A swirling portal flashed into existence. The third team popped out, placing their feet on the ground. Their eyes glanced over at the area… and went wide. Those who couldn't speak like Mario, Kirby, Yoshi, and the Kongs had their jaws dropped open in a breathtakingly long gasp. Everyone else was in complete bewilderment.

"What the…?"

"Holy squid…"

"I...Impossible…"

"Wh-what?!"

"This place…" gasped Rosalina. "It is… chaotic!"

"Chaotic" didn't even begin to describe it. Right before the Smashers' eyes, the land was twisted and in disarray. Chunks of land floated in an endless sky. Trees, a railroad track, triangles, lightning bolts, cherry blossom trees, a coliseum, street lights, a pirate ship, ripped-up chunks of checkerboard-like grass, torn roads, green pipes were scattered everywhere… and high in the sky, even clouds weren't safe from a slowly-rotating vortex.

"What… What is this place?!" stammered Falco. "It's seriously messed up!"

"Everything is… wrong," stuttered Lucario. "There is decay and disorder all around."

"Is this… the edge of the universe or something?" asked the orange Inkling. Diddy Kong chewed on his teeth nervously. Donkey Kong swallowed a huge gulp. Mario and Kirby looked all around them, doing complete three-sixty degree turns. Fox and Captain Falcon were filled with unease. Yoshi made a worried noise and Rosalina couldn't take her eyes off the scene before her, with Luma cowering behind her dress. King Dedede clutched his hammer tight and Ness adjusted his hat.

"Uh, call me crazy…" Cappy spoke up. "But why do I have a hunch that the guardian we're looking for is in that…" his voice slowly dropped to a meekly whisper. "... big… dark… swirling… deeply-dangerous… inescapable-looking… vortex?"

The blue Inkling shuddered with fear, taking a step back. "W-w-w-we're going in th-th-th-THERE?!" Yoshi darted behind Donkey Kong, shivering like a coward.

"Where else can we go?" Captain Falcon asked hopelessly. "This place is a disaster."

The Inkling moaned like a busted child. "Okay…" Ness patted him on the shoulder encouragingly.

"Well… let's move," Fox said. Mario and Kirby took the lead, walking toward the crossroad of the "X" dug into the rock they were currently atop. Seeing both the ahead and left paths led to dead ends, they turned to the right…

POOF! Twelve tiny Jigglypuff puppets appeared out of nowhere with scowling faces!

Mario and Kirby jumped back, throwing up their hands. More sounds came from the other two paths, leaving behind tiny squads of Pichu and Donkey Kong. "Great!" groaned Falco. "Not even ten steps and we already get pounced on!"

The Inklings raised their weapons and Yoshi held an egg in his palm. Rosalina readied her wand, Fox and Falco drew their blasters, Lucario lit his palms up in blue flame, Captain Falcon cracked his knuckles, Donkey Kong adjusted his tie, and Diddy Kong stood up on the ape's shoulder, assuming a playful fighter's stance with a kung-fu hoot. Ness lit up his fingers with PK energy and Dedede readied his hammer.

But none of the small copies made a move to attack. Neither of them even moved an inch. The orange Inkling lowered her Splattershot and her eyes flooded with confusion. "Um… what's going on?"

"Why aren't they attacking?" asked Ness, the sparkles on his fingertips dimming out.

One of the tiny Donkey Kongs held out a palm, conjuring a spirit. A Pichu puppet summoned another spirit atop its head, and a Jigglypuff clone summoned a third right before its feet. Streams of light flew into view, weaving together to form a series of words.

Who among these spirits can float in the air?

The Smashers stared at the question. "What is this supposed to be?" Dedede asked. "A riddle?"

"Well… this is a first," said the blue Inkling. "I think we have to attack the right target to move forward."

"Who among these spirits can float in the air?" Fox repeated. "Can you guys get a closer look at them?"

Yoshi held a hand above his eyes, squinting at the spirit before the Donkey Kong squad: a purple Pikmin.

"Pikmin?" Lucario spoke up. "That's Olimar's specialty. But… I can't see anything on it that could enable aerial traversal."

Donkey Kong looked to the Pichu puppets. The spirit in front of them was a yellow Pikmin. He turned to the others, shaking his head.

Mario and Kirby looked to the Jigglypuff clones. The spirit near them was a pink Pikmin… with tiny wings on its back.

Kirby lit up in happiness, pointing to the Jigglypuffs. Nodding, Mario conjured a fireball, lobbing it at the tiny team. The projectile struck the lead one, prompting the other to charge. Kirby dashed in to greet them with fast kicks and pummels. Mario booted one away like a shell, waving goodbye to it.

The puppets were great in number… but small and frail. The two fighters bested them with ease. The streams of light forming the question disassembled, streaking over to form a bridge of light leading to a piece of road.

Mario and Kirby turned back. The rest of the Smashers were finishing up with the other puppets. Donkey Kong flicked one tiny copy of himself away with a finger, a smile on his face. "I think I'm gonna like this method…" spoke the orange Inkling.

The fighters traveled across the light bridge, their feet touching down on a concrete road. The road led them past houses, where a Ryu puppet struck at them from the roof. Captain Falcon met it in combat, dodging a Focus Punch and returning the favor with a Falcon Punch. The puppet was sent sailing and it burst into nonexistence.

The road gave way to a stone path, which led the Smashers into a forest. At the edge of the trees, two puppets of Fox and Mario stared at the approaching fighters… but made no move against them. As before, wisps of light streaked through the air, joining together to form more words.

Which spirit usually sells furniture?

The puppets conjured spirits in the palms of their hands. In the Mario puppet's palm was the soul of a mustached man with an apron. With the Fox puppet was the soul of a fox creature hailing from the Villager's world.

"Furniture?" repeated the orange Inkling, bringing a hand to her chin. "I gotta be honest, I… I got nothing."

"Hold on," said Fox, glancing at the puppets warily. "Any of you guys remember when Isabelle gave us the who's-who of the town she and the Villager live in?"

"Kind of?" Ness replied with a hint of uncertainty.

"And if I'm right, she clearly said that this guy named Redd…" Fox quickly drew his blaster, firing at the copy of himself. The caught-off-guard clone staggered back, falling to the ground. Above them, the strands of light disassembled and flew past the trees. Mario attacked his doppelganger, throwing it against a tree. A quick barrage of fireballs caused it to explode.

Fox twirled his blaster and holstered it. "Ha! I get a gold star for that one! Let's keep moving!"

This light bridge led over a humongous leafless tree that unnaturally curved. Kirby looked down at the trunk, noticing bits of ladders and concrete scattered on the wood. The light ended at another piece of road, where another strange sight awaited the Smashers. They split up to examine the oddity.

"What's this place?" Falco asked. "A junkyard?"

The blue Inkling got a closer look at one of the appliances. "Not just any junkyard. This shredder is as big as a house!" Nearby, Donkey Kong tapped his knuckles on a huge refrigerator and Diddy Kong pried open a freezer door. Kirby looked at a bent antenna and Lucario approached a huge radio. Falco lifted up a long ribbon of paper and Mario looked over at a pile of scrap metal. Among the many appliances he saw in there, something stuck out. Curious, the hero looked at what appeared to be a black rectangle with obsidian orbs.

"Hmm…"

Mario knocked on the rectangle… and the black orbs exploded with purple light.

"Huh?!"

Laser beams shot out from the orbs and struck Mario point-blank. The plumber slid across the ground, alerting Kirby and Lucario to his presence. The two of them jumped in front of the plumber and Kirby turned to check on Mario. He rose to his feet, brushed himself off, and gave the puffball a thumbs-up.

The rectangle rose from the junk pile, scattering appliances in its wake. A black mechanical body emerged from the scrap, housing two extending arms and a hexagonal base. Its purple optics glanced to each of the Smashers.

"TARGETS IDENTIFIED," it spoke in a heavy robotic tone. "THREAT LEVEL: HIGH. OBJECTIVE: DESTROY ALL TARGETS."

"R.O.B.?" Dedede asked. "What happened to you?"

"THIS UNIT HAS BEEN UPGRADED BY LORD DHARKON. ENGAGING TERMINATION PROTOCOLS."

R.O.B.'s optics lit up with violet light… and purple lasers spat out. Ness jumped in front, absorbing the shots with a PSI Magnet. "Sorry, Dedede! Looks like Dharkon's taken the 'buddy' out of the Robotic Operating Buddy!"

"Completely reprogrammed, huh?" Fox summarized. "Time for some maintenance, then!" He and Falco drew their blasters, opening fire on the robot. R.O.B. retaliated with another volley of lasers, slowly advancing towards the Smashers. The lasers of the StarFox duo smacked his metallic exterior, but did little to faze him. The robot's lasers struck Fox and Falco in the chests, downing them with grunts.

"HULL DAMAGE: MINIMAL."

"PK FIRE!" Ness shot out a lightning bolt that detonated on contact… but R.O.B. rolled through the flames like they were nothing. "N-no way!"

"So what?!" called Dedede. "You're laser-proof, you're fireproof… but are you hammer-proof?!" The king of Dream Land charged, swinging his weapon down on the robot's head. A few more swings managed to bash the robot back, and his last hit swiveled the head completely backward. Dedede grinned in triumph…

...but the robot's head swiveled right back into place.

"ENEMY EFFORTS: INSUFFICIENT."

He zapped Dedede on the spot, moving forward towards the rest of the Smashers. Kirby, Lucario, Ness, and Mario all charged for the robot, who detected their movements.

"DEPLOY GYROS. LOCKING ONTO TARGETS."

A compartment in R.O.B.'s base opened, launching several spinning tops at high speed. The group took evasive action to avoid getting sliced by their razor-sharp edges. The gyros turned in midair, homing in on the Smashers like heat-seeking missiles. One of them buzzed against Donkey Kong's fur and a fireball from Mario blew one to scrap. Ness blasted one away with a PK burst, sending it into a junk pile.

Mario, Ness, Lucario, and Kirby surrounded R.O.B. from all sides, making the robot pause in his tracks. The robot's reply was a full three-sixty rotation of his head, blasting the Smashers with lasers.

He made a sudden beeping noise as if hearing something. "WARNING. INCOMING PROJECT-"

SMASH! A stereo that was just as large as himself crashed into R.O.B., knocking him off his base. Donkey Kong brushed his hands, grinning in pleasure. Mario jumped high, ready to pound down on the robot…

"ACTIVATE ROBO BURNERS."

R.O.B. shot off with a roar, his base's rocket thrusters at full power. He flew into the sky like a missile, swooping back down to rain laser fire from above. Diddy, Fox, and Falco returned fire. The peanuts and lasers missed with only a few lucky hits that didn't even faze the robot.

"Kirby!" called Dedede. "Let's bring him down!"

"Poyo!"

The two opened their mouths as wide as they could and sucked in, creating a huge whirlwind from both of their inhales that caught the flying robot in his path. R.O.B. turned back, his optics spotting the inhaling Kirby and Dedede.

"EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY. DIVERT ALL POWER TO BOOSTERS."

The Robo Burners roared and pushed themselves to their limits. Kirby and Dedede inhaled deeper, intensifying the whirlwind's hold on the robot and beginning to draw him in. R.O.B. swiveled his head around, identified weak points on the duo…

...and fired two laser shots. The bolts struck Kirby right between the eyes and Dedede on the shoulder, forcing them to stop their inhaling with cries of pain. Now free from the vortex, R.O.B. rocketed off into the sky.

"Leave this to me!" Lucario called, breaking into a sprint. He ran towards a junk pile, leaping onto appliance after appliance like a ninja. He reached the top, watching the approaching robot rain lasers on Ness's PSI Magnet. The boy struggled to maintain his defense, meaning Lucario had to make his move now.

"RAAH!" Lucario punched on top of R.O.B., disrupting his flight path. The Pokémon struck wildly at the robot's head, holding on tight to the chassis when R.O.B. spun himself around. R.O.B. positioned himself on top of Lucario, charging up his optics.

The resulting heavy blast knocked Lucario to the ground and kicked up dirt. He continued to fly, blasting at the Smashers from above.

Diddy Kong took a turn with his rocketbarrel pack, flying toward the robot with popguns shooting. R.O.B. turned his attention to the incoming threat, landing a laser right at the monkey's rocketbarrel. Diddy screeched when he dropped down, but Donkey Kong jumped up to catch his little pal. Yoshi threw eggs at the robot, but all of them missed.

"How are we supposed to get him down now?" shouted Falco. Mario and the Inklings shot fireballs and colored ink at the robot, all of their attacks missing badly. "Isn't he supposed to run out of fuel soon?"

"It's not like we can wait for him to land!" Fox shouted back.

"I believe I have a solution!" called Rosalina. She waved her wand around her body in an elegant manner. From the nearby piles of metal, appliances like microwaves and shredders flew out from their spots and floated close to her like rings around a planet. Turning her eyes to the flying robot, Rosalina gestured with her wand, launching a printer at R.O.B.

The object shot past R.O.B., alerting him to this new threat. "EVASIVE ACTION INITIATED." Rosalina launched more metallic appliances at the robot, who bobbed and weaved around each one until a microwave smashed into his form.

"Score!" called the orange Inkling with a pumped fist. Yoshi cheered happily. R.O.B.'s boosters flickered out and he crashed to the ground, using the last of his fuel to right himself.

Donkey Kong tore the door off a refrigerator, hurling at the robot. That, too, slammed into R.O.B. and shoved him back, his chassis beginning to spark.

"WARNING. CRITICAL DAMAGE SUSTAINED."

The blue Inkling tossed out a Splat Bomb… which blew into blue ink when R.O.B. zapped it into oblivion. His optics glowed brighter, locking onto the Smashers.

"RECALCULATING. RECALCULATING. OBJECTIVE: DESTROY SUPER SMASH BROTHERS. ODDS OF SUCCESS: FORTY-SIX PERCENT. DEFEAT: UNACCEPTABLE. REINFORCEMENTS ON THIS UNIT'S POSITION REQUESTED."

Ness dropped his stance. "Reinforcements?"

Five Pac-Man puppets burst out from metallic heaps, grabbing onto the startled Yoshi, Ness, Lucario, Fox, and Mario. While the Smashers turned their attention to the puppets, Diddy charged at R.O.B. and scrambled atop his head. The chimp wailed at the head and pulled, attempting to wrench it off.

The robot spun in place, throwing the monkey off. Enraged, Donkey Kong charged at the robot, swatting aside a fake Pac-Man in the process. R.O.B. detected the incoming threat, calculated the amount of force from the imminent charge…

...and blasted a huge laser right at the ape. DK threw up his arms to block, his fur burning up from the laser. Fox, Falco, and the Inklings opened fire, their lasers and ink hitting the robot. Its giant laser died down… and its movements slowed.

"WARNING. P-POWER LEVELS D-DROPPING. SYS-SYSTEM MALFUNCTION D-DE-DETECTED. OBJECTIVE. MUST BE. C-COMPLETED. TARGETS. MUST B-B-BE D-DESTROYED."

Ness ran to the front of the pack. "PK THUNDER!" he called, directing ball lightning at the robot. The electrical orb connected the robot, causing a systems-wide short circuit. R.O.B. twitched uncontrollably and his optics shorted out.

"ERROR. E-ER-ER-ERROR. SYSTEM ERROR. SYSTEM ERRRRRRRRRRRR… "

BEYOOOP…

R.O.B.'s head drooped, his optics went dark… and a dark cloud washed over him. It vanished quickly, revealing a trophy in its place. Fox and Mario walked up just as everyone else was dealing with the last of the puppets, and the ace pilot placed a hand on the trophy.

R.O.B. stood silent and deactivated before the group, back in his standard white colors. "Hey, R.O.B.?" Fox asked, tapping him on the head. "You okay, buddy?"

The robot's optics flashed blue. "System reboot complete," he beeped. "Scanning… current whereabouts unknown."

"We're in a pretty messed-up place right now. We could use your help to get through it."

R.O.B. beeped happily. "Affirmative. I am happy to see you safe, Fox McCloud. And the rest of you." Mario gave the robot a thumbs-up.

"This place is a dead end," Ness noted. "We should head back to that crossroad by the forest." At the boy's words, the group retreated to the light bridge. They passed through the small forest and took the following path to two giant rocks… where more puppet fighters and another question awaited them.

Flanked by clones of Mario and Luigi, a Pac-Man puppet held a spirit in its palm. An Isabelle clone far to the left had another in its hand, and in the center, a Jigglypuff puppet held the third spirit with a Daisy puppet behind it.

"Which spirit is a Nopon?" Falco read. "Okay, I have a question of my own… what IS a Nopon?"

"A small, furry creature hailing from Shulk's world," answered R.O.B. "His trusted friend Riki is one of them."

"So, we gotta find something that looks like Riki, huh?" asked Ness. "What do we have?" Mario and Kirby looked at the puppets to the left and right… and shook their heads. Each of those spirits was someone they were familiar with: Starlow and Nago.

"Process of elimination comes through!" shouted the orange Inkling. She and Yoshi lobbed an egg and a Splat Bomb at the Jigglypuff and Daisy puppets, both projectiles exploding on contact. The two Smashers sprinted for the puppets while the remainder engaged the rest. The Inkling sprayed the fake princess with a barrage of Splattershot fire and Yoshi head-butted the Jigglypuff, chasing after it with an egg roll.

The puppets fell in moments and the path became clearer. Another passage of light formed, granting access to some large sewage pipes. The team crossed over and up onto a walkway, moving to another stretch of road.

The road led to a square-like roundabout… with absolutely nothing else. The road was suspended in the air like a bridge. And at different parts of the road were more puppet fighters. Streaks of light chained together to form another question.

Which spirit is the King of Twilight?

Copies of Ganondorf, Corrin, and three Robins- two of them together- stared at the Smashers coldly with spirits in their palms. "King of Twilight…" muttered Ness. "That's something Link would know, right?"

"R.O.B.?" asked Falco. "A little help here?"

"Accessing… the King of Twilight is a title bestowed upon the figure known as Zant."

"Zant?" Captain Falcon repeated. "I think I caught a glimpse of that guy in the Archives. Doesn't he look something like…" he looked at the spirit in the lone Robin puppet's hand. "Gotcha!"

He bolted for the puppet, the others charging for the rest of the group. The Robin puppet clenched its fist, diminishing the spirit into its body and taking out its tome. It thrust its sword at the captain, who spun around to deliver an elbow strike to the back of the puppet's head. An uppercut sent the puppet into the air. Captain Falcon used Falcon Dive to chase after it and leap away with an explosion. Using Raptor Boost to close the gap, he lit up the puppet with flame before…

"FALCON PUNCH!"

The puppet was blown away by the full power of the punch, sailing into the infinite abyss below. The spirit of Zant flew free, causing the words to drift apart into streams of bright color.

Mario punched the Ganondorf puppet away with a fiery uppercut, finishing it with a jumping stomp. The rest of the puppets were swiftly mopped up, leaving nothing but the awaiting path ahead. This light bridge took the Smashers past the cherry blossom tree and onto a straight path. Off to the right of the trail was a huge top part of a skyscraper, separated from its absent bottom half and floating aimlessly.

"The further we go into this place, the weirder it becomes," commented Ness.

"You can say that again," said Dedede.

The orange Inkling moved down the path, her eyes glancing at anything (and everything) out of the ordinary. For a brief second, she felt a wind blow through her tentacles behind her…

...and felt something strong grab her weapon!

"Hey! What the-?!" Her Splattershot yanked to the side, the trigger was pulled by itself, and orange splotches hit the wide-eyed blue Inkling in the face. With a groan, he collapsed. Before the orange Inking could utter a word of apology, something walloped her in the stomach and knocked the air out of her. Suddenly, she felt herself flipping through the air and landing on her chest.

"Orange! Blue! Are you o-GAH!" Ness was sent sprawling by an unseen force. Dedede shook violently as if something was striking at him rapidly. He fell limp as Donkey Kong was struck swiftly and precisely. Diddy bounded off, striking a kung-fu pose...

His tail was yanked into the air and slid underneath him, sending the chimp slipping as if he had stepped on a banana peel. He landed on his back with a groan. Yoshi looked around wildly, fists curled in preparation. His face jolted backward, he yelped and held his foot, and his other leg was taken out from beneath him. He hit the ground hard with a pained whimper.

"What's going-OW!" Captain Falcon was hit in the face with his own fist. Rosalina was thrown aside into a rock. Something seized Fox and Falco's arms, flipping them to the ground as they shouted in surprise. Mario and Kirby stood back-to-back, keeping a watchful eye out…

"Alert," reported R.O.B. "I am detecting move-" Before he could finish, something lifted him up and threw him to the ground. "Damage sustained," he beeped.

Mario's fist punched Kirby in the face, earning a surprised gasp from the plumber. The same fist bopped him in the nose, his whole body flipped around when his legs were knocked aside, and an invisible force knocked him into another rock.

Lucario stood in silence, eyes closed and his body completely vulnerable. He took a deep breath, focusing on his inner Aura. He sensed the life forces of his allies- save for R.O.B., being a machine- and expanded his search for another.

His Aura flared up, telling him something- a life form- was approaching fast… and from behind. With great speed, Lucario spun around…

...and caught the invisible attacker by the neck. It let itself be known to the eye, revealing a humanoid frog-like shape with a long tongue for a scarf.

Lucario narrowed his eyes. "You…"

Greninja conjured a blade of purple water, slicing it at Lucario's face. The Pokémon shouted, staggering back and shaking his head. He threw up his hands in a fighting stance, flashing open his eyes…

...and saw nothing but the fallen figures of his friends.

Lucario kept quiet, closing his eyes again. He tapped into his Aura, keeping himself calm. He focused, seeing with the Aura and not his eyes…

Greninja reappeared into view, a blade of water about to stab Lucario in the eye. Without even opening them, Lucario landed a solid punch to the other Pokémon's head. It sidestepped away, struck a ninja pose… and vanished again.

Lucario lowered his stance, turning his attention back to the Aura. He tried to find Greninja's life signs as best as he could… but the enemy was nimble and mobile. It would be difficult, but not impossible.

Lucario turned to the left and raised his arms. Greninja came into view a millisecond later, another blade of water positioned to strike at Lucario's head. Lucario moved an arm to block, punching Greninja in the chest. His next swing hit nothing but air, as the Water-type Pokémon had disappeared again.

Lucario huffed in frustration. He took two steps back, harnessing his inner Aura once again. But this time, the Aura wasn't the only thing that assisted him. Lucario noticed the movement of a tiny pebble as something unseen moved past.

Greninja hissed upon revealing itself, moving to strike Lucario again. The Fighting-type Pokémon countered the blow, socking Greninja in the side and across the face. A kick to the chest forced it back. Greninja made a noise of frustration, obscuring itself from view.

Lucario was disappointed if he had to be honest. If hit-and-runs were all Greninja had in mind, then Dharkon's added technique would lead to its downfall. He closed his eyes one more time, focusing his mind and letting the Aura see for him. As before, his Aura detected a life force swiftly approaching from behind.

Lucario acted on instinct, allowing his body to take control instead of his mind. His fist plowed into Greninja's face, the water blade in his hand vanishing. Seizing Greninja by the shoulders, Lucario threw him over with a yell. Greninja bounded up, striking a ninja pose. Thankfully, it didn't try to vanish again.

And while it didn't speak, Lucario knew it was asking something via the look in its eyes: how?

"As spoken by Bea of the Galar region," said Lucario. "Even if you can't see your opponent, you can still sense their presence with your mind's eye. Your invisibility could hide you from sight… but it could not hide you from the Aura."

He got into a fighting stance. "I grow tired of your game. Come and face me in a true Pokémon battle!"

Greninja made a sound, sprinting at Lucario at full speed. It vaulted into the air, coming down on Lucario with swift strikes. Lucario deflected and parried each attack, landing a palm on Greninja's head. He flipped away, kicking Lucario in the chin as he did so. Greninja conjured a Water Shuriken, increasing it in size before throwing it at Lucario.

The other Pokémon countered, blasting an Aura Sphere at the projectile. Both of them collided in a blue blast, smoke and steam rising into the air. Narrowing his eyes, Greninja conjured two water blades and held them like katanas.

Lucario's only reply came in the form of his own conjured weapon: his Aura bone staff. Greninja lashed his hands to the sides, sprinting at Lucario again. Lucario matched this pace, running towards Greninja.

They clashed together, vaulting away. Greninja leaped and slashed at Lucario, who skillfully blocked and deflected the water blades. Twirling his staff, he whacked Greninja with it numerous times, swept out his legs, then kicked him back. Greninja bounded up, its water blades gone. Lucario spun his staff expertly and posed with it, giving Greninja a taunting glare.

Greninja shot out multiple Water Shurikens, which Lucario deflected and batted away with ease. He pounced at Greninja, thrusting his staff downward at him… but he only hit a log instead, the object shattering to splinters.

Greninja swiftly kicked Lucario in the back, making him skid along the rocks and slide to a halt. Greninja was in the air the next thing Lucario knew, two water blades poised to slice his throat. Lucario simply closed his eyes, and his form vanished in a blue flash, Greninja slashed on empty air, a look of confusion on his face.

In another flash, Lucario reappeared to the side. He thrust out both palms, blasting Greninja with a powerful Aura strike. The Water-type Pokémon shot away, slamming against a large rock. He shook his head, starting to stand up…

In a final blue flash, Lucario was right in front of him. A spinning kick sent Greninja sprawling to the ground. Lucario shot into the air, a hand alight with blue fire…

"RAAH!" He crashed down onto Greninja with a blue explosion, a shockwave traveling out. Lucario stepped back, hearing the moans of his allies assuring him of their safety. Through the smoke, a trophy of Greninja rested where the Pokémon once was.

"What happened?" groaned the orange Inkling. "The last thing I remember, something attacked. Something… that I couldn't see."

Lucario touched the base of the trophy, allowing light to shine on the path. Greninja laid down, moving slightly from its unconscious state. Suddenly, his eyes shot open.

"NINJA!" he cried, springing into the air and landing on his feet. Everyone else gathered themselves from their knockouts, Greninja's eyes turning to each of them. Lucario placed his hands together… and bowed gracefully. Greninja copied his movements, bowing in return.

"Dharkon made Greninja's invisibility last longer than usual," Lucario explained. "Suitable for a Pokémon such as himself."

"Nice going, Lucario," Captain Falcon congratulated. "But we're not out of this yet." He broke into a run, prompting the other Smashers to follow. The pro racer took a left turn, continuing down the path until it formed a "W" shape. At each end of the road, puppets of Ganondorf, a golden Mii Brawler, and a duo of Snake and Zero Suit Samus awaited them. Each of them held a spirit in their palms… and another question loomed above them.

Which among these spirits is a scientist?

"Hmm…" Falco took a closer look at each of the spirits until one of them caught his eye. "Hey! Fox! Is that-"

Fox turned to the Ganondorf puppet… and he immediately recognized the spirit held within the puppet fighter. "Andross!"

"He was a scientist before he was banished!" Both pilots drew their blasters and advanced, firing on the puppet. The puppet swung a greatsword, which Falco slid underneath and blasted it in the face. Fox landed a jumping kick before ducking a punch and shooting twice point-blank. Both pilots doubled their efforts, downing the puppet in no time.

Lucario and Greninja finished off the fake Mii while the Inklings defeated the Zero Suit Samus puppet. Diddy Kong shot a peanut right into the barrel of the Snake puppet's rocket launcher, causing the weapon to jam and explode in its face. The words above weaved away, creating another bridge. Fox and Falco journeyed across, leaving everyone else to hang back and recover.

The two pilots touched down on a plane. It was tilted on its side, a wing covered in vines. Both the nose and tail also had foliage, making it resemble a jungle wreck. The other wing was lodged in some rock as if it was support for a statue.

"What do you think's here?" Falco asked. Fox opened his mouth to reply… and his ears perked up. The sound of an engine was heard: the sound of an approaching craft.

"Down!" cried Fox. Immediately after he spoke, red lasers smacked into the plane's surface. The paint was scarred with black marks and windows were shattered. The small craft zoomed overhead, looping into the sky. It moved into an upside-down position and its canopy burst open, allowing its pilot to freefall down.

"Let's take him out!" Falco cried, pointing his blaster at the figure. The pilot was faster, shooting the weapon out of Falco's hand with a single blast. Twirling in the air, he slammed down onto the plane with a thud and stood.

"Can't let you do that, Star Fox."

Fox narrowed his eyes. He knew that line- and that voice- all too well. "Wolf."

"The apex predator has arrived on the scene. And two intruders in his territory? Hmph. Time to be rid of them." Wolf growled loudly, flashing his claws. Fox put up his fists and Falco spread his wings, both of them charging at their rival.

Wolf sprinted right for them and jumped high, nailing them both with a split kick. Falco bounded back up, lashing at Wolf with spinning wing slices. Wolf backflipped away, landing a strong kick to Falco's head. Wolf twirled, following up with two somersault kicks. A palm strike knocked Falco back.

Fox attacked from behind, his fist meeting Wolf's claw. Wolf scratched him across the face, cutting some fur off. A flip-kick knocked Fox airborne, leaving him vulnerable to a predator-style pounce. The two rolled to the ground and Wolf launched Fox off with his feet.

Both of them were back on their feet in no time. Falco came from behind, slipping past an uppercut and landing two jumping kicks to Wolf's head. Wolf snagged his ankle, slamming him to the ground. "Didn't you always say you were more comfortable in the air, Lombardi?"

He threw Falco skyward with a yell. Twirling, Falco pulled out his blaster and fired at Wolf. While the shots grazed him, Wolf somersaulted away like an acrobat. Falco touched down gracefully. "Yeah. But that doesn't necessarily mean I have to be in a cockpit!"

Falco rushed up again, trading blows with Wolf. "And speaking of, remember our little dances up in space? We shot you down so many times, I think I lost count!"

Wolf seized Falco by the beak, threw him to the ground, and readied a claw. "The battles between the Arwings and Wolfens were always in your favor, Star Fox. But down here, I will be victorious!"

Fox sprinted in with a kick to Wolf's side. A two-fisted punch drove the pilot back, allowing a hand to reach for his blaster. The two strafed around each other, firing off laser blasts that narrowly missed. Wolf aimed low, striking at Fox's leg. With a grunt, the pilot collapsed.

Wolf spun around and blasted Falco point-blank, paralyzing him with violet electricity. Wolf growled and drop-kicked Falco away. Falco opened fire again, with Wolf's reply being a series of acrobatic flips. A shot from his own blaster forced Falco to step aside. Fox ran back in, punching Wolf from behind. Wolf spun with another claw slash, then brought both hands down. Fox caught him by the wrists, leaving the pointed weapons dangerously close to his face. He gritted his teeth while Wolf did the same.

"You'll be seeing your dad soon, Fox!"

"Yeah, you just keep saying that!"

Fox dropped to his back, shoving Wolf behind him with both legs. Wolf hit the surface of the plane, his claws digging into the metal and creating gashes. Snarling he stood back up, scraped a hand against the wing, and flashed his claws.

"Give it up already!" Falco called. "You're all alone! No Pigma, no Leon, no Oikonny… you're outmatched, two to one!"

Wolf growled. "Not for long… AWOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The loud howl racked both of the pilots' ears, making them flinch. Falco staggered back towards the tail… where two puppets of himself and Fox ambushed him from behind!

Falco batted away his doppelganger, shooting at the Fox one to keep it at bay. Fox whirled around, a hand reaching for his blaster. "Falco! Hang-agh!"

Wolf snagged his leg and threw him away. Fox landed hard on the plane, a loud bang indicating his impact. "You and I, Fox McCloud… have unfinished business." his claws glinted menacingly and he struck a ferocious pose.

Fox stood and wiped his mouth. "Come on!"

Wolf charged, landing three aerial kicks to Fox's blocking arms. Fox socked him in the gut, landing a hook to Wolf's face and weaving away from the wild slashes. Wolf straight-up tackled Fox, making the two scuffle around the plane until Fox kicked Wolf away.

His rival spun in the air, landing perfectly on his feet. Fox landed a somersault kick of his own, knocking Wolf to the plane's surface. Wolf landed on his hands, bounding back up immediately. He lashed at Fox with savage claw strikes, fighting just as ferociously as he did in space. He broke Fox's guard, locked his ankles around his neck, and spun, taking Fox to the ground with him. Wolf flipped back, a growl escaping his mouth. Another snarl came from him as he sprinted back in, twirling in the air for a finishing blow.

Fox rolled, his rival's claws puncturing metal instead of his head. He kicked Wolf in the side of his head, staggering him. Wolf struck back, taking out Fox's legs from under him. The pilot rolled from the downward slash, drawing his blaster and shooting at Wolf. His rival snarled from the shots, sprinting up and kicking the weapon away.

Back on his feet again, Fox blocked claw strikes and landed some punches on Wolf. A high kick knocked Wolf back, who sprang back up with an animalistic growl and claws extended. Fox dodged another tackle, snatching his blaster back up and tucking it away. Wolf charged again, swiping furiously at Fox. While some of his blows landed, Fox punched and kicked him into the plane's wing. Wolf gritted his teeth, using his claws to climb up to the top. Peering down at Fox, he let out a savage howl. He leaped into the air, diving at Fox…

...who pulled the trigger at quickdraw speed. Wolf cried out, falling to the ground limply.

"N...no…"

Wolf exhaled and collapsed. A shroud of darkness clouded him from view. Nearby, Falco brushed his shoulder with a relieved sigh. "He was right. Two against one didn't seem fair at all."

"Dharkon made him more savage," Fox noted. "Intentions to rip us to shreds."

"And quick. Did you see how he dodged my shots? He kept pace with both of us without even breaking a sweat!"

Fox touched the base of Wolf's trophy. Light shone brightly… and a dazed moan cut through. Wolf lowered a claw from his head and opened his eyes. Once he spotted the two Star Fox pilots, he sighed in embarrassment.

"Do not speak a word of this to anyone," he muttered, climbing to his feet. "I'll never let it down."

"You're welcome," came Falco's reply. Wolf looked at his surroundings, the sight of everything so out of place quickly came to him. "Grr… I need to get out of here. Wherever here is." He made his way to the light bridge, followed by Fox and Falco. The trio joined up with the other waiting Smashers, with Mario gesturing for everyone to follow him. He led them down the stone road from earlier, which changed into a wooden catwalk-like pathway.

At a t-intersection, Donkey Kong smashed a Fox puppet and bashed it aside. Mario, Captain Falcon, Yoshi, Ness, and Kirby chased after more puppets copying the Villager, R.O.B., and the female Corrin. They fought on a white path consisting of solid flower petals. Mario kicked the Villager puppet off, Yoshi and Ness finished the fake robot, and Kirby slammed down on the Corrin puppet in his stone form. He popped back to normal, watching three spirits rise into the air.

At the end of the petals, a figure in black armor readied a sword with smaller blades. "Tch. Never trust a fake to do the job of a real warrior."

Mario paused, recognizing the figure. Straightening his hat, he clenched his fists with Yoshi alongside him. "I am surprised your minds haven't snapped from the state of this realm. Lord Dharkon created it to specifically appear unstable and chaotic. But I suppose if your minds won't shatter… your bodies will."

Corrin readied his blade, the weapon alight with purple electricity. He broke into a run, throwing an electric arc at the Smashers. Mario slid underneath while Kirby jumped, both heroes landing their attacks on Corrin. A quick slash drove them back and Corrin stabbed the ground, sending an electrical current outward.

Captain Falcon jumped, landing a kick to Corrin's head. He blocked an overhead strike, kneed him in the gut, and threw him towards Yoshi. The dinosaur swatted Corrin into the air with his tail, jumped after him, and performed his Flutter Kick technique right above him.

"PK FIRE!" After Corrin landed, a pyrokinetic blast knocked him back. He dug Omega Yato into the ground, gritting his teeth. He thrust his arm out, converting it into a lance that jabbed at Yoshi. Corrin used his Dragon Fang next, firing a projectile Ness barely managed to absorb and chomping down on Mario. Captain Falcon landed a diving punch on Corrin, only to suffer a series of sword strikes. Corrin backed off, getting on all fours…

Wings sprouted from his back and he grew in size, a tail lengthening outward. Now transformed into his dragon state, Corrin threw his head back and roared deeply. A swirling typhoon of electrified water rushed from his mouth, catching anyone who failed to jump away in time. Captain Falcon landed a strong Falcon Punch to the dragon's head, Yoshi crashed down from above with a Ground Pound, and Mario stomped on Corrin's back. The plumber jumped away from the lashing tail.

Kirby darted away from a stomp, striking at the horns with his Cutter blade. Ness directed a PK Thunder at Corrin, the electric orb smacking against his face. The dragon launched into the air, shaking everyone off and landing on the main path. While Corrin wished to evade the fighters from this maneuver… it only resulted in more trouble.

Corrin was barraged by a storm of lasers, Star Bits, ink, and peanuts. Diddy Kong flew around his body like a fly, making Corrin roar in anger. He blasted another electric-induced wave at the Smashers, who scrambled out of the way. Donkey Kong smashed on Corrin's back, making the dragon buckle under his strength. Seizing him by the tail, the great ape heaved upward…

...and smashed the dragon to the ground behind him. Repeating this action, Donkey Kong slammed him down a second time. The dragon moaned in agony, a mist of black and purple surrounding it. When it faded, a small trophy rested in front of the group.

Ness touched the base of the trophy, bracing himself for the light. Corrin groaned, sitting up and climbing to his feet. "Ugh… what happened? Where's Galeem? Wh… and where am I?"

"We'll catch you up on everything later," Captain Falcon replied. "Right now, we need to move."

Wolf's curious eyes turned to the bright words above them. "Which group hails from Inkopolis?"

"Ooh! Ooh!" The Inklings shoved their way past the mercenary, knocking him to the ground. "We got this one! We got this!" Wolf just growled irritatingly. The orange one looked at the puppets ahead, searching for her target.

"Hmm… there!" She and her partner rushed towards two clones of themselves. The wooden surface below them was covered in patches of color as ink flew in all directions. Blue whacked one puppet with his roller and Orange lobbed a Splat Bomb at the other. Both puppets surrounded Orange, who kicked them away in a breakdancing spin. Blue kept up the pressure with bursts from his Splattershot… and both fakes fell and left colored wood behind.

Orange smirked at the spirit that rose from the remains. "Off the Hook… heh, who could forget those two?"

Blue looked back to the group, who was wrapping up with the other puppets. Fox reflected a blast of Arcthunder back at a Robin puppet, Ness and Rosalina dealing with the other two. Lucario knocked away a Pikachu clone, sending it sailing over the edge. Mario, Kirby, and Falco dealt the final blows to clones of Peach, Wolf, and Ike. The plumber brushed his hands together, pleased at another job well done.

The light bridge that formed from the words led the Smashers to the coliseum they spotted when they first arrived. It was tilted on its side… yet gravity shifted along with it, making it look like the Smashers were walking on walls.

Corrin looked to the next question. "Who among these spirits is Chrom's younger sister? Okay… I vaguely remember it, but didn't he say her name was something along the lines of-"

He paused, looking at the spirit in the hands of an Isabelle clone. "Yeah, that looks right. Fox! Kirby! Back me up!" He grew his wings and flew off towards the trio, clashing with the nearby puppet of Chrom. Fox jumped at a Robin puppet, leaving the Isabelle copy to Kirby. The puffball dashed all around, avoiding pom-pom pummelings and landing pummels of his own. He grabbed the fake dog and slammed it with a suplex, ending with a rising uppercut. A final series of kicks put the puppet down. Fox blasted the Robin puppet right in the face and Corrin cut down the Chrom copy, turning his eyes to the spirit with a smile.

"Lissa… that's her name."

The rest of the group swiftly dealt with the remaining puppets. Donkey Kong slammed a Palutena puppet into the coliseum's floor, Rosalina and Wolf took out copies of Zelda and Ike, and Greninja used his Water Shuriken on another Isabelle puppet. The words from the question formed another bridge of light; one the Smashers quickly traversed down.

The bridge ended near a volcano blasting out lava that appeared to be yellow instead of red and orange. A road led to a larger island… but an imposing figure with a greatsword barred their way.

"Halt!" boomed Ike, his blade adorned with purple flames. "This is as far as you go, defiers of Lord Dharkon!"

Corrin stepped forward, holding Omega Yato at the ready. "Ike… I know you're still in there. Don't let this 'Dharkon' use you the way he used me."

"You fell to the enemy in a matter of moments, Corrin. Allow me to correct their mistake. AETHER!"

He spun into the air and came down in a fiery blast. Corrin rolled aside, swinging his sword at Ike's side. Ike lifted his greatsword to block, shoving Corrin back. He brought his blade down, ensuing a clash when it met Corrin's. From the corner of his eye, Corrin saw everyone else rush past, some of them giving him thankful looks.

Corrin pushed Ike away, letting loose with some swings of Omega Yato. Ike defended himself from each strike with a single hand on his blade. He bashed Corrin in the head with the hilt, moving to chop it off. Corrin transfigured his arm into a lance, jabbing it at the ground. It caught in the flowing fabric of Ike's cape, pinning him in place. Corrin launched forward, driving a foot into Ike's chest.

Spreading his wings, he flew into the sky and came down in a spinning stab. His attack pierced the downed Ike, earning a pained cry and a burst of darkness.

A touch from Corrin illuminated the trophy… and a hand offered the dazed ike to his feet. Smiling, Ike took it and followed Corrin to join the others.

Nearby, Donkey Kong bashed a giant R.O.B. clone to the ground and punched wildly. The real robot provided assistance in the form of lasers, eliminating the puppet. A large stream of light trailed from the broken road, leading to a fallen husk of a tree. Kirby, Greninja, the Kongs, and Lucario took the path to offer everyone else a moment of rest.

At the tree, another question piqued the interest of the pink puffball.

Who among these spirits can Kirby not inhale?

Kirby offered to answer this one, stepping forth to examine the puppets. Save for one of Ridley, all of them were copies of himself in small bunches. By five red clones, one spirit served as an easy answer for the puffball: the tree Whispy Woods.

Kirby charged for the quintet of clones, knocking some of them away with an upside-down spin kick. He inhaled another, spitting it out at the last one. He used both his Cutter blade and his Stone form to slice and crush them into defeat. A wrestler-styled throw finished the last one, prompting Kirby to sigh in happiness. Back on the trunk of the tree, Greninja slashed and leaped away from the Ridley puppet while Lucario and the Kongs mopped up the rest of the fake Kirbys. Diddy found himself swarmed with a mob, scrambling to get away. Donkey Kong rolled through them like bowling pins, pumping a fist in victory. And Lucario landed low attacks to take care of his opponents.

Everyone turned back to the waving Kirby… and one by one, their eyes went wide with surprise and horror. Kirby saw the Kongs swallow nervously. Greninja readied his water blades and Lucario took a stance. Confused, Kirby tilted his head and wondered what was wrong…

An invisible force seized Kirby, lifting him into the air! He felt himself turning around, a scream escaping his throat when he saw the blank, violet eyes of his captor. A hand was held out to grasp Kirby telekinetically, and his feet were never touching the ground.

"Kirby," spoke Mewtwo. His voice was even more intimidating than his usual tone. "You have been bothersome from the beginning. For both Galeem and Lord Dharkon. But your meddling ends here."

He threw Kirby to the trunk of the tree. The puffball yelled, bouncing off the wood. Screeching in alarm, Diddy Kong whipped out his popguns and fired wildly at Mewtwo. The artificial Pokémon floated forward, eyes unblinking. A purple flash shone through them…

...and Diddy's peanuts froze just in front of his face. Mewtwo clenched his fist, shattering the nuts to bits. Diddy's face went blank and he lowered his head behind the protective DK's shoulders. Setting his little buddy aside, the yelling Donkey Kong charged at Mewtwo, threw a fist…

...and halted before he could make contact. The ape strained, struggling to move his arm. Mewtwo raised his head, lifted Donkey Kong into the air, and slammed him back down. Twice. Thrice. Four times. He released his hold on the fifth time, letting him crash onto the tree face-first.

Kirby steeled himself, running and jumping at Mewtwo. But with a simple flick of the Pokémon's finger, the puffball was flung to the side. Diddy just dropped his weapons, holding his hands up in surrender.

SHABLAM! A dark burst of shadow blew the screeching monkey away. Lucario and Greninja never faltered, staring down Mewtwo when he turned to face them. "Ah… Lucario. I see Greninja was not too much of a challenge for you. I knew your Aura would be enough to bypass his stealth… but I shall not be vanquished by the likes of either of you."

Lucario turned to Greninja. "Be wary. Mewtwo was designed to be the strongest Pokémon in the world. He won't be easy to defeat." Greninja nodded, heeding his advice.

"I believe the word you are looking for is 'impossible'," Mewtwo responded. "Lord Dharkon improved my psychic abilities. My demonstration proved that I don't even need to lift an arm to finish you. The two of you will be no match. Accept your fate… or be obliterated."

"Trainer or no Trainer, no Pokémon backs away from a battle."

Mewtwo silently turned to Greninja, eying his water blades. Mewtwo spread his glowing arms, conjuring two blades of purple light. Greninja didn't bat an eye at this… his only reply was a battle cry and a charge.

He struck at Mewtwo and slashed in every direction. Mewtwo impossibly kept pace with the Water-type Pokémon, his psychic weapons meeting the hydro blades. Steam rose from each contact and Mewtwo's defense didn't show a single sign of breaking. Greninja ceased his attack, vanishing. Mewtwo's blade only sliced a doll in two, yet the Pokémon wasn't even fazed.

Greninja reappeared behind Mewtwo, thrusting a blade into his back… but the tip stopped just before it could touch. Greninja was flung in front of Mewtwo, hitting the wood of the tree headfirst. He stood, clutching his head and conjuring a Water Shuriken…

Quick as a blink, Mewtwo slashed across Greninja's body. The Water-type Pokémon made a small noise… and collapsed. Mewtwo's blades vanished and his eyes caught the sight of the other Smashers trying to stand.

Mewtwo blasted a violet laser beam from his palm, sweeping it around and knocking everyone down. Through the rising smoke, he turned to Lucario, who still remained in his pose.

"You still wish to face me? Even after all of that? You are persistent… annoyingly, may I add."

Lucario lunged, prompting Mewtwo to catch him and throw him back. Lucario flipped, digging his feet into the wood. He locked his eyes on the floating foe advancing towards him. Lucario threw an Aura Sphere at Mewtwo, who batted it away with a swing of his arm.

"I will single-handedly destroy all of the Super Smash Brothers, should it come to that. No speed, no strength, no skill will be enough to defeat me. I was created to be the strongest… and the strongest I shall remain."

Mewtwo launched a Shadow Ball at Lucario, who somersaulted out of the way. "Boast all you wish. Ultimate power comes at a price." With a cry, he charged at Mewtwo and unleashed a flurry of blows. His punches hit an invisible forcefield and Mewtwo weaved away from his kicks. No matter how hard Lucario pushed himself, none of his attacks were successful.

"Fighting either yourself or Mega Lucario makes no difference. No fighter, Pokémon or otherwise, is above me. Do you not see it? Must I spell it out for you? I. Am. Invincible."

"No one is invincible!" Lucario shot back, using his Double Team to flank Mewtwo. The other Pokémon psychically seized Lucario, pulling him right in front of his face. Lucario strained, resisting the inescapable grip.

"You can't stop me, Lucario. No one can. Not you, not Pikachu, not Kirby, not even Mario. Once I'm through with you, they will all be finished and Lord Dharkon will win this eternal war with Galeem for good. All the world- and all the universes- will know darkness."

"So it is true…" Lucario struggled. "You've gone right back to your roots. Your original hatred for humanity: restored a thousandfold. Your mercilessness. Your ruthlessness. You've become no less than what you once were: a monster. A weapon. A thi-grrnk!"

Lucario's voice cut off when an invisible hand closed around his throat. Mewtwo's furious hand was balled into a fist, choking Lucario slowly. His bright purple eyes narrowed in anger… and his voice came in a rage-filled tone.

"I have heard enough."

A psychic blade extended from his other arm, snapping to life. He drew it back, lunging to impale it through Lucario's chest…

"Gnk!"

Mewtwo froze in place, releasing his hold on Lucario. His blade vanished and Lucario dropped to the ground, clutching his throat. He glanced behind Mewtwo… and saw an injured Greninja piercing Mewtwo's back with a water blade.

Greninja lashed out with a blitz of slashes across Mewtwo, refusing the artificial Pokémon to bring his guard back up. Lucario stood, drawing a palm back…

"N-no… no! This cannot be! I am the strongest of Lord Dharkon's soldiers! I am-"

Lucario struck Mewtwo in the chest with an Aura-imbued hand, blowing him across the tree. Kirby ran up, driving a foot into Mewtwo's back. He shot back towards Lucario, who pounded him into the wood of the tree.

"Lord Dharkon… avenge me…"

A cloud of darkness engulfed Mewtwo's form, earning the Smashers a moment of respite. Lucario approached the trophy, touching its base… and in the flash of light, Mewtwo moaned and floated upright.

"Confusion… not very effective…" His eyes snapped open and his palms lit up in violet light. "Lucario… What is this place? It feels… wrong. Horribly wrong."

"A land of disorder and disarray," came his reply. "Come. There is much to be done."

The nearby bridge of light took the group to a ruined, wall-like walkway. There, another question waited for them.

Which spirit fought alongside Alucard to defeat Dracula?

Mewtwo floated forward, examining the puppets and their spirits. "My knowledge of Simon and Richter's world does not contain much… but I believe an event I witnessed in the Archives may hold the key. From what I recall, the ally accompanying Alucard was none other than someone called Trevor."

"There," Lucario pointed to a trio of puppets, consisting of Simon, Palutena, and Sheik. "On the far end. You and the Kongs take them. We'll handle the rest." Mewtwo nodded, flying towards the trio with the primates in tow.

The Sheik puppet lashed out at Mewtwo, who telekinetically blocked the strikes and blasted it into a huge lamppost. Donkey Kong pounded the Simon puppet, and Diddy Kong quickly attacked the Palutena clone. Mewtwo redirected energy orbs sent at him, flinging them back at the fake goddess. Donkey Kong wrapped the whip around his fist, pulling the puppet in close and stomping it to the ground.

The trio fell, as did the puppets of Simon, Lucas, and Richter attacking Kirby and Lucario. The Kongs headed across the light bridge that was created before them, while Kirby and the two Pokémon returned to the main path.

The luminous trail led the Kongs to a tilted, nearly upside-down pirate ship. They landed on the bow mast's rigging perfectly, their center of gravity shifting to match the orientation of the ship. The primates looked around the ship, hearing the sounds of creaking wood and adjusting ropes…

WHAM! A scaly body slammed into Donkey Kong, sending both heavyweights into a freefall. They both pounded each other with mighty fists… and Donkey Kong caught the sight of angry eyes and a teeth-filled maw.

He slammed onto the deck, bouncing away while his foe scrambled to his feet. Donkey Kong shook his head, turning his eyes to the riggings. Up above, a Daisy puppet was fighting his little buddy, keeping Diddy occupied. The little monkey put up his fists and hopped up and down. Donkey Kong narrowed his eyes to his attacker, reptilian laughter echoing from his mouth.

"BWAHAHAHA! Look out, you cheeky monkey! I'm gonna bash you good per Lord Dharkon's command!" King K. Rool charged towards Donkey Kong on all fours, who beat his chest threateningly and ran up to meet him. At the last moment, he tucked into a ball, rolling into the crocodile with the force of a wrecking ball. K. Rool shoved him away, taking the crown off his head and throwing it like a boomerang.

DK grinned. He remembered this little trick.

He jumped over the golden headwear, slamming down on K. Rool's bare head. The croc cried out while the ape touched down, punching a palm in triumph. K. Rool grumbled, slapping his crown back on his head and turning an eye to the ape. The heavyweights lunged at each other again, with DK wrapping an arm around the croc's neck and slamming him to the ground like a wrestler. He bounded up, crashing back down with a pounding slam. K. Rool rolled away, leaving Donkey Kong's fists to hit nothing but wood that shattered under his strength.

K. Rool jumped and stomped repeatedly, making the whole ship shudder and shake. Cannonballs dropped down like anvils, smashing holes in the deck and cracking the wood. In a full sprint, Donkey Kong weaved around the balls and jumped over low ones. Snagging a cannonball from the deck, he threw it at the surprised K. Rool with a mighty yell.

The ball smacked the croc in the face, knocking a few teeth loose. K. Rool collapsed on the deck, slowly getting back up. "It's not gonna be me walking the plank!"

He jumped again and slammed down with a Ground Pound, creating a purple shockwave that forced DK to back off. More shockwaves spread out from each impact, prompting the ape to leap over them. K. Rool rushed for Donkey Kong again, catching the unprepared ape by surprise and nailing him in the chin with a spiked boxing glove. Donkey Kong flew through the air and came back down hard. K. Rool kicked him just as forcefully, sending the ape rolling across the deck.

Donkey Kong shook his head and rubbed it, peeping open his eyes. A rope hanging from the mast caught his eye… a rope that reminded Donkey Kong of a jungle vine. The ape grinned, an idea forming in his mind.

A punch from K. Rool struck the mast, as Donkey Kong gripped it and swung around. He kicked the croc in the head, scrambling up the mast like a tree. "HEY! Come back here, you stupid ape!"

Reaching the rigging, Donkey Kong broke the rope with a hard tug, grabbed onto it… and jumped with a dominant howl. He swung around the ship, catching K. Rool's attention. The croc charged at the ape again… but both simian feet met his belly and sent him sliding on his back. Donkey Kong grabbed a different rope, swinging back around. When he reached K. Rool again, he jumped off and tackled his enemy to the ground.

He scrambled to his feet, giving the croc a hard punch that sent him sprawling. He collapsed to the deck with a groan. Donkey Kong grinned, circling around to brace for the trophy. He stood in front of the defeated king, a smile on his face…

...a smile that dropped when he saw the king's eye pop open.

K. Rool suddenly tackled Donkey Kong, knocking him to the ground. "HA! You never fall for that little trick! Never! Oh, your tie is gonna serve as the perfect trophy!"

K. Rool raised a claw to swipe at Donkey Kong's face, holding his necktie in his other hand. A sadistic expression crossed the croc's face gleefully…

...and a barrel crashed down onto his head.

King K. Rool staggered off, his voice coming out in muffled shouts. Blinking in confusion, Donkey Kong looked to the riggings. Up above, Diddy Kong twirled his popguns and gave his friend a thumbs-up. Diddy slid down the mast, hopping onto the ape's shoulders.

King K. Rool swung in random directions, his voice still unable to make out. Diddy just casually chomped a banana, tossing the peel in the croc's direction. "Phhhht!"

Diddy's raspberry noise drew the croc's attention. "The chimp… AAAAAAAH!" He charged at the Kongs, who barely moved a muscle. K. Rool's scaly foot landed on the banana… and he slipped comically, landing right on his tail.

The Kongs burst into laughter, Donkey Kong pointing a finger at the croc. Diddy pounded on his friend's shoulder hysterically, finding that situation too hilarious. K. Rool reached for the barrel, pulled it hard… and popped it off his head. He shook himself of dizziness… and growled so deeply, steam almost shot from his nostrils.

"Grrrr, you meddlesome monkeys! I'll get both of you furry freaks myself if I have to!" He swapped his crown for a pirate hat, whipped out a blunderbuss… and fired.

DK's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. A cannonball slammed into him, knocking him away. Diddy activated his rocketbarrel pack, blasting off into the air and taking out his popguns. He flew around K. Rool, blasting him with peanuts and zooming away from explosive cannonballs. K. Rool fired cannonball after cannonball, prompting Diddy to take evasive action. The black balls hit wood and metal alike, causing purple explosions on contact. He looped around in a taunting manner, hooting cheerfully as he flew.

"I'll get you!"

Diddy flew up to the rigging, firing on ropes holding barrels aloft. One of them snapped and fell, crashing atop K. Rool's head. K. Rool groaned, clutching his head… and felt a finger tap on his shoulder. "Huh?" He turned to look...

POW! Donkey Kong's fist plowed him across the deck, making him hit the mast. Another barrel came loose, crashing down on K. Rool. The croc slumped to the deck… and darkness surrounded him. The Kongs met up with each other, fist-bumping each other in victory. DK walked up to the trophy, touching a finger to the base.

King K. Rool sat up and groaned… before the understanding of what had happened came back to him. "You!" he shouted, standing and pointing at Donkey Kong. "You may have bested me once again, ape, but I'll let you off easy this time since the king was not in his best condition. Know this: it's not over. Got it?"

DK nodded.

"Now, where are the others? Let's get this over with!"

Back on the main path, Corrin clashed against a clone of Young Link with Ike on standby. Close by, Mario and Kirby stood frozen in place. They were staring down two familiar faces… well, one face and a mask, to be honest.

"Kirby," spoke the ominous tone of Meta Knight. "You exceed yourself yet again by surviving Lord Dharkon's adversary. If not for you, this little band would not oppose us… but orders are orders. Lord Dharkon himself instructed me to finish you."

The masked swordsman turned to Mario. "As for you, Mario, I believe this is the perfect time for a little family reunion…" The second figure stepped forward, violet eyes unblinking. The black hat atop his head downed an unforgettable "L". Gloves tightened in preparation.

"Luigi. You have been in your brother's shadow for far too long. I leave you to deal with him."

Luigi lunged and kicked Mario aside with breakneck speed. Mario shot down the path, his brother taking off after him. Beside Kirby, King Dedede readied his hammer. "You wanna clobber Kirby, Meta Knight? You're gonna have to go through-"

With a speed untrackable by the eye, Meta Knight slashed King Dedede a hundred times, halting just behind him. The self-imposed ruler dropped his hammer and collapsed with a thud. "...me…"

"Now… where were we?" Meta Knight's blade flashed, and he dashed for Kirby. Kirby bounced back, drawing his Cutter blade and clashing it against Galaxia. Both fighters dueled at breakneck speed, their strikes at a pace the naked eye would have difficulty keeping up with. Kirby slashed upward and swiped downward, pushing Meta Knight back. The swordsman flung his cape around himself, vanishing into thin air.

Kirby looked around wildly. Meta Knight kicked him from behind, knocking the hero to the ground. Kirby hopped back up while Meta Knight's cape transformed into wings… and he shot into the sky. He swooped down on Kirby, snatching him like a bird of prey. They flew into the air, Kirby struggling in his rival's grip. The puffball broke free, calling on his Warp Star and flying through the twisted landscape. Meta Knight chased after, relentlessly staying on the Warp Star's blipping trail.

Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi circled around each other. The hero had his sorrow-filled eyes locked on his brother, who stared back with blank emotion. Mario's hands lit up with a blazing red fire… and Luigi's shadowy arms sparkled with streams of violet electricity.

"Mario…" said Cappy. "Let's get your brother back."

Luigi thrust his arms out, shooting angry lightning at Mario. The hero jumped back, launching a volley of fireballs. Luigi held up a hand, incinerating the projectiles with another electric stream. He gathered his power into a ball, throwing it at Mario. Mario whipped out his cape and flung it, sending the orb back at Luigi. The sprinting sidekick slid underneath, landing a shocking uppercut to his brother. Mario yelped as he soared, gathering himself in midair. Luigi shot after him with an incredible jump, grappling with Mario as the two began to fall.

The two fighters shot away from each other and slid along the ground. Locking eyes, they charged towards each other and spun like tornadoes. Mario engulfed himself in a burning aura of flame while Luigi became an electric cyclone. Both brothers collided, bouncing off each other and striking again.

Above them, Kirby and Meta Knight raced through the air. A quick slash from the swordsman sent Kirby crashing to the ground. He hopped to his feet, jumping over a slash and stomping Meta Knight wildly on the head. Meta Knight sliced Kirby away, the two of them continuing their battle in quick movements. Kirby flip-kicked Meta Knight away, charging into him head-first. Meta Knight spun at Kirby like a drill, prompting Kirby to jump over and crush him with his Stone form. Meta Knight sidestepped in a blink, lashing at Kirby again.

The puffball somersaulted away and kept his distance, taking his hammer in hand. He parried and deflected Meta Knight's strikes with the weapon, breaking his guard and landing a multi-hitting spin attack. Meta Knight flew back, shooting back into the sky to recover. He dove for Kirby, who rolled out of the way and ran after him.

A blazing palm knocked Luigi back, who slid to a stop. He spun in place, conjuring another tornado of lightning. He stopped suddenly, sending the cyclone whirling towards Mario. The plumber jumped over, landing more fireballs and his brothers and sweeping out his legs. Luigi kicked Mario back, flipping to his feet. Wordlessly, Luigi brushed his shoulder and began to strangely dance. Mario blinked in curiosity, but shook his head and ran for Luigi. He drove a fist towards his brother's fist…

...but in an instant, the world shifted. Every color became the opposite of itself, hues were inverted, and Mario's skin turned black while his outfit became a pinkish-white. The plumber paused, looking over himself in confusion. Looking back to Luigi, he saw that his brother's appearance had barely changed… but a greenish void surrounded him. He ceased his dancing, turning to face the bewildered Mario. The plumber remembered this technique instantly. Luigi hadn't used it since the Brawl tournament, yet it was too familiar.

Dharkon had given Luigi back his Negative Zone.

A sense of fatigue and exhaustion overcame Mario. He wiped at his brow, failing to see Luigi shooting at him head-first and plowing into his chest. Mario collapsed, struggling to stand. Luigi blasted the ground with lightning, blowing Mario away again. The plumber hit the ground, a new realization making its way to him. The Negative Zone could affect someone… well, negatively, and give Luigi the advantage. He needed to stay strong; for both his sake and his brother's.

Cutter blade back in play, Kirby spun to weaken Meta Knight's guard. The swordsman lashed out again, performing an upward slash as he rose into the air. Kirby hit him with an aerial somersault kick, knocking Meta Knight back down. He jumped and spun in a ball, driving the blade into Meta Knight's back with a cry. Meta Knight shouted in pain, his form fading from sight in a fog of darkness. "I… impossible…"

Mario parried Luigi's punches and kicks, deflecting a karate chop aimed for his neck. He kicked Luigi back and headbutted him, blowing him a distance away with a fiery palm strike. Luigi's mustache twitched and he scowled menacingly. He charged for Mario again, who crouched down and waited for the right moment. Luigi came in hot, a fist primed with dark lightning…

...and Mario nailed him with a Super Jump Punch. The numerous hits sent Luigi into the air and he crashed back down in a shroud of purple mist. The Negative Zone wore off, returning Mario's perspective of things back to normal. He sighed gratefully, Kirby doing the same nearby. The two heroes turned to each other and nodded, placing their hands on the trophies of their allies.

"Ugh… the light… Galeem. Where is he?" Meta Knight snapped to full alert, glancing at the scene wildly.

"Ooh, mama mia…" Luigi shook his head. He stood up and made a quick noise of surprise. Sudden confusion and nervousness appeared on his face when he looked at the surreal area before him. When his eyes rested on a familiar figure in red, his face lit up in joy. "Mario!"

"Luigi!" The brothers embraced in a hug, reunited at last. They pulled away, hopping and punching the air. "Yahoo!"

"Two in one," commented Fox. "Now, let's keep up the pace." The two Kongs and K. Rool joined up with them just in time, allowing the group to press on. The team crossed a xylophone-like staircase, walked on checkerboard-style grass, and moved across a walkway of scrap metal. On a huge Warp Pipe, a Peach puppet with a Rocket Belt held out one spirit, and a puppet of Iggy held out another. Beside him, eight tiny Bowsers unfurled from their shells. Above the team, another question awaited them: one that caught the attention of Mario and Luigi.

Which spirit is part of Bowser's army?

Luigi had a sense of deja vu when he looked over the tiny Bowsers, pointing eagerly at them. Mario noticed it, too. His thoughts went to a tiny yellow creature in a cloud who recently became the head of a broadcasting network for the kart races. He looked to his brother… and they both clenched their fists.

"Let's-a go!" they called together, running for the Iggy puppet. The fake Koopaling laughed, throwing some of the tiny Bowser puppets at the bros. Mario jumped over one and Luigi kicked another, knocking it back at the puppet. Both brothers easily defeated the small versions of their nemesis, reaching the Iggy puppet in no time.

Taking Mario's hand, Luigi jumped and spun around, throwing Mario at the puppet. Mario stomped down hard, followed by his brother. They jumped off, delivering a final kick to the screaming puppet. The puppet's trophy form exploded, revealing the spirit of Lakitu. Proud of their flawless answer, the brothers fist-bumped each other while everyone else mopped up with the Peach puppet.

Mario and Luigi moved across the light bridge, onto a destroyed piece of road… and their joy quickly faded when they saw what they were standing in front of. "Uh oh…" gulped Luigi. Mario stood on edge. The other Smashers joined them, staring at the ominous rift before them.

The vortex. With who-knew-what beyond it. Stars themselves were drawn towards its vacuum, yet the Smashers remained immune to the pull. On the edge of the vortex, more puppets stood with spirits in hand… and one last question stood between the Smashers and the guardian of this region.

Which spirit created the Subspace Army and waged war?

"Wait… what?" Fox repeated. "I mean… I know the answer to this one. Most of us should except for Corrin, Rosalina, Greninja, K. Rool, and the Inklings. But…"

"Tabuu?" Ness asked. "He's a spirit?"

"Chiaki said he was one of Dharkon's minions," Captain Falcon said. "I… I am so lost. How? Why?"

"Revenge?" Lucario guessed. "Chiaki said both Tabuu and Master Core were destroyed because of their failures. By some means unknown to me, they became spirits as well."

"Can we trust them?" asked the blue Inkling. "I mean, after all they've done to us?"

"We do not find ourselves with much of a choice," answered Rosalina. "Perhaps their powers will be used for the better of things this time."

"Alright…" groaned Dedede. "Let's find the blue guy and beat him… again."

Kirby stepped out onto the vortex, which felt just like the light bridges. He traversed across the vortex in a counter-clockwise fashion, passing a squad of four R.O.B.s and a giant Palutena puppet. He stopped in front of a metal Bayonetta fake… who held the soul of the mastermind. Everyone else spread out, confronting puppets of Bayonetta, a giant Donkey Kong, and a duo of Meta Knight and Dedede.

Kirby stepped towards the puppet and got into a pose. He rushed for the false witch, who opened fire with its guns. Kirby slid underneath, kicking it hard in the leg. He knocked the puppet into the air, barraged it with a flurry of aerial strikes, smashed it down with his hammer, and spun downward, plowing the burning weapon into its back. The puppet faded into its trophy form… and exploded, bringing Kirby face-to-face with another old nemesis of his. Even if he could speak, he still wouldn't say a word.

The last of the puppets soon fell, releasing their own trapped spirits. "So… now what?" asked Falco.

His answer came from the void. The vortex howled and shuddered, increasing its pull exponentially. With the strength of a black hole, the vacuum caught the Smashers in its grip. Kirby's was the loudest out of the many screams of the falling fighters.

The vortex's swirls and howls sounded like it was on the verge of instability. Purple, violet, and black swirled around as the Smashers fell through the abyss…

...and landed hard on a rocky surface.

Kirby was the first to stand as groans rang out. The Kongs and K. Rool shook their heads, the Mario Brothers were dazed, and everyone else struggled to rise. The orange Inkling brushed her tentacles as if they were bruised. She cracked open an eye. "What… what is this place?"

Kirby looked to the sky as Dedede and Meta Knight joined him. He saw stars. Hundreds of stars twinkling away in the night sky. Nebulas showed a dazzling display of color: one that intrigued Luma.

"It is obvious that we appear to be on another planet," spoke Rosalina. "Possibly a moon. But what awaits us here?"

"YEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!"

"WAH!" Luigi jumped into Mario's arms, startled by the sudden laughter. Everyone else jolted alert, looking around for the source of the voice. Kirby looked straight ahead… but saw nothing but rock and the orange tinge of a star on the horizon.

"I don't see anything," said the blue Inkling. "Maybe if we- GAH!"

Everyone whirled behind them… and saw a cute, round thing with shoes, a bowtie, and a jester hat of blue and red colors with white circles and triangles.

"Oh, phew!" Blue sighed. "You startled me. Who the heck are you?"

Kirby's eyes grew large and he hopped back. This figure… he knew him!

"Hey, hey, hey, Kirby," he spoke. "Remember me? Your old pal, Marx?"

"You know this guy?" Dedede spoke. "I don't remember seeing him."

"Nor do I," replied Meta Knight. "Explain yourself… Marx. What history do you have with Kirby?"

"A friend?" Orange guessed. "Just look at him! He looks kinda cute!"

"One day," Marx began. "The sun and moon began to fight day and night."

"Sun and moon?" repeated Ness. "Wait… Galeem and Dharkon! That sounds a lot like what's happening right now!"

"I asked Kirby to stop it. He gathered the power of the stars and called upon Galactic Nova. Galactic Nova had the power to grant any wish… and I wished to rule Popstar."

Everyone's train of thought was cut off. "I… I beg your pardon?" asked Rosalina.

Marx trained his innocent eyes on Kirby… and floated into the air. "Until… you…"

Darkness surrounded Marx, concealing him from sight. His eyes glinted… and the darkness burst away. "TOOK IT AWAY FROM ME! NYAHAHAHAHA!"

Luigi screamed in terror and everyone stepped back. "Not cute! Not cute! NOT CUTE!" cried Orange.

Marx was larger, had a crazy look in his eyes, had two fangs in his mouth, and two bone-like wings with hexagonal colorings flickering like a kaleidoscope. His eyes locked on Kirby, who narrowed his eyes.

"All went according to my perfect little plan! I got the sun and moon to fight! I got you to go into space! And I had it all! I could cause as much mischief as I wanted! But you knocked me off my high horse, Kirby! And now, thanks to Lord Dharkon, it's PAYBACK TIME!"

Everyone got into fighting stances, Marx eyeing them all with his crazy gaze. "Oooh, you must be those Stupid Smash Brothers Lord Dharkon told me about! Did you enjoy my little playground of madness and mischief?"

"That nonsensical landscape was your doing?" Mewtwo asked.

"Indeed it was! I see those little trivia bits hardly stumped you at all. So it seems like I'll be the one doing the stumping."

"Stumping?" repeated Captain Falcon.

Marx nodded. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! Stumping you FLAT, THAT IS! NYAHAHAHAHA!"

Marx flashed his wings open wide, sending spinning blades at the Smashers. Kirby inhaled two of them, watching Marx teleporting away from a combined punch thrown at him by Captain Falcon and Donkey Kong.

He reappeared in front of Kirby, who spat the blades- now as stars- in Marx's face. Yelping, Marx teleported again and appeared above the Smashers. He looked down, spitting out a spiked metal ball from his mouth. Fox, Falco, and Wolf ran to avoid it, shooting Marx with their blasters. Yoshi tucked himself into an egg, rolling away from the metal ball. Diddy Kong flew through the air to keep up with Marx's teleporting, blasting peanuts at him. On the ground, K. Rool blasted cannonballs at the swooping Marx… but his shots all harmlessly sailed past Marx.

Lucario and Mewtwo charged up, launching an Aura Sphere and Shadow Ball that fused together into a blue-purple orb. Marx teleported away from Mario and Luigi, both brothers falling flat on their faces. Marx winked into view… and saw that he was right in the path of the brightening orb.

"WAAAAAAAH!"

The attack blew up in his face, knocking his smoking form back. "PK FLASH!" Another blast of green light from Ness made Marx shriek in pain… and growl in anger.

"YOW! Grrrr… you little-! Take THIS!" Marx deeply inhaled, locked his eyes on the gathered Smashers… and fired a deadly laser beam from his mouth. The recoil sent him flying back. The beam rocketed towards the Smashers, prompting Lucario and Mewtwo to leap in front.

Using their Aura and psychic abilities, both Pokémon slammed their palms against the beam and struggled to hold it at bay. The others ran off, going for the recovering Marx. The beam broke through the Pokémon's defense, enveloping them both in its destructive wave.

R.O.B. blasted Marx with lasers. Greninja slashed at him when he teleported dangerously close. Mario and Luigi nailed him from above. In the form of a round shadow, Marx burst up from the ground between Meta Knight and Dedede, who quickly retaliated with strikes of their own.

Marx split himself in half, revealing a black hole that threatened to suck anyone in close proximity near. Their friends grabbed hold, pulling them to safety. The only things the black hole caught were two Splat Bombs that blew once he put himself back together. Marx hissed, spitting out ink that got in his mouth.

Corrin and Ike struck at Marx from the air with a diving sword strike. Marx backed off and flew overhead, dropping a large orb that burst into two icy smaller ones. The Inklings quickly backed off before they could be frozen. The Smashers ganged up on Marx one by one, hitting him whenever they saw a break in his constant teleporting.

"Time for some of Lord Dharkon's special gifts! They'll squash you for good, Kirby! And that goes for the rest of you!" Marx devilishly giggled, his eyes turning pitch black. To the horror of some and the disgust of others, his eyes proceeded to fall out of his face and bounce along the ground, knocking back whoever they came into contact with.

Meta Knight swooped through the air, pursuing Marx's teleporting form. He slashed at a wing with Galaxia, plowing a foot into Marx's eye. Dedede hopped up, hammering Marx over the head. Yoshi bounced off of Luigi's hands, landing a tail whip and two kicks to Marx's face.

"OOOOH! That! Is! ENOUGH!" Marx howled angrily, replacing his wings with long, pink artery-like wings that spread out in both directions. Anyone who touched them burst into flame and collapsed. Marx brought back his skeleton wings, switching tactics quickly. He shot out more spinning blades, striking any of the Smashers who evaded the last attack.

Finally, Marx flew high above the team and dropped strange pellets to the ground. They buried themselves into the rock, catching the confused eyes of the Smashers…

Black patches of thorny vines erupted from the ground, ensnaring everyone who failed to escape in time. With this move, Marx incapacitated most of them, save for four: Kirby, Rosalina, and the Inklings.

"Now that most of the rabble's out of the way… time to finish you!"

The Inklings raised their Splattershots and fired at Marx, covering him in orange and blue paint. Rosalina fired Star Bits from her wand while Kirby and Luma rushed to land quick blows to Marx. Marx shrieked, teleporting away again. Kirby and Luma stopped, looking to where he could appear next.

Marx blinked into view before the group, laughing maniacally. His eyes swelled up like balloons and more pupils popped onto them, earning a horrified gasp from Rosalina… and about-to-hurl faces from the Inklings. Bright violet lasers shot out from the large orbs, making everyone but Kirby scramble for cover. Drawing his hammer, Kirby jumped over sweeping lasers and ducked under high ones. Spotting him, the Inklings provided cover fire for the puffball and splatted Marx some more.

Crying out at the ink, Marx returned his eyes to normal… and saw Kirby jumping at him with a hammer at the ready and a heroic face of determination. Marx tried to teleport away from this… but Kirby struck first. His hammer smashed down on top of Marx's head, making his eyes cartoonishly bulge out. Darkness exploded out of Marx's form at the moment of impact.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Marx screeched in a high-pitched tone, bouncing around on the ground and reverting back to his normal form. Hexagons flew in all directions and his wings shrank along with himself. He landed facedown between the Smashers… and an annoyed Orange kicked him lightly.

"I now officially hate cute stuff!"

The thorns holding the rest of the team captive withered away, dropping them to the ground. Everyone gasped in relief, with Rosalina's being one of surprise. More Lumas floated towards Kirby, who had a smile on his face. The yellow one cheered, noticing Kirby beginning to dance. The rest of the Lumas joined in with him happily. They rolled, jumped, spun, moonwalked, and bounced about, ending in a cheerful pose.

"Hi!"

Orange smirked, letting out a small giggle. "Okay… maybe not all cute stuff."

"Mission accomplished, guys," congratulated Fox as a blue portal snapped into existence. "Guardian down. Time to head back!" On his command, the group moved towards the portal. Rosalina called her Lumas back, Kirby waving goodbye to them. Mario and Luigi were the first to jump through, giving out a triumphant "Yahoo!" before they vanished.

Back in the chaos of the Dark Realm

In her ghostly form, Chiaki stared up at the blackness in horror. Before her, the team of Smashers tasked with defending the temple… had all but fallen. Some could barely move, others were completely unconscious. One of Red's Poké Balls lay half-buried in the dust, Pac-Man and Mr. Game and Watch were knocked out, Duck Hunt was down with his bird on top of him, Snake's weapons were lying on the ground with the mercenary not too far behind, and the Monado was lodged in the dirt.

"Everyone…" Chiaki called out in a pleading tone, extending her voice throughout the malevolent world. "If you can hear me… please, PLEASE hurry back to the temple immediately!" She looked up at the sky… where the ultimate evil stared down with a single, unblinking eye.

"Dharkon… Dharkon has found us!"