The plan? There was no plan.
Marth and Samus were tired and had run out of ideas. They were both bloody and beaten, and their minds had been completely exhausted from making plans and trying to figure out an enigma so massive it threatened the lives of twenty-three people.
"I won't give up," Marth said as they walked back, "not yet. But I'm not sure there's much else we can do. I think we may just have to accept our fate, and if a giant dragon appears and tries to kill us all, we fight it. If an army of undead soldiers comes up, we fight it. Whatever happens, we survive." He sighed as the academy came in sight. It brought new pangs of sadness, thinking of it. The Super Smash Bros. Academy was a place of absolute luxury. Fighters were treated like kings and queens, and it was much like a second home. Now it was overrun by hopelessness, and Mastermind was going to destroy it. A knot formed in Marth's stomach.
"You should get some rest," Samus said. Marth barely heard it. He seemed lost deep in his own little world. "Marth?"
Marth nodded as if something had been confirmed, then stopped on the top step leading to the academy and looked at Samus. "Mastermind's not going to kill all of us. I want one of us to survive." Samus gave Marth a confused look. "How's this for a plan: One of us stays and tries to fight whatever Mastermind throws at us, and the other uses the Teleporter and stays in another dimension for awhile. Then he or she can come back and see if whatever befalls the academy can be reversed."
Samus looked at Marth like he was crazy. "That's...." She sighed, and her shoulders slumped a little. "That's the best plan we've got. Why don't you be the one to leave, Marth? You've done enough already, and you need to rest."
He considered it. He was in no condition to fight. And Samus was right; maybe he did have the right to live. But he didn't like the thought of Samus being killed from an almost sure demise. And besides, she had the better skills at espionage and hand-to-hand combat. Even so, Marth couldn't get past imagining her eyes closing as she was killed, her body going limp....
"No. You go." Samus had no response. She just stared at Marth blankly. Marth chose his next words with care. "I can't even think of you getting killed. It actually hasn't been that long, but it seems like it's been forever with you. You're a friend that appeared where I never looked before." He stared at her intently. "I...." He couldn't finish the sentence. He looked away quickly. "It's better me than you. Besides, in terms of fighting, you'd be the better pick to suddenly reappear."
Neither of them said anything for awhile. They both thought about what Marth had said. Marth turned and walked back inside. Samus followed him in silently.
"I'm going up to bed," Marth said. "I'll see you tomorrow. We'll see how things go."
Before he could go back up, the Meeting Signal went off again. Marth turned in the opposite direction of the stairs and headed into the Meeting Room with Samus. They were the first ones there. Everybody else eventually wandered in and stood before Master Hand.
"Let's get straight to the point," Master Hand said. "Tomorrow is the end of the tournament. It's a three-way battle between Mewtwo, Donkey Kong, and Kirby. The fight will take place on Final Destination at ten o' clock sharp, so be there or you'll miss it. We'll then hold the official ceremony and declare the winner. A party will follow where there will be food and festivities. However, afterwards, we are all going on a wide search for the missing ones: Roy, Link, and Zelda. It will start the day after tomorrow. We will search the building, around the building, and all across the Linking Dimension. I expect cooperation from all of you. This will be a long and difficult task, but one that will be faster and easier if all of us work together. We do not have absolute proof that the three were kidnapped, but it is extremely likely, and if that is so, then the perpetrator likely stands in this room."
Marth looked around for signs of guilt or sinister glee. He either couldn't see their faces, or they didn't show anything negative. (Except Bowser, who glared at him with a vengeance.) He wasn't the only one looking around, of course; almost everybody else was eyeing one another with fear or suspicion.
"If you are the perpetrator, please step forward now. It would make it easier for everyone, including you, because you will be found eventually. If you step forward now, your punishment will not be as great as when we find you ourselves." Not a single person stepped forward. Everybody knew that tactic wouldn't have worked, of course, but it was worth a shot, Marth decided. "Alright. If you will not step forward, then that is all. More details will come after the tournament is over. Meeting adjourned."
Marth followed the crowd out. It would have been so much easier if Mastermind had just stepped forward and confessed everything, but nobody expected him or her to. He pulled Samus aside as the others filed out.
"I know it's probably a bit late now," he said, "but at least we know something else about Mastermind."
"What?"
"He really is a greedy, completely sinister sociopath."
"I thought we knew that from before."
"Somebody could have done it out of fear. Maybe they did something they weren't supposed to and only kidnapped the three because they found out. They would have snapped under that pressure back there and confessed everything. I know it. We're dealing with a complete monster."
Samus considered it. "Bowser's out, so that really leaves only Ganondorf, Donkey Kong, and Mewtwo. We should keep an eye on them."
Marth nodded and headed for the stairs. "Good luck, Samus. I really am going to bed this time."
"Good night, Marth."
He went up the stairs, entered his room, and plopped onto his bed. His mind wouldn't want to sleep, he could tell, but his body enjoyed the warmth and rest. He had to really use his willpower to kick himself out of bed and actually brush his teeth before plopping onto the bed again without even taking his cape off.
--
It was the middle of the night. Marth, fully dressed and ready for battle, stood on a grassy hill outside the academy. Not much time left, he thought to himself repeatedly. Not much time left....
A breeze behind him carried the scent of an intruder, and he spun around, unsheathing his sword and swinging it at a shadowy enemy. He couldn't tell who it was, but it was large and obviously powerful. It leapt at him before he could swing again and grabbed him by the throat. His vision dulled, and he couldn't breathe. The next thing he knew, he was in an underground cave. The enemy sneered at him. He tried to attack him again but found that his hands were bound. He looked around him and saw his friends, all there, within touching distance if only he could free himself....
The vividness of the dream woke Marth up. He looked out his window. The sun had started to come above the horizon, sending rays of sunshine through his room. He wished he could have stayed and enjoyed it, but he knew today wasn't a day of peaceful rest; it was a day of blood. It was a day of either darkness or glory. The dream shook him. A pang of sadness, this one even greater than the last, almost brought tears to his eyes. I would love to see my friends again before I die, he thought. They were so close in the dream. It seemed so real, he almost wished he hadn't woken up.
The dream also gave him courage. What he was doing, he did for his friends. He got himself all ready (not bothering to make his bed as there were bigger things to tend to) and left his room. He was going to give looking for his friends one last shot, not even bothering to watch the final round of the tournament. If he found his friends, they'd tell him the whole story, and he could stop the crisis, anyway.
The entire building was extremely quiet. As far as he could tell, he was the only one up. He went down into the lobby, truly marveling at its elaborate beauty for the first time in a long time. He looked to his left and saw Samus standing outside the front doors. He crossed the lobby, exited the doors, and stood beside Samus.
"Are we the only ones up?" he asked.
She shrugged. "I didn't really sleep that well. I guess you didn't, either."
"You guess correctly." He was about to tell her about his dream when he realized something. In the dream, the enemy--Mastermind, he presumed--had taken him to where his friends were. Although he didn't recognize where he was and didn't believe that it was actually where his friends were, it brought a new concept to his mind. "We've been checking in and around the building for them," he said. Samus knew who "they" were, so he didn't need to explain. "Have we checked underground?"
Samus looked at him with a puzzled expression. "How do we get underground?"
"Anywhere. A cave outside. A secret entrance on the bottom floor. Anything. Think about it. Donkey Kong, Ganondorf, and Mewtwo are the only three left, right?" Samus nodded, not sure of what he was getting at. "I think we all know Donkey Kong just grabs 'em and runs and likes to climb on tall structures, and the tallest structure around here is the academy itself, which we've checked thoroughly. So if he just runs, he's likely to find a cave or something somewhere, although I think trees suit him better. Ganondorf is more suited to dark, creepy places full of eight hundred different traps and enemies to lure his enemies in. Plus, he's just plain evil, as I've heard. And Mewtwo's used to caves. Didn't he live in one before he came here? Cerulean Cave or something?"
Samus had been nodding almost the entire time. "It does begin to make sense...." She thought for a second more, then said, "Well, shall we look for them? I'd rather not run with my tail between my legs if I don't have to."
"And I couldn't stand another fight," Marth said.
Samus hurried back inside, said a "just a second" over her shoulder, and hurried into the Recovery Room. Marth knew what she was getting at. A few moments later, she returned with the Comms in her hands. Marth took his old one, number eight, and grinned at her.
"What say we make one last stand?" Samus said.
"I'm with you," Marth replied. "You check the bottom floor inside the building for anything. I'll check the outside. And be careful, alright?"
"I think I'd be careful even if you didn't tell me," Samus said half-sarcastically. "Well, be careful yourself."
They parted ways. Butterflies danced in Marth's stomach again. He dashed off as fast as he could into the trees. The rest last night and his last feeling of hope spurred him on. And for a moment, he knew everything was going to be alright.
--
It was only fifteen minutes later when the Comm vibrated again. Marth snatched it excitedly. The news had come. He looked at the rising sun and thought it portrayed a message. Night doesn't last forever. Eventually, the sun rises and banishes the darkness. I'd better start writing down these philosophies, he thought. He pressed the number 2 button. "Didn't take you long, did it?" he said.
"No, it didn't," Samus's voice confirmed. "You were absolutely right, Marth. There's a large cave underneath the whole building. There's a loose tile on the bottom floor. Go to the bottom floor, Marth, and I'll walk you through it."
Marth ran back to the academy as fast as he could. He almost tripped in his haste. He almost blew straight through the glass doors and would have if he hadn't pulled just in time. He hurried down the stairs leading to the bottom floor--almost tripped again there--and stood in front of a sea of black tiles.
"I'm there--now what?"
"I'm already heading through the caves. My eyesight's a lot better than yours, so you'll have some trouble. See the tile I pulled out?"
Marth looked up and saw a square hole with a tile resting beside it. "Yeah. I take it I head down?"
"Yes. And I would assume there are entrances from outside the building, too, but you don't have the time to look for them."
Marth trotted to the hole and looked down. It was pitch black. "Shouldn't I bring a torch or something?"
"That would only alert the enemy, if indeed they're down here. You'll just have to feel your way through."
Marth took a deep breath, then hopped down the hole. After a few seconds, the ground hit his feet, and he fell over. The only light came from the square above. He was reluctant to leave it, but knew that he had to. "I'm in," he said. "The ground kind of greets you sooner than you think, huh?"
"Just keep feeling your way through. And remember, there's a fork eventually that goes left and right. I've taken the one on the right."
Marth started forward into the black. The silence was so overwhelming, it hurt his ears. He unsheathed his sword just in case he needed it. The caves seemed large and threatening to him. He felt around for a wall and eventually came into contact with the left one. It was extremely cold down where the sun didn't reach. All the more reason why bringing a torch would have been a good decision, Marth decided. He continued feeling his way along the wall, hoping he didn't encounter any snakes or rats or Masterminds. The thought gave him chills to add to the ones already caused from cold.
"Oh my gosh," Samus said slowly after awhile. "There they are."
"Really?" Marth shouted. He straightened up and whacked his head on the ceiling. Both the floor and the ceiling weren't being nice to him today.
"Look for a fire, Marth. They're...well, it looks like I've got some company," Samus said. Marth could hear the edge in her voice and knew she had just encountered Mastermind. "It's--"
The Comm link went dead. "Samus?" Marth tried. There was no response. The words "line lost" appeared on a glowing green screen on his Comm. "Samus!?!" he shouted. He put his Comm back onto his belt and went faster. Nothing good had happened. He had to reach her before it was too late. He was no longer afraid of snakes or rats or even Masterminds. He just wanted to reach Samus.
Eventually, the left wall disappeared, and Marth fell onto his stomach. He had reached the fork. It had taken him longer than he thought. Samus would have reached it much sooner due to her increased speed and vision. She could see a little bit in the pitch blackness. Marth wished he had that ability.
"Okay, take the right side," Marth muttered to himself, trying to keep his panic from rising any further. He wandered forward, hands outstretched. If anybody could see him, he would look like an idiot. He tried to feel a wall. He bumped right into one. When he felt around it, he realized it was the middle of the fork. He went through the right side and continued going as fast as he could without injuring himself.
About five minutes later, Marth's heart started beating faster. There was light. Red light. Light from fire. He had reached his goal after all that time. He inched closer, trying not to give himself away. There was turn, and Marth pressed himself up against the wall. He took several deep breaths, trying to steady himself, then peeked around the corner.
Roy, Link, and Zelda were there, bound and gagged to sturdy structures like stalagmites. Samus was among them, also bound and gagged. She had taken a beating from Mastermind, as there were new cuts and injuries. Mastermind himself, however, was nowhere to be seen. Marth whipped around the corner, eyes wide.
"Guys!" he shouted. "Are you all okay!?!"
As glad as he was to see them, he could tell they were happier to see him. All that time, tied up underground in the dark and cold, not even able to converse with one another, not able to even reassure them everything would be alright...it was monstrous. Marth started freeing them one by one, asking them if they were alright.
"How's it going?" Roy asked Marth, trying to smile but having a coughing fit instead.
"Why are you worried about me?" Marth asked him. "How long have you guys been down here?"
"Well, our newest buddy's been here only a few minutes," Roy said, inclining his head toward Samus. "I've been down here...I don't know how long. You can't exactly tell day and night here. You could only tell it was evening if he'd bring dinner."
Marth freed the rest of them. It was almost like a dream. It had felt like his friends had disappeared, and to have them back was...moving.
Finally, Marth came to Samus.
"It was Ganondorf," Samus said the moment he'd removed her gag. "Him, all along. Mastermind. He did this."
Marth looked up slowly, thinking to himself. He didn't totally understand his motives, but finally most of the puzzle had been completed. And more than that, he was certain Ganondorf would be stopped. Hope sprung from a fountain formerly blocked up, and now the flow couldn't stop. Another poem, he thought.
"Are you going to untie the rest of me or what?"
Marth freed her and stood up along with his friends. He looked at each of them. They had minor injuries, especially Roy.
"Let's get to talking," Marth said. "How did you all get here? Did you learn Ganondorf's plan? Tell me everything I need to know."
"Sorry if you thought I was moping that day," Roy said. "Of course, now, I've kinda got bigger issues to deal with. But that night, I couldn't sleep, so I went to the library to kill some time. I saw Ganondorf, who I couldn't tell was him at the time, until he jumped. When I woke up, I was here."
"Zelda and I made it to the fountain," Link said. "Ganondorf attacked me by surprise. I recovered from the blow and continued to fight him, but then he threatened to kill Zelda when he got her when she wasn't looking. Then he knocked me unconscious, and I woke up here with Roy at my left and Zelda at my right."
Samus shared her story next. "With my enhanced vision, I noticed that one of the tiles on the bottom floor didn't look right when I looked at them all carefully, so I went through the caves and found the three of them here plus Ganondorf. We fought, he beat me. As simple as that."
"What about his plan?" Marth asked. He looked at all of them. "Ganondorf's plan. Did he ever reveal it to you?"
There was silence again. Nobody said anything. Finally, Zelda spoke up. "Before he left, he said he was 'Off to Crazy Hand's work' and that the tournament finale would be 'quite a blast.' I don't know what he meant by that."
Marth thought back, back to when he was in the library. Right before Peach had asked him to meet with Samus and when he had learned that Link and Zelda were missing. He was reading a book about the Linking Dimension. A particular part came to his mind:
We both created our own battling arenas. It was long, hard work. We put all our energy into creating balls of energy that would sustain the arenas, keep them afloat, and protect them from harm. My creation was called Final Destination, and, appropriately, I made it the last arena the fighters would have to go through if they went through the series of matches against well-designed copies of other fighters we created. Crazy Hand's was Battlefield and differed from mine slightly in that it had more platforms. We had thought of the idea of connecting them or sticking them next to each other, but as we are both radically different in personalities and design, so were the arenas. They can't come near each other without exploding. That's why Battlefield and Final Destination are so far apart.
"I know his plan," Marth said. Everybody immediately turned their attention to him. "I remember reading it from a book: Master Hand created Final Destination, and Crazy Hand created Battlefield. If they come near each other, they explode. And the tournament finale takes place on Final Destination." He studied each of their faces. "He's going to send Battlefield into Final Destination and kill all the people there in one blow."
"So that's it, then," Samus muttered to herself.
"What time is it now?" Link asked.
Samus looked at a device on her left wrist. "Ten-twelve."
All of their faces paled. Marth snapped out of it and looked at Roy. "Where's the closest exit out of here?"
"Ganondorf always went that way when he went out," Roy said, pointing to a tunnel opposite the one Marth had come from.
"Then let's move!" Marth shouted.
Without wasting a second, the five heroes dashed towards the exit. Marth grabbed a torch from the nearby fire and held it in front of him to light his way. If they made it quick enough, lives would be spared. If they didn't, all hope was lost.