
Daisy floated to the ground, snapping out a thorny ribbon. Twirling it over her head, she cracked it like a whip at Peach. Peach quickly swatted the strikes away with magical palms. When Daisy lashed out with it one more time, Peach grabbed the ribbon and pulled hard.
Daisy yelped as she was yanked towards Peach, who turned around and bumped her away with her rear end. Daisy fell face-first to the stones of the castle roof, quickly scrambling to her feet.
"I'M GONNA TEAR YOU TO-" A vegetable whapped Daisy in the face, followed by a volley from Peach. She made a surprised face when she found a turnip with a frowning face, chucking that at Daisy as well. Daisy summoned another vine, swatting the turnip away.
Peach ran in, smacking Daisy with the frying pan again. Snatching the princess' arm on a swing, Daisy punched Peach across the face and slapped her away… but not before Peach left a little surprise by her feet.
Peach stepped back, pulling out another turnip.
"Oh, no you don't!" Daisy called, ducking down and vanishing under a dome of vines and flowers. Inside, she gave out a sinister laugh behind her protection…
...until her violet eyes widened at the sight of a flashing red Bob-omb staring at her blankly with a rapidly-shortening fuse.
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
KABOOM! The plant barrier burst into flame, withering away and dying. Smoke filled the air, rising into the sky. The vines holding Mega Man shriveled in agony, releasing the robot from their grip. The other Smashers stirred and arose, blinking groggily while their bodies gave it their all to fight off the last of the flower's gas.
Peach approached the harmless trophy of Daisy with a kind smile. She leaned over, touching a palm to the trophy's base… and in a flash of light, the princess in yellow stirred.
"Ugh… my head…" Daisy groaned, cracking open an eye. "A… castle?" She suddenly shot into full awareness. "Aw, man! Did Bowser kidnap ME this time?! Oh, I'll show that big bully what fo-" She paused, taking in the sight of the building. "What a minute… this isn't Bowser's castle."
"Far from it, my lady," Simon corrected. "We are here to vanquish the vampire Dracula and deny the evil entity Dharkon of his protector."
Daisy blinked. "Uh…"
"We'll catch you up later," Pit summarized. "Let's go!"
Across the castle's roof, a large Ganondorf puppet wielding a scythe- backed up by eight smaller copies- attacked. Pit took care of the leader while everyone else focused on the tiny clones. His blade scraping against the scythe, Pit swiftly slashed both across the puppet's neck. It fell at the same time all the others did.
Mega Man approached a lever they were guarding, pulling it towards him. But while it didn't seem to do anything from their line of sight, Simon assured the group the lever had served its purpose. He ascended the next batch of stairs, leading the group onto a walkway high above the courtyard.
As most of them expected, it wouldn't be just a simple stroll. Four Mewtwo puppets with Rocket Belts flew up to the walkway, a white Samus puppet marched over with cannon at the ready, and two Sheik puppets landed expertly on the railings.
And lastly, a pudgy man with a black biker helmet and a crooked mustache pushed his way past the puppets. "WAHAHAHAHA! Boy, you chumps sure are persistent! And there are more of you than I thought, which is gonna make this all the more entertaining!"
Pit narrowed his eyes. "Wario…"
"That's the name! Don't wear it out!" he boasted, making a flexing pose. "Now, I'm not the type to go all 'Lord Dharkon is great' like all the rest, so I'm just gonna get to the good part."
Wario pointed to the Smashers… and slashed a finger across his throat. The puppets sprang into action on his unspoken command. The two Sheiks attacked Marth and Lucina, their falchions making contact with knives. The Mewtwos flew low with psychic barrages, leaving Samus to blast them out of the air. Pit fired arrows to back her up, and a lucky strike from the Vampire Killer destroyed a Rocket Belt. That puppet was sent falling to the ground below.
Mega Man fired a Charged Shot at the Samus puppet… which didn't even shoot back. The shot deflected off her, striking the shocked Blue Bomber. Ryu charged past, engaging the puppet in close-quarters combat.
Pit slashed at a Mewtwo puppet, downing it. Samus blasted away another one, and Pac-Man finished the third one with help from Blinky. Marth and Lucina gained the upper end with help from Simon, striking down the two Sheik puppets. And lastly, a strong kick from Ryu sent the Samus puppet careening off the edge.
Everyone turned to Wario at the end of the walkway…who was picking his nose in a bored fashion. "Ew!" Daisy gagged.
"Wuh-what?!" Wario yelped, now noticing the puppets were gone. "It's over already?! Ah, c'mon, guys! You had one job! One! Ah, fuggedaboudit! If ya want something done right…"
He cracked his knuckles and put up his dukes. "I'll be bringing the big boss your heads!"
"Come and take it, then!" Daisy called, stepping forth challengingly. Pit joined her, twirling his blades. Wario just sneered, punching his palm. With a cry, he ran for Pit and readied to throw a punch…
...but instead tackled the angel and chomped down on his shoulder.
"OW! Get off!" Pit yelped, tossing the man to the ground. Wario scrambled back up, charging into Pit head-first like a bull. "OOF!"
Wario knocked the angel aside, now turning his attention to Daisy. He threw two hooks with both hands, the princess dodging both. Wario tried headbutting her, only for the princess to step aside. Wario hit the metal railing hard, stunning him.
"Well… that was easy," Mega Man commented.
Wario just shook his head and turned his wicked gaze back on the Smashers.
"You should know not to say things like that," Pit told him.
Wario jumped up, poking Daisy in the eyes with two fingers. "OW!" He kicked her legs out from under her and patted his elbow. He jumped again to elbow-drop Daisy, but she rolled out of the way and Wario hit solid stone. Pac-Man ran into the fray, landing a dropkick on the standing Wario. He landed on his back, quickly scrambling back up. He rushed for Pac-Man…
...and the two repeatedly slapped each other with faces turned away.
"Ow! Hey! Watch the mustache! Oof! Ack!"
Simon groaned. "This is getting ridiculous…"
"He certainly doesn't fight fair," Mega Man added.
Pac-Man bopped Wario right in the nose, making him stumble back. Pac-Man threw a cherry, to which Wario just gobbled up. Getting an idea, Mega Man took aim… and fired a Crash Bomber.
Pac-Man rolled away, the projectile landing in Wario's waiting maw. As soon as he chowed down, he blew up from the inside. He doubled over, coughing out smoke and gagging.
"NOW you've (gak) done it! You don't (koff) wanna see (bleh) what happens (hoop) when I (wheeze) blow up!"
Wario crouched down, clenched his fists, and squeezed his eyes shut. At this action, Simon raised a brow. "What does that fool think he's doing?"
Pit was slowly piecing things together. "Wait a sec… blow up?" He looked back to Wario's pose, heard him exert and grunt… and made a disgusted face. "Oh, no… everyone, get down!"
Wario rocketed into the sky in an explosion of purple gas, a trail of it leaving his rear end. Down below, everyone gagged.
"Augh! Wario!" Daisy groaned.
"So horrid!" moaned Peach. Pac-Man looked like he had fainted.
"Aw, gross!" Pit coughed. "And it smells even worse than it normally is!"
"Why isn't that man…" Ryu gagged. "...the entirety of chemical warfare?!"
"If this turns out to be poisonous, it'll be the least of our worries!" added Lucina.
"BELLY FLOP! WAHAHAHA!"
The foul-smelling gas faded, revealing Wario diving back down belly-first. Thinking fast, Pit equipped his Upperdash Arm. "Ryu!"
"Right!" the warrior ran up to the angel's side, both drawing back their arms. Wario noticed their actions and his face fell. "Uh-oh…"
Right as he neared the Smashers, Pit and Ryu lunged their arms upward, fist and Upperdash Arm nailing Wario straight in the gut. "SHORYUKEN!" they cried in unison.
"WAAAAAAGH!" Wario yelled, sailing through the air and landing hard on the stone. Through a shroud of darkness, a trophy was all that remained of him.
Pit groaned, waving a hand through the air and grimacing at a sour stench. "I hate fighting him."
"For good reason," Lucina added, pinching her nose in annoyance. Pac-Man picked up the trophy, brought it back to the group, and tapped on the base. A brief flash of light lit up the castle…
...and Wario grumbled, shaking his head. "What a crazy dream. I dreamt we all got blasted by some big light thingy with wings… eh?" He looked around at his surroundings. "Aw, dang it. It wasn't a dream."
"We must move on," Simon ordered. "Dracula awaits."
"Wait, what?" Wario said. "We're gonna fight Dracula?" A devious smirk appeared on his face and he rubbed his palms together. "Hee hee hee! I've been waiting for this! I saved up a whole truckload of garlic just for him! Alright, ya pale-faced creep!" He turned around and marched forward, holding a finger to the sky. "Hope ya like stakes, because this one's coming right for your- WAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Wario shot out of view, his helmet dropping down after him. Everyone gathered around, staring down the hole in the battlement he had just fallen through. His scream echoed through the blackness… until a loud thud followed that made everyone wince.
"OW! Oof, my sternum! Oh, that's gonna hurt in the morning… wait, where am I? What is this dump? Huh? Wha? WAHAHAHA! Oh, boy! Look at these crystals! I'll be rich in no time! HEY, CHUMPS! GET YOUR STUPID BUTTS DOWN HERE! I HIT THE MOTHERLOAD!"
Mega Man spotted another cannon off in the distance, pointing right into the sky. "Hmm…" he ran back along the walkway while everyone else climbed down a ladder leading down the hole. A floating pillar rotated vertically, blocking the cannon's line of sight.
Pit climbed down the ladder rung by rung, passing a hole in the battlement. "Simon, how far does this thing go?"
"Below ground, giving the chatter our newly-liberated ally spoke of. But what could possibly be down there?"
"AAAAAH! HELP! THIS CAVE IS HAUNTED! WHERE'S THAT GREEN GUY WHEN YOU NEED HIM?!"
Pit slid down the ladder, his faster descent allowing him to reach the bottom in no time. He hit the ground and drew his blades, sprinting towards Wario's position. Everyone else hit the ground battle-ready.
Wario ran around in a frenzy… and he was being chased by black, murky blobs of darkness with glowing eyes. "IS LUIGI WITH YOU?! GET THAT GUY OUT HERE! WAAAAAH!"
Peach gasped. "More ghosts!"
"Dark Daisy called them 'Phantoms', right?" Pit asked. "Some of Dharkon's minions?"
"Find cannons, quick!" Marth shouted, sliding down a wooden plank. Alongside the phantoms, four puppets of Greninja, Shulk, King K. Rool, and Ridley were approaching fast.
Lucina, Simon, Ryu, and Samus rushed towards the puppets while everyone else scrambled for cannonballs. Pausing for breath in his panicked sprinting, Wario pointed to a stunned Pac-Man.
"You! Pac-Man! You eat ghosts, right? Then DO SOMETHING! WAAAAAH!" He took off running, a Phantom rapidly floating towards him. Pac-Man just gave Wario a disappointed look, running off to find cannonballs.
The Greninja puppet threw a Water Shuriken at Ryu, who jumped over and landed a kick to the clone's face. He proceeded to land blow after blow on the copy as Pit sprinted past. The angel dove and slashed at the Ridley puppet, giving Samus the opportunity she needed to blast it in the face.
Lucina crossed blades with the Shulk puppet, Pit slicing at its legs as he passed. He bashed the King K. Rool puppet in the snout with his Upperdash Arm, allowing Simon to finish it off with a brutal blow from his ax. Rolling off, he swiftly changed targets to a Zelda clone.
Mega Man opened fire at the Phantoms, driving them away from the princesses. Pac-Man sprinted ahead, commanding his own ghosts to keep them distracted. Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde chased the Phantoms around before some of them turned the tables. Clyde turned blue, fleeing for his afterlife.
Wario kept running from the relentless Phantoms, unaware of the tiny Falco, Charizard, and Incineroar puppets he trampled underfoot. For those that survived, Marth swooped in to finish them off.
Ryu climbed a ladder leading to a wooden platform, Mega Man following him. On the top level, he engaged a copy of himself in battle, trading blows and blasting it away with a Hadoken. Ryu jumped off, giving Mega Man access to a cannonball. He grabbed it, descended to the middle level, rushed over to a cannon, and shoved it inside.
Ryu blocked a punch, countering with an elbow strike and a leg sweep. His copy jumped, landing a kick to Ryu's head. The World Warrior grabbed the puppet by the shoulders, bashed it in the chin with his knee, then dropped to the ground and threw the puppet over. It hit a support beam, momentarily stunning it. The puppet got back up with clenched teeth, running for Ryu again.
"Come on, come on…" Mega Man muttered, positioning the cannon in the Phantoms' direction. Wario was backed against a wall, two Phantoms looming over him. "I give up! I give up!" he cried, shooting his hands into the air.
BLAM! Mega Man fired the cannon, blasting not one, but both Phantoms in one shot. Both spirits howled as the cannonball pierced through them, poofing into nonexistence. Wario slumped to the ground, sighing in relief. Pit rushed over to the other platform, picking up another cannonball with a grunt. "Mega Man! Covering fire!"
Mega Man shot at the remaining two Phantoms, making them retreat toward tunnels leading deeper into the cave. Pit reached the ladder of the platforms where the Ryu puppet was found, climbing it with exhausted breaths. Ryu helped him to his feet, taking the cannonball from the tired angel's hands. The street fighter inserted it into the cannon while Samus kept the Phantoms where they were. Mega Man joined her, adding on to the suppressing fire.
BLAM! Ryu fired the cannon, striking the Phantom on the top tunnel. The cannonball ricocheted off a toppled pillar, striking the second one from above. With a shriek, that one vanished.
Simon pulled a lever that rotated the pillar while an exhausted Wario approached the group. "I'll… be fine… just… keep… the ghosts… away…" he gasped.
Mega Man climbed a ladder leading to the surface, taking a cannonball he found there. When he returned, the rest of the group proceeded through one of the tunnels. They trekked through the dark cave, across wooden stairs and pathways…
...and emerged in a cell with its bars hanging open.
"The dungeon," Simon said. "Come." He stepped out into the hallway, a hand on his whip. He approached the next cell, which appeared to be all but empty. But from the shadows behind the bars, a giant Mii Brawler puppet burst out into the corridor, snagged Simon by the throat, and slammed him into the stone wall.
A Diddy Kong puppet hopped onto the giant puppet's shoulders. Pit launched into the air, kicking the little monkey to the floor. Ryu and Wario assisted Simon in taking down the larger threat. Simon rolled under the giant Mii's legs as a fist plowed through the wall. His whip struck the back of its leg, knocking it off-balance. It turned its mask-covered head towards the monster slayer, but a crack of the whip across its face sent the Mii puppet crashing to the ground.
Pit slashed the Diddy Kong puppet across the chest and kicked it back. The clone smashed against some rocks, falling limp to the floor. "Talk about your tough jailers…" the angel quipped.
SCREEEEEEE!
Everyone froze in place at the sound of an ear-piercing shriek. It reverberated off the cell walls and through the tunnel from which they came. "Uh… what was that?" Pit gulped.
"It sounded like it came from the caves," Lucina hinted.
"The rest of you keep going," Samus ordered, already heading back to the cell. "I'll investigate."
"Alone?"
"If that sound is what I think it is, it's nothing I can't handle."
Lucina stared at the bounty hunter with a mix of uncertainty and trust. "Good luck."
While everyone else approached a ladder that led to the second level of the dungeon, Samus backtracked down the tunnel. The night vision in her helmet activated as she reached the wooden structure. Two ladders descended further below ground level… and Samus' scanners were picking up a lifeform down there.
A large lifeform.
Whatever it was bolted towards her at high speed, breaking through the wooden structure with a sickening crack. The figure flew into view, granting Samus a full look at a purple dragon-like alien with violet eyes.
Samus' instincts kicked in. She threw up her arm cannon… but Ridley beat her to it. The Space Pirate leader blasted a purple fireball that blew the entire structure to smithereens and splinters. Samus felt herself falling.
Ridley dove with another screech, his mouth wide open. Samus fired off a volley of blasts, the lasers smacking Ridley's form. Ridley swooped past her, nearing the ground below. Samus adjusted her position and landed perfectly, her suit absorbing the impact. She stood back up, pointing her cannon into the darkness…
...and Ridley was nowhere to be seen. Samus' night vision played its part, scanning the caves for any sign of him. She made no sounds, waiting for him to make his move. She was being stalked. Hunted in Ridley's new domain. No different than a spaceship or intergalactic laboratory.
And no different from below the surface of Zebes.
From the ceiling above, a prehensile tail snaked downward. A malicious jaw opened and two eyes glared savagely at the lone figure. The tail moved closer to Samus, ready to pierce her through the back…
Samus felt something behind her, and she whirled around to launch a bomb at her target. The cave lit up in an explosion of red and orange, revealing Ridley's screaming figure.
He dropped to the ground, charging something in his mouth. He shot out a beam of purple electricity, blowing rocks and stalagmites to bits. Samus dropped into her Morph Ball form and rolled towards Ridley, dropping bombs at his feet. Each of them blew, earning another snarl. Ridley's eyes met Samus', the sight of the orbs more hateful than before.
If Samus was right, Ridley was probably wishing he had killed her alongside her parents.
He blasted another stream of violet lightning, sweeping it along the cavern floor. Samus jumped over the beam, shooting at Ridley with another missile. She rolled away from fireballs, countering with another volley of lasers. A tail sweep from Ridley knocked her into the rocks, stunning the bounty hunter. Samus moved to stand... and a purple claw latched around her neck, cutting off a grunt of effort with a shout of pain.
Ridley screamed right into her face at full volume. The sound was barely enough to blow out her ears. Fighting through the pain, Samus aimed right at his eye… and fired. Ridley howled, releasing Samus and clawing at his face. Using her Morph Ball state to roll underneath him, Samus charged up her cannon and watched her enemy shake his head… and notice her disappearance.
His hearing picked up the sound of the charging cannon. Quick as a blink, Ridley whirled around to slash Samus across the visor with a wide mouth… but the bounty hunter released her energy.
The charged shot hit Ridley in the chest, knocking him to the cavern floor with an agonizing scream. A blast of darkness filled the cave, revealing nothing but a trophy in Ridley's wake. Samus walked over to the lifeless form, resting a hand on the base. For a full second, a flash of light banished the darkness from the cave.
Ridley rose to his feet with a grumble. A clawed hand gripped his head, teeth bared in anger. In a rush, all that Ridley could remember about his capture by Galeem's hand came back to him… and he threw his head to the air.
SKRRRAAAAAAAWWWWW!
His roar echoed throughout the cave and into the castle dungeons. Ridley and Samus approached the ascent leading back to the tunnel, the bounty hunter gripping his leg. Spreading his wings, Ridley flew up towards the surface.
…
Ryu strode past the spot where a puppet of himself had fallen. His ears caught the sound of a cannon blast from down below… followed by a cannonball landing a hit on a Phantom. He ignored this, pressing on through an archway leading to stairs. As he climbed, he thought of how the others were progressing.
By now, everyone else- save for Samus- who was currently below ground again- had reached the second floor. And from what Ryu was hearing, they were engaging more puppets. He believed he heard Pit say something about heading for the roof…
Ryu paused in his tracks. He found himself on a balcony looking out along the courtyard… and he wasn't alone. Someone in black and purple garb was staring into the night.
"So it's you…" the man spoke. "I suppose I should be grateful for a real challenge instead of some other wimp." He turned, revealing a devilish smirk and blazing purple eyes.
Ryu felt a chill running up his spine. "Ken?"
The other man spread his arms. "In the flesh…"
"I have seen a power like this only once before," Ryu spoke. "When Bison brainwashed you and corrupted you with his Psycho Power. But the power from this… it's overwhelming."
"The power Lord Dharkon gave me was something I didn't even know I craved. Sure, when Bison took control of me, power was all I could think about. But this… this is so much more. If only you could share it with me, Ryu."
"Ken, I can help you," Ryu said, keeping himself wary. "Break you free from this spell."
"As if! Forget Psycho Power! Forget the Satsui no Hado! This right here? This is where the real strength comes from, Ryu! Even if you hadn't conquered the Satsui no Hado before the fifth tournament was announced, your evil persona still wouldn't be a match for me. Lord Dharkon made me unstoppable!"
"No one is invincible, Ken," Ryu shot back. At his words, Ken made an irritated face… and took a stance.
"It's like you always said… talk is cheap."
Ryu sighed. Not even he wanted to do with this, not just because he could match Ken in skill… but when he looked at his friend now, he saw both Violent Ken and Akuma. Two fallen warriors seeking nothing but power and senseless violence. But for the sake of his friend, he had to fight him.
Ryu adjusted his headband and took his own stance. Ken sneered… and lunged for him. "RRAAAAAAH!"
Ryu blocked, parried, and traded blows with Ken. Breaking his opponent's guard, Ryu landed a strong Joudan Sokutogeri kick that sent Ken sailing to the edge of the balcony. Ken flipped and landed on his feet, lighting up his fists with purple fire. Ryu advised himself to take caution. What Dharkon granted him could be devastating when added to his own abilities.
"See if your 'Power of Nothingness' can conquer this! HAAAADOKEN!" Ken thrust his palms out, launching a charged purple fireball at Ryu. The World Warrior jumped this, driving his foot for Ken's head. The other fighter simply grabbed his leg, throwing him to the right. Ryu hit the edge hard, slumping to the ground. He shook his head… and looked up to see Ken sprinting right for him.
With a roar of anger, Ken unleashed a blast of purple flame from his hands. Through the inferno, Ryu brought his hands together, charging up a blue ball of ki…
"HADOKEN!" The fireball blasted Ken back, knocking him to the ground. Both fighters leaped to their feet, charging at each other with fists swinging.
Ken landed a high kick to Ryu's chin, causing him to stumble. Ken drew back, his entire arm lighting up in flame. "SHORYUKEN!" A pillar of violet flame erupted into the sky, taking both fighters into the air with a massive uppercut. Ryu flipped through the air, landing on his feet and attacking Ken again. He blocked a swinging kick, jabbed Ken in the face, and swung behind him, landing an elbow to the back of his head. Ken whipped around with a glare…
"HADOKEN!" A blue fireball blew him away. Ken sprang back to his feet, planting himself firmly on the ground. Ryu stood back this time, waiting for Ken's next move. He pointed at his old friend, beckoning at him with a gesture.
"Grr… TATSUMAKI SENPUKYAKU!" Ken spun around like a tornado, conjuring a twister of purple flames. At the end of the attack, the tornado sped towards Ryu. The Word Warrior ran around it, landing a quick combo to Ken. He threw Ken over his shoulder, flinging him into the twister. The twister died down, and Ken brushed himself off.
With another growl, his hands lit up in purple flame. Ryu charged and met Ken on the balcony, their arms locking. Ken broke the clash, landing a jumping kick to Ryu's head. He punched Ryu repeatedly in the chest, finishing with a fiery spin kick. Ryu leaned backward, blocking the next pyrokinetic punch.
"SHORYUKEN!" he cried, knocking Ken into the air with the rising uppercut. Ken hit the stones hard, groaning in pain. He stood up again… slower than before. He curled his fists, glaring at Ryu with hate.
"You're given this power with hopes it'll make you stronger," Ryu told him. "But the true power to victory lies in your heart. Not your fists."
Ken's only reply was another angry roar, charging at Ryu with a flaming hand. Ryu drew back his arms… and thrust them out. "HADOKEN!"
The fireball slammed into Ken, knocking the breath out of him… and knocking him out of the fight. "UUAAAAAAGGGHHH!"
His cry of defeat nearly echoed in Ryu's ears. A shroud of darkness filled the balcony. Through the mist, a trophy fell to the ground. Ryu reached down with a smile, touching a finger to the base.
Ken sat up groggily, shaking his head. "Man, I feel funny…"
Ryu offered him a hand. "It's good to have you back, Ken." For a moment, the other street fighter gazed at him in puzzlement… before taking his hand. "Heh! The feeling's mutual!"
…
"YAH!" A Kirby puppet fell before Pit's blades, resulting in another spirit free from its cage. The angel took a moment to hang back, examining the room he was in. It looked like an attic or a top floor of some sort. The roof was torn away, allowing the night air to creep inside. Pit turned to the dark sky, watching the large crescent moon beyond the castle.
"Sure hope everyone else is doing okay on the floor below," he said aloud. "Maybe a few extra cannonballs couldn't-"
Something shot past the moon, catching his attention. "Huh?" Pit blinked, trying to make sure the sight was real. He took a step closer, watching the sky closely…
WHOOSH!
Pit spun behind him with a gasp. He saw nothing there… save for a black feather that floated down to the floor. He ran up, snatching it in his hand. Pit looked to the sky one more time… but saw only the dark clouds and the light of the moon.
He looked to the feather in his hand. "A feather? Probably from a copy of Falco… or maybe a copy of me."
Something suddenly slammed into Pit from behind, making him cry out in pain. He felt himself being carried up into the air until he was high above the castle. Before he could get a good look at his abductor, Pit felt himself falling fast.
The spirit of Viridi inside him took action, lighting up Pit's wings with a green glow. The angel floated into the air, turning to face his ambusher… and when he saw who it was, his face lit up in surprise.
"Well, look who finally caught up!"
Pit sighed. "Of course, a copy of me… hey there, Pittoo."
"Would- would you QUIT CALLING ME THAT ALREADY?!" the dark angel snapped, silver bow in hand. He didn't look very different, save for the purple eyes… but his wings had his original violet glow around them again. "You know I hate that!"
"Obviously," Pit answered. "Don't tell me; you're here to permanently pluck my wings?"
"Every single feather!" Dark Pit answered, twirling his blades menacingly. "And I'm gonna enjoy it!"
"Riiight… hey, how come you're Dharkon's servant now? You're normally not the obedient type."
"He opened up my eyes. Gave me back the limitless flight I took from Pandora. And then, he put me in Dracula's command. And once I heard you were here, I personally requested to take you out myself."
"No worries. You can fly for as much as you want… but five minutes is all I need to take you down!"
Dark Pit sneered, crossing his blades. "Prepare to meet the night, Pit Stain!"
The two angels dashed towards each other, their blades clashing against each other. Dark Pit kicked Pit away, drawing arrows of darkness. He unleashed a rapid volley, the projectile streaming towards the angel. Pit threw up his Orbitars, blocking the shots and firing off arrows of his own. Dark Pit soared through the air, leaving the arrows to hit nothing but stone. Both angels swooped over the roof, one of Pit's stray shots blowing two puppets of Lucina and Simon to the ground below. Mega Man ran past, taking another cannonball from the nearby ledge.
Dark Pit whirled around, conjuring two claws of shadow on his hands. He held out his palms, firing bolts of dark energy from his fingertips. Pit flew around whatever bolts he could, deflecting the rest with his spinning bow. Dark Pit flew right up to his counterpart, wildly slashing Pit with the claws and swiping him away.
Pit righted himself in midair, a few feathers falling from his wings. Dark Pit fired more arrows at him, now putting the light angel in a high-speed retreat. Dark Pit chased after, staying on his tail as the two flew across the castle: over the courtyard, around the towers, and under the walkways. Viridi guided Pit into a loop, allowing him to get behind Dark Pit and land a few solid hits. Grunting, Dark Pit fired back and sharply turned past another tower.
Pit picked up the pace, flying after his twin. He soared close to a bridge leading to the tower, where Simon was fighting a copy of Richter. Nearby, Marth was having trouble with a swift clone of a dark Young Link. Taking aim with his bow, Pit fired a shot at the smaller puppet and knocked it right off the bridge. Marth raised an arm, high-fiving the angel as he flew past.
"AUGH!" Dark Pit rammed Pit in the side, crashing through the stone walls of the castle. The two of them tumbled to the floor, the light angel groaning in pain.
Dark Pit sprinted up, kicking Pit away. He jumped into the air, readying his Electroshock Arm. Pit gasped, rolling away and hopping back to his feet. The Electroshock Arm smashed the ground, lighting it up in an electric current. Pit took flight, tackling Dark Pit through the same hole they made upon entry.
Now in the open air again, the two angels continued their aerial chase. They sped past the clock tower, where Pit could hear the blasts of firing cannons and otherworldly screeches and howls from the Phantoms. He pursued Dark Pit down below the tower, where Pac-Man and Wario battled an aggressive and swift-moving Wolf puppet. Pit braked to a stop near the building they originally entered, looking around for his target…
"HI-YAH!" Dark Pit tackled the angel again, sending them crashing through one of the second-floor windows. In a shower of glass, Dark Pit hit the floor and threw Pit to the wall. The dark angel landed, dashing up to his twin with haunting speed…
...and held both blades to Pit's throat.
"Where's your goddess now?!"
KERRASSH! Another figure, larger than either of the angels, burst through the middle window. A claw caught the unexpecting Dark Pit by surprise, swatting him to the ground. Ridley screeched and bit down on the angel's arm. Dark Pit grunted, stabbing Ridley near the neck. The Space Pirate leader backed off, giving Dark Pit the chance he needed to fly away. Both alien and angel pursued him into the night.
Ridley caught up to Dark Pit first, resulting in an aerial tussle. With his Electroshock Arm, Dark Pit plowed Ridley to the ground but left himself open for Pit to fly by with a quick slash from both blades. He looped around, his blades meeting Dark Pit's. The two angels pushed against each other, nearing the clock tower once again.
The clock's hands suddenly stopped moving, and Pit could hear metallic rumbling and explosions from inside. He threw Dark Pit aside, then charged full-force. The two angels collided again… and smashed right into the clock tower.
They tumbled to the ground, close to where another duel was taking place. Marth and Lucina stood side-by-side, facing a dark, twisted version of Robin. Dark Pit stood, wiping his mouth with an arm.
"Good. An extra reinforcement. That makes it two against two." the tactician spoke, his tome alight with dark energy.
"They're your problem!" Dark Pit shot back. "Mister Goody-Two-Shoes is mine!"
Pit launched towards his twin, who caught him in his arms. Both angels took to the air, flying through the tower and clashing wherever they could. Mega Man and Samus lent a hand by shooting at the dark angel, forcing him to both evade and deflect their shots… but leave him open to strikes from Pit. Pit slashed across Dark Pit's chest twice, and a solid kick with both feet ended up in the dark angel smashing against fallen cogs.
"Hey, guys! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Pit called. Lucina dove away from a purple fireball and Marth swung his sword against Robin's. The strategist drove his Levin Sword into the floor, creating an electrical current that sent both warriors leaping away. He quickly cast a bolt of violet lightning at Simon, striking him. Ryu and Ken caught him, setting him on his feet gently.
"Hope I didn't miss too much!"
Mega Man smiled. "Not at all… but you did miss the reflected cannonball completely destroying the inner workings of this tower and rendering the clock useless."
"The good news is that they opened up a new path for us!" Daisy chippered.
"GRRRRAH!" Dark Pit shot out from the gears, colliding with Pit in midair. Both angels grappled, breaking away and striking at each other with their blades. Pit broke his double's guard, slicing a quick flurry at Dark Pit while Marth and Lucina simultaneously thrust at Robin.
With both dark fighters weakened. Pit grabbed Dark Pit by the arms and flung him at Robin. Both of them collided into each other, the force great enough to knock the last bits of strength out of them. In two shrouds of blackness, two trophies stood in their place.
"Would you look at that!" Pit called, touching down near the warriors of the emblem and his wings' glow fading away. "Two birds with one stone!"
"Don't press your luck too far," Lucina told him while they approached the trophies. "According to what Simon says, the throne room is located in the next chamber." They both touched the bases at the same time, causing a bright light to flood the tower.
"Ugh… Lucina…?"
"Rgh… now what?"
Lucina helped Robin to his feet, whereas Dark Pit denied assistance and got himself up. The dark angel brushed his shoulder with a scoff. "Took you guys long enough."
"There were some complications," Samus told him. "We'll explain once we defeat Dracula."
Dark Pit raised a brow. "The vampire, huh? He doesn't sound so tough. I can take him."
"Dracula is not to be underestimated," Simon warned the dark angel.
"Agreed," Robin added. "From what I understand from you and Richter, he is a powerful being. We must take caution."
"Dracula awaits us in the next chamber. Onwards," Simon led the group across the staircase acting as a bridge, where a single puppet created in his likeness spotted them. Simon wrapped the Vampire Killer around its neck, flinging it off the staircase with ease.
"Are you all ready?" he asked, turning back to the group.
"Seriously? I'll handle that creep just as I handled Medusa!" Pit shouted.
Dark Pit just scoffed at his twin. "Whatever. Just be sure to stay out of my way."
"I've fought aliens. A vampire should be nothing." Samus answered. Ridley snarled behind her.
"I'm more used to fighting robots, but I won't back down from this!" Mega Man added.
Pac-Man gave a thumbs up and Wario sneered eagerly.
"We'll certainly do our best!" Peach called, Daisy pumping a fist by her side.
"Ken and I have faced many foes," Ryu said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We are with you."
"And with the might of all three of us," Marth finished, Lucina and Robin by his side. "We shall prevail!"
Simon nodded. "I share your enthusiasm, all of you. Now… let us proceed. We will rid Dharkon of his follower!" Simon turned, taking the steps two at a time. When he reached the top and strode inside… a voice cut through his ears. The voice of a figure bowing on a carpet before a throne located in front of a window.
"Master Dracula, your forces- save for myself- have all fallen. Even worse, all of our Phantoms that Lord Dharkon himself gifted us, have been vanquished by impossible means. What are your instructions?"
The figure on the throne remained silent for a moment, pondering. Simon rested a hand on the Vampire Killer…
"I suggest you tend to our new guests, Richter."
Simon froze at that name. The bowing figure rose to his feet in alarm, turning towards the Smashers. His eyes went to Simon. "You!"
"Richter…" Simon muttered. His own descendant, a member of the Belmont Clan, bending a knee to his sworn foe? Dharkon's evil truly knew no bounds!
"How did you destroy the Phantoms?! Lord Dharkon created them to be immune to your attacks, and placed me in command of them! How did you do it?!"
"Silver cannonballs, that's how," Pit answered smugly. "Got a problem with that?"
"Yeah, and isn't silver supposed to work on werewolves?" Dark Pit backed up. "Not ghosts?"
"Richter Belmont, this is outrageous!" Simon bellowed, taking a step forward. "You are a Belmont! Your duty is to protect humanity! To slay Count Dracula and his creatures of the night! Yet here you stand, groveling at his feet like a dog!"
"That is where you are wrong, Simon. I serve Lord Dharkon. And thus, I follow anyone who follows him. And since you've eliminated the castle's entire security… it falls down to me to finish you."
Simon scowled when Richter reached for his whip. "You do not deserve to wield that…"
"This is certainly bound to be interesting," Dracula commented, a smirk on his face. "Richter… eliminate him."
"It shall be done, Master."
Simon drew his own whip, cracking it against the ground. "So be it!" He sprinted across the carpet, throwing out his cross. Richter dropped low, sliding underneath the weapon and knocking his ancestor into the air with a jumping kick. Vaulting back up, he tossed an ax that Simon deflected with his whip.
The two Belmonts charged at each other, the chains of their whips clashing together. "THINK, Richter!" Simon shouted. "We are blood! Family! If you kill me, you kill yourself!"
"A worthy sacrifice in the name of Lord Dharkon!"
Richter shoved Simon back, snapping his whip across his ancestor's chest. He tossed a vial of purple holy water, blocking Simon's next advance with a wall of violet fire. Richter spun the whip through the flames, engulfing the head and striking Simon with it multiple times.
Simon swatted the whip away with his own, lashed it around Richter's neck, and stomped down. The force sent Richter slamming into the floor. Another yank pulled Richter towards Simon, where an elbow met his face, a knee rammed into his chest three times, and a strong kick knocked him away.
Richter spun the Vampire Killer around him rapidly, deflecting the ax and the cross sent his way. He cracked the whip at Simon, who caught the head in his chain and forcefully pulled Richter towards him. He struck an elbow in Richter's back, kneed him in the chin, and sent him into the air with an uppercut. He lashed out with his whip, wrapping it around Richter's throat…
With a shout, Simon yanked Richter to the floor. He crashed onto the wood, cracking some of the boards. Simon threw his own vial of holy water and flames quickly consumed Richter's form. A scream escaped his descendant's throat… and a dark shroud obscured him from view.
Simon ran up to the trophy, quickly tapping it on the base. He turned his eyes to the vampire, who had a displeased expression on his face. "Such a shame. I was rather enjoying that little familial squabble."
"Wh...what? Dracula!" Richter snapped to his senses, uncoiling his whip. Everyone else gathered around the Belmonts, staring down the vampire. "Your reign of darkness ends here!"
"My darkness is insignificant compared to the greater power," Dracula rose from his throne, vanished in a blink… and reappeared a distance away from them on the throne room's carpet. "Lord Dharkon's curtain of shadows will last for all eternity."
He threw his cape open, launching a series of fireballs at the group. Everybody split up to avoid the projectiles, rushing for Dracula. The Belmonts held back, striking at the fireballs and leaving nothing but trails of smoke in their wake.
Richter tossed an ax, which Dracula swatted aside. Richter snatched the weapon's handle with his whip, twirling in place and chucking it again. Dracula effortlessly sidestepped, the blade digging into the stone wall.
Pit struck left and his twin struck right, slashing across Dracula's body with their blades. Upon landing, they whirled to face their foe… but saw barely a scratch on the unamused vampire. Where their attacks landed, a misty cloud faded to reveal his untouched form.
"What the-OOF!" Pit was knocked aside by Dracula's hand, sending him spinning to the ground. A fist plowed into Dark Pit's chest, knocking him up. Another strong punch sent him smashing against the wall.
Lasers and solar pellets shot right through Dracula's chest from behind, prompting the vampire to turn. Behind him, Samus and Mega Man laid down fire, but their shots didn't even faze Dracula. The vampire cast more fireballs, the explosions blowing both of them away.
Next up were Marth, Lucina, and Robin. The swordsmen attacked Dracula and the tactician held back, his tome sparking with magical lightning. Dracula skillfully dodged each of the falchions' strikes, catching the blades between his fingers. He disarmed the warriors of their weapons… then bashed them aside with both fists.
"ARCFIRE!" Robin cried, meeting Dracula's next volley of fireballs with his own. The vampire rushed up with inhuman speed, snagging the magician by the throat and hoisting him into the air.
"Impressive magic… but sorcery will not be your savior."
"Elwind!" Robin shouted, blasting a stream of wind at Dracula. He doubled back, holding a hand close to his tome. The book sparked with yellow electricity…
"THORON!" A beam of yellow light shot out from his palm, heading right for the vampire…
...who deflected it with a wave of his hand. The beam punctured through the stone walls, leaving Robin filled with disbelief and horror. "Wh-what? That's impossible!"
Dracula blasted the tactician away with a dark fireball. "You cannot comprehend what is possible in Lord Dharkon's vision."
SLAM! Ridley collided with Dracula, pinning him against one of the throne room pillars. The alien screeched in his face, slashing across the vampire's face with both claws. Dracula flinched, teleported away, and reappeared behind Ridley. Seizing him by the tail, he spun Ridley around with immense strength and threw him right out the window behind Dracula's throne. Through the sound of shattering glass, Ridley's scream echoed into the night.
Ryu and Ken lunged at Dracula, combining their efforts to land solid blows. Dracula weaved away from their swings and kicks, even batting away a Hadoken like a fly. He snagged Ken's leg, flipping him into the air. While Ken crashed to the floor, Dracula grabbed Ryu's fist and socked him across the face, landing a lethal blow that sent the World Warrior reeling.
Pac-Man jumped in and attacked with his four ghosts. His punches barely hit their mark, and when they did, he hit only mist. The yellow hero grew awfully confused… and a black boot sent him tumbling across the floor.
Something bounced off of Dracula's head. He looked to his feet to see a turnip with a face lying on the carpet. It wasn't long after Peach and Daisy pelted the vampire with vegetables, to which Dracula hardly felt. He only let out a sigh.
"Pathetic. Why you two were inducted into this organization is beyond me."
"Yeah? Well, how about me?" Wario ran past the princesses, bit off a stem of garlic as if he had pulled the pin from a grenade, and chucked it at the vampire. The garlic hit Dracula in the head, taking him by surprise. And one whiff from the garlic was enough for him to stagger back in disgust.
A cross whacked Dracula in the back of his head. He spun to face the Belmonts, who were already moving against him. Simon caught his returning cross while Richter sprinted in. He lashed out with the whip, landing a critical strike to Dracula's head. The vampire snarled, vanishing in a swarm of bats. Pit and Mega Man fired at the bats, hoping to down one of them. The bats reformed to reveal Dracula, who unleashed a barrage of magical orbs. Pit and his twin threw up their orbitars, Samus rolled around in her Morph Ball state, and the street fighters nimbly dodged the orbs.
Dracula raised his arm, summoning flames on the ground. Some fighters made the mistake of drawing too near to them… and when Dracula cast his arm upward, they erupted like red-hot geysers. Cries rang out and bodies hit the floor, Richter's among them. He lost his grip on his whip, which sailed through the air…
...and into Simon's awaiting hand. He twirled both whips with elegance, glaring at the vampire. Dracula unleashed a storm of fireballs and magic, commanding them to fly right at the Belmont.
Simon became a living whirlwind of doom, spinning wildly with not one, but two Vampire Killers. The whips batted away the fireballs and cut through the magic orbs until they reached Dracula. Simon swung both whips across the vampire's only weak spot, the might of being struck with the unrelenting chain becoming too overpowering. Simon flung both whips up across Dracula's chin… then brought them both down with a cry. The heads smashed the top of Dracula's skull, making him collapse to one knee.
Richter raced up, retrieving his whip from Simon. "Impressive, great-great-grandfather. Aside from Trevor, I don't recall any Belmonts using a dual-wielding technique."
"Consider it to be a hidden talent, then."
Dracula's exhausted breaths slowly morphed into something else. "Heh heh heh heh…"
Richter narrowed his eyes. "Is something amusing, Lord of Darkness?"
Dracula sneered like the monster he was. "Hardly. You have not triumphed here… you have only sealed your fates."
He stood, spreading his arms wide. A purple mist enveloped the vampire, surrounding his form with corrupted light… a light that burst across the throne room. Everyone flinched, bringing an arm to their faces. When they reopened, the first thing they saw was a green, horned monster with wings under its arms.
GRROOOOOOAAAAAARRRR! It bellowed at the Smashers in a demonic howl, setting its bloodthirsty eyes on its victims...
SCREEEEEEEEE!
Ridley flew right through the shattered window, locking claws with the transformed Dracula. They smashed against the wall, locking eyes with each other. The other Smashers stepped back, watching the spectacle before them.
Dracula roared, shoving Ridley back and slashing him with wild claw strikes. Ridley bit down on Dracula's arm, making him roar in pain and bash him in the head. Ridley clawed Dracula's head, grabbing one of his horns and pulling forcefully.
Dracula picked Ridley up and threw him to the ground, pouncing on his form and sinking his teeth into Ridley. With another screech, Ridley blasted Dracula in the head with a fireball, beating his wings. No sooner than he took to the air did Dracula snag him by the legs and slam him to the ground. He threw Ridley into one of the statues, shattering it to bits. Another snarl came from Ridley's maw, the space dragon getting airborne again.
Dracula swiped at Ridley, only for the alien to land on his shoulders and bite down hard. Dracula roared, scraping at Ridley and stomping around wildly. He threw Ridley to the ground, the Space Pirate leader screeching and lunging right back at the monster. He knocked Dracula to the ground, slashing with his claws twice and stomping down on his chest.
Dracula shot Ridley in the head with a fireball, earning a howl from the alien. He tried flying away, only for Dracula to grab him by the tail and force him back. Screeches and roars rang out across the throne room as both beasts battled for supremacy. Claws, teeth, and the occasional fire blast hit their marks, yet they continued. Ridley tackled Dracula to the ground and raised a claw, another screech leaving his throat. Dracula kicked the alien away, charging right for him. Utilizing his wings to quickly fly around the monster, Ridley lashed out with his tail, stabbing at Dracula in the chest several times.
He snagged the appendage, biting into it and flinging Ridley into the wall. Ridley took to the air to avoid a strong punch, striking at Dracula from above with diving slashes. Roaring in anger, Dracula jumped onto Ridley and pinned his writhing form to the floor. Ridley squirmed and shrieked, fighting to break free. Dracula slammed a monstrous hand over the alien's head, drawing back his head and opening his malicious maw…
VROOM!
The monster spun, but too late. A yellow motorcycle slammed against its body, forcing it off Ridley. Dracula stood, roaring at the new disturbance. Nearby, Wario spun the bike around in a donut, making tire tracks on the carpet while laughing maniacally.
"WAHAHAHAHA! WARIO! WARIO! Wah, wah, wah!" He gunned the engine, driving right for the roaring beast. He popped a wheelie, exhaust pipes trailing smoke… but Dracula seized the vehicle in both claws, held it above his head…
...and threw the vehicle right at another wall. Wario was knocked from his seat, his bike smashing the stone and collapsing on one side. Wario was pinned underneath, causing him to pound the ground in frustration. "Darn it!"
The two angels and the street fighters lunged at Dharkon next. Pit and Dark Pit jumped onto the shoulders, slashing at Dracula's neck and jumping away from claw strikes. Ryu and Ken went for the legs, landing Tatsumaki Senpukyakus and hammering the massive limbs. Dracula roared, throwing both angels to the ground. He pounded the floor hard enough to create a shockwave. All four fighters were sent flying backward.
Dracula fired three spirits from his mouth that proceeded to chase Pac-Man and the princesses. He shot three fireballs at Marth, Lucina, and Robin, blowing them back against a pillar. He fired a huge electric wave at Mega Man and Samus, causing them both to take evasive action.
Pit flew in for a quick strike, but a claw swiped him out of the air. A fist plowed Dark Pit aside. Dracula leaped into the air and slammed down on Ryu and Ken, nearly crushing them beneath his feet. He caught a vial of holy water thrown by Richter, crushing it in his claw.
Even a strong overhead punch downed the swooping Ridley, who he proceeded to pick up and throw at another pillar. Ridley landed on his head, the pillar cracked from where he hit it.
Simon threw the Vampire Killer out, the head of the whip bashing Dracula in the eye. He swiped at Dracula's leg, making him buckle. He lunged for Simon, who cracked him across the face with the whip. Enraged, Dracula slammed his tail against Simon. The monster slayer slid to a stop, taking a moment to catch his breath.
Richter lashed out, jumping over a claw swipe and nailing swift long-range strikes to Dracula's transformed body. The monster staggered back, breathing heavily. It faced the crowd of Smashers again, letting out one more beastly roar.
Ridley answered with a terrifying screech of his own. He blasted a fireball at Dracula, who blocked it with his wing. He shot a fireball of his own back at the alien, which exploded against his head and made him fall to the floor.
Simon and Richter tossed out their crosses, both of them hitting each of Dracula's legs. The monster buckled, collapsing to his knees… and two whips struck him directly in the face.
Dracula roared and howled in pain, red explosions rocking his body. With a bloodlust-filled movement, he reached out to the Belmonts with a claw… and exploded in a loud blast. When the sound died down, nothing of him remained.
Ridley relaxed, looking over his injuries. Simon and Richter coiled their whips, placing them by their waists. "And so falls another servant of darkness…" spoke the younger Belmont.
"And another servant of Dharkon!" Pit added. "We're one step closer to victory!"
"Now that our business here is finished," Marth spoke. "I propose we return to the temple. And with any luck, the other teams are playing their part in finding the other guardians…"
(A/N: One more to go before big boss number two! I gotta say, having Ridley go up against Dracula's second form was absolutely genius, if I do say so myself. And Wario; I really don't give that guy enough credit. I just realized how hilarious he could be, so why didn't I do some stuff with him earlier?)
