The Warp Star reappeared in the Dreamland dimension with Angelo, Meta Knight, Samus, and Kirby on board. Angelo was glad that he was here. Hopefully, his hunter wouldn't find him here.

As the four of them jumped off the Warp Star, Angelo sighed. "Okay…that was way too close. Does anyone have any idea who that guy is?"

Meta Knight shook his head as he also dismounted the Warp Star. "Whoever our pursuer is…It would seem that they are very good at what they do. They managed to follow us in and out of the Nether. I only hope they do not come…here."

Angelo nodded. "We need a plan. I don't want to run, but I know when I can't win a fight. That guy was reading my every move. I couldn't even touch him. How the heck can we stop him?"

Samus sighed, jumping from the Warp Star to the ground. "I wish I could tell you, Angelo, but I'm just as clueless as you are."

"What about the other Fighters?" Angelo said. "Surely, they can help us, right?"

Meta Knight put a hand to his chin. "That might work. However, we do not know if they are even alive. When we first escaped to the Nether, the other Fighters were fighting…our pursuer. If they managed to follow us, then I do not know the current condition of the other Fighters. They might be hurt, or worse…"

Angelo shook his head. "A shot in the dark is better than no shot at all. If they can help us, then we need to try. Although, I'd hate to put them in harm's way over me…"

Samus put a hand on the swordsman's shoulder. "Hey. If anyone messes with one of the Fighters, then they're messing with all the Fighters of the Smash dimension. You better believe me when I say that the others will fight for you."

Angelo snorted. "Alright, then. We just need to get there. Can we use the Warp Star to get back to the Smash dimension?"

Kirby answered that question by sighing tiredly and falling forward, toppling off the Warp Star and landing on his face with a plop. Angelo heard snoring coming from the puffball.

"Ooh," Meta Knight said, immediately going over to check on Kirby. "It would seem that using the Warp Star to get here has exhausted Kirby. I do not think he will be helping us anymore."

"What about you, Meta Knight?" Samus asked him. "Can't you also use the Warp Star?"

The small knight sighed. "I could try, but I cannot guarantee that it will take us to where we want to go. I am not as proficient at controlling the Warp Star as Kirby is."

"We gotta try, man," Angelo said. "Let's do it."

He picked Kirby up off the floor and carefully set him down on the Warp Star. The other Fighters then climbed on.

"Are you ready?" Meta Knight asked.

Angelo crouched low on the Warp Star. "I'll try not to fall off, but I may not have a say in the matter."

Samus laughed. "Alright, let's go already."

And with absolutely no warning, the Warp Star shot forward at high speed.

"AHH!" Angelo and Samus screamed while Meta Knight grunted with exertion. He glared directly ahead as the Wasp Star swerved and rocked a few times while flying through the air.

"WHEN YOU MENTIONED A SKILL GAP," Angelo shouted over the wind, "YOU COULD'VE MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD NO IDEA HOW TO CONTROL THIS THING!"

"Oh, hush!" Meta Knight shouted back. "I am getting the hang of it! I can get us out of this dimension! Just watch!"

Not fully convinced, Angelo crouched even lower, reaching out for Samus's hand and grasping it. The bounty hunter squeezed his hand as they continued to gain speed.

"HERE WE GO!" Meta Knight shouted as the Warp Star started making a high-pitched ringing sound.

And with another bling! the Warp Star disappeared out of Dreamland…

…and directly over a lake of lava.

"META KNIGHT!" Angelo and Samus shouted at the same time.

The masked Fighter had no time to justify himself, for the Warp Star was suddenly shot out of the sky.

Angelo yelped as he was sent flying through the air. Below him, he saw the bubbling lava lake, which was actually a moat surrounding a castle. He saw the rocky shore several yards away, and he quickly switched his arm cannon in to blast forward and land on solid ground. He rolled to a stop, gasping and panting.

He quickly stood up and looked around, searching for Meta Knight, Samus, and Kirby.

He found the bounty hunter stranded on a small outcropping of rock in the middle of the lava moat. Meta Knight was flying above the hot liquid with his wings, hovering closer and closer to the other Fighter.

Angelo looked around for Kirby, wondering for a second if he'd fallen in the lava (and wondering if he would survive that, given the fact that he's, well, Kirby).

Then he turned and saw him.

The hunter was holding Kirby by one leg, holding their sword to his face with the other.

Angelo gasped as he saw Kirby's dangerous position. The other Fighter was still sound asleep. Angelo wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Let him go!" Angelo said, instantly switching his arm cannon for his sword. "Don't hurt him!"

The hunter said nothing, only continued to stare at Angelo through their visor. Angelo still couldn't see their face, but had a feeling they were grinning with triumph right now.

He tried again. "What do you want from me!? Why have you been chasing me down this whole time! Do I know you!?"

The hunter moved their shoulders a bit, almost like they were laughing, and threw Kirby to the side. The Fighter rolled to a stop inches away from the edge of the lava moat as Meta Knight flew back to solid ground with Samus in tow. The hunter then lunged at Angelo.

Angelo was so angry that he blocked the strike with barely any effort. "You wanna go? I'm taking you down right now!"

He pushed back and started attacking with the fastest series of sword slashes he'd ever conceived. The hunter seemed to buckle under the onslaught, barely able to block the almost endless number of strikes. Angelo didn't let up in the slightest as he continued driving them back.

Finally, the hunter seemed to get serious. The metal plates on their sword opened up, revealing the glowing energy blade inside, and they started fighting back. Both the hunter and Angelo spent the next few seconds trading blows, striking and blocking and guarding and slashing and trying to gain the upper hand. Angelo never wavered, and neither did the hunter.

That was until Angelo managed to push them back, and Meta Knight flew in and slashed at the hunter. They barely managed to block the strike as they slid back from the force of the blow.

Angelo grinned. "Let's go!" he said to Meta Knight.

The two Fighters fought the hunter together. The adrenaline in Angelo was real, and his heart was racing as they fought. The hunter would block a strike from Angelo, only to almost get sliced in half by Meta Knight as they tried to retaliate. Then they would block that strike while Angelo flanked them and attacked from the side.

It went on and on like this. Angelo was starting to flag, while the hunter didn't seem to tire in the slightest. At last, they blocked another slash from Meta Knight and kicked him directly in the mask, sending the Fighter flying with a pained yell. Angelo screamed and attacked the hunter with renewed ferocity, aiming to avenge his friend. His fighting spirit was quickly halted when the hunter managed to slice Angelo on the leg, drawing a little blood.

Angelo cried out and stumbled, holding his sword over his head to block a potential attack. He then saw that the hunter was crouched on the floor, ready to stab at his exposed side.

Before they could do anything, Samus rushed in and tackled the hunter to the ground. Fighter and hunter rolled over each other as Angelo was left on the floor, breathing heavily.

He'd almost died. Of that, he was absolutely certain. The hunter knew exactly how he was going to defend himself and almost succeeded in working their way around it.

The experience left Angelo more than a little stunned.

Therefore, his mind was clouded and muddled until–

SHING!

Angelo jumped to his feet and looked in the direction of the hunter and Samus.

The bounty hunter now had a free torso piercing, courtesy of her opponent.

Angelo screamed as they removed their sword from Samus's body, which had pierced straight through her Power Suit and right through her body. She fell to the floor, no longer moving.

Angelo glared at the hunter with all the hatred on his soul, ready to channel all that anger into the attack he was about to direct at them.

Before he could make a move, a hand grabbed him from behind, pulling him back.

And everything went black.


Dang, Samus died? We call that a skill issue.