Master hand has gained his first fighters in his tournament. But something just didn't feel right. This tournament is going to be the greatest one ever seen, isn't it? He continued to form the arena with his abilities. It was a fairly simple one in his mind, merely a floating island made with simple rocks and pebbles. He struggled to find just what was missing at the moment. He already captured the famed plumber of the Mushroom Kingdom, and then he grabbed a hold of-
The realization finally came to the hand. This is all treading the same grounds. What's happening currently is just another match between two figures that were known for battling each other! The hand slammed itself down in frustration.
"God! How did I not recognize this sooner! I need an imminent fix to this now!"
The hand continued to fixate on who to get his hand on to make this first battle jaw dropping. He needed to give a challenge, one that will leave them all amazed at the skill of this new fighter that they've never seen before! But it also had to be a face that will reassure them that there is no villainy in his actions. He merely wants to demonstrate that he's the new god of their multiverse and he will use them as an amazing source of entertainment to greater masses. Where is the wrong in that?
Master hand paused for thought, and then it hit him. The saver of hyrule would be a perfect mood setter for his tournament. But that left the question on what he was going to do with this other fighter he had laying around. This next answer was harder to come to, but once he had a solution he had full confidence that this match would go off without a hit.
Link fired the first shot at the plumber, who evaded the stray arrow with his acrobatics and attempted to counter with his trademark stomp.
Link lifted his Hylian shield in the air and raised his blade to counter the plumber's stomp, managing to slice at his shoes. Mario quickly made distance between the two again until Link fired another quick arrow that made a direct impact.
Link proceeded to make a quick advance to the plumber as Mario desperately evaded the attacks of the sword wielder before landing in a strike of his own which sent the Hylian flying to the edge.
Link quickly shook off his shock and decided to play from afar with his opponent. He fired arrow after arrow, most if not all of them landing their mark on the Italian.
Mario realising that he was being backed into a corner jumped to the platform above to avoid fire as Link followed suit.
The soldier fired a few more arrows into the plumber before deciding to switch it up with an explosive bomb. Mario was shocked by this sudden development and looked back, only to realize he was quickly being backed into a corner by the Hylian's attacks.
The Hylian threw the explosive at the plumber leading to him being launched off the platform. The fighter was confident that it was over and calmed his nerves.
"Oh, now don't you dare count him out just yet champ." Master Hand announced with glee. He pointed back at the edge and saw that Mario was getting up from it. Link was shocked at the sight, there should have been no way for him to make it back there after the explosion.
Mario got up exhaustedly after the explosion took place. It was a difficult jump, but he's felt with jumps far worse than that. The jump man needed a plan if he was going to win this. He tried to recall any way for him to stop those explosives and one of the first ideas he had was his fire hand technique. He was admittedly out of touch with it, but it should suffice for now.
"This match has been a real spectacle so far! Let's hear it for our fighters!"
The two fighters continued to battle on as the viewers watched.
"Oh my god! Who is that guy!?"
"Wait, you aren't familiar with Link?"
"Why would I know anything about a weird, elf man with a sword!?"
"Then why are you so opposed to this middle aged madness?"
The toad gasped at the Hylian villager's comment. "Did you really say that about Mario!"
The villager shook his head in confusion.
"I'll have you know that Mario is the coolest, awesomest, and handsomest person ever!" The toad yelled astonishingly.
The Hylian stared at the toad in confusion and turned back to the screen and watched as Mario was getting pelted by arrows.
"Well, it seems your hero is having a really hard time even touching our hero. You know, the better one."
The toad began fuming at his remarks. "Why I oughta-"
The aggression between the Toads and Hylains seemed to be increasing, but Master Hand knew how to solve this. He flew over toward Beetle, who was also watching the fight.
"Hello my small Hylian friend. Care to engage in a business deal?"
"Aye! Don't hurt me!"
"Relax now! I'm in need of your services. I want you to get your hand on some gold coins…"
"Oh and how am I supposed to do that! You have any idea how rare those are?!"
"Yes." He turned over to a nearby toad
"Ah! Giant hand!"
"Hello, can I barrow a gold coin? It's for… my brother's toy collection."
"Oh, well, you might be a giant hand that's threatening the lives of everybody here…. But I guess I can give to some charity!"
Beetle stood their jaw dropped.
"Real hard there, isn't it Beetle."
Beetle just stood still, shaking and crying like a small child.
"I'm just saying that in return for gold coins… I'm willing to give you some rubies…"
Master hand watched as the gears began turning in Beetle's head. "Oh~ thank you! I'll make the most of this deal!"
Beetle gathers all of the townsfolk around him for an announcement. "Alright now! I think with all of this discussion of these two fighters, we should start some friendly bets. If you're confident that Link is going to win then pay rubies, if you think that red guy is somehow gonna bet him, pay with whatever currency you have."
The townsfolk stared at each other. Some were dusisting the possibility of a scam until one toad placed 20 coins onto the desk. Then they all began to gather around and place bets.
"All according to plan…" Master Hand laughed.
Link fired more arrows but it became clear that the plumber had adapted to this style so he launched another bomb at the plumber. Little did he know this was the chance Mario was waiting for as he shot out a fireball at the bomb which self-destructed in Link's face. Link was heavily damaged by the attack and retreated to higher grounds.
Mario took notice and quickly hopped up to Link to begin physical engagement with the swordwielder. Link slashed at Mario as he avoided the blade and punched back at the Hylian, dealing great damage to his body and kicking him back to the ground. Mario lashes out at the swordsman as Link is forced to parry his attacks. Link dashed around the corner and attempted a counter slash that was futile as Mario evaded and smashed a flaming fist into his gut, launching him to the edge of the arena.
Link struggled while getting up and gave a few heavy coughs as the plumber rushed in. Link readied his shield as Mario jumped at him. Link gave a quick hop and did a spin attack that cut off one of the threads holding Mario's overalls up like butter.
The two stared at each other in a standstill, giving more heavy breaths before once again lunging at each other. They clashed into each other as Mario gave off a powerful thrust, only to be blocked by Link's shield as he proceeded to end the fight with two mighty slashes. The plumber was knocked down, ending the battle.
"And the winner of this fight is…. LINK!"
There was a sudden roar of a crowd when he announced the victory. The Hylians were satisfied at the victory while the Toads were shocked and upset over the loss of their great hero.
Link turned over to the plumber. But rather than a corpse, there was this statue of him instead.
"Now now… let's show some good sportsmanship after our victory Link~"
"What is going on here!" Link turned his blade swords the hand. Everyone was shocked by the outlash. It was rare to see Link speak, some have even mistaken him for being completely mute in the past.
"Calm down champion… This is all in the name of friendly competition. Now be a good example for all the boys and girls and touch the statue."
Link, hesitant to trust anything coming from the hands… voice, begrudgingly touched the statue. It gave of a golden glow and sparks before it revived the superstar back to their full glory.
"Mama mia…" the Italian plumber remarked as he slowly rubbed off the headache that came with his sudden revival.
"Now shake hands you two, you don't want your friends at home getting a little… violent. After seeing this match."
Once that was said they quickly and enthusiastically shook hands. The crowd cheers as the first match of the tournament ends.
"Now then…" the hand snapped there fingers, creating another island with a camp site.
"The both of you will be resting together as I gather feedback from this match. The both of you better start getting to know each other better, for I have planned a team battle for the both of you. I bid you, ado."
The hand teleported away as the two warriors stood their after some awkward silence. The two quickly gave apologies to each other for immediately resorting to violence and rest in for the night.
"Bwahahahaha! Now that! That was great! Kamek! Come in here, now!" The koopa king demanded
"Yes your grouchiness…"
"Look at this!" He pointed to the video of the match between Mario and Link. More specifically, the attack that destroyed Mario.
"Your nastiness, I think we have greater problems here. Like those zombies appearing at the front of our door." Kamek mentioned, more surprised that he was able to finish the sentence.
"Ah don't worry about that! We turned them into those trophy things in no time flat. But your right."
"Thank you your-"
"What about Junior!? I wanna show him this too but what if they have" Bowser got closer and whispered. "Swear words."
Kamek gave a sigh as he summoned a letter. Bowser immediately took it and wrote his concerns before Kamek teleported the letter to the hand. It seems his fears of the hand are going to go unnoticed for the time being.
Riju sat at her throne, waiting for her guards to give her new information on the effects this 'Master Hand' has caused to her homeland.
"Buliara, what have you discovered?"
"Lady Riju, I have recently learned of a new land that has appeared close to our home. It calls itself 'Sarasaland.' And they have yet to cause any harm."
"This is great news Buliara."
"But I regret to inform you that there have been reports of men around the area. One of them has been said to have evil eyes."
"Then we must go after them. Where are they?"
"I believe they're at the sales market. At least, I've heard rumors of a foul smell lurking around there."
"Wahahahaha! Come one, come all! Step right up to get your fourtiens seen today! By the great Wari-I mean, Warlita."
The two Gerudo women's stop by and locate the scourge of the smell. Buliara gaged as Riju confronted the stranger.
"Greetings, vai. What brings you to our village."
"Riches!" The women were caught back by the strangers yelling. "Uh-I mean, fortunes, yes, I came here for fortunes."
Riju began taking a good look at their appearance. They were rather small and had a plump body type and a deep voice. On further inspection, they were also wearing a mask.
"Vai, may you please remove that mask?"
"Oh-whatever are you talking about!? This is my natural face! No tricks up here-" the mask was pulled off revealing that the 'vai' was actually a voe.
"…uh…care to buy Wario's new micro mini games?"
"Waahaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Warri screened as he was thrown out of the door.
"And if you ever return, we will kill you on the spot!" Buliara ordered as he was left in the desert sands.
"Well, I believe this salves our voe problem."
As the two Gerudo women walked away, in the distance stood the only Gerudo man ever known. He watched his old home from afar, before walking away to find those that are willing to join him.