Author's Note - I do not own SSBM, nor anything else mentioned in this story. However, I thought of the plot, so I take credit for that. Let's all hope you like this chapter, and sorry for making you all wait. This is more of a filler chapter, but enjoy anyways.

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Chapter 05 - The Final Tournament

*Fox McCloud*

When my eyes dragged themselves open, the overhead lights struck them hard. Wincing and stifling a gasp, I shut them quick. I wanted to cover them with my right hand, but neither seemed to have a muscle or something. They were so numb and heavy, I couldn't even lift them an inch.

The rest of my body felt wiped out as well, as if only my mind and eyes were working. I groaned slightly and slowly forced my eyes open. "Wh...where am I?" I managed to stammer.

"Hospital wing, of course!" the accented voice of Doctor Mario came from my right, but I couldn't look at him, for my neck felt like rock.

"Oh," was all I could think of saying in reply.

"You have a few problems, Mr. McCloud!" he continued, speaking in a calm, steady voice. "First of all, you're going to be here for a few days,"

"That sounds fine," I groaned.

"You'll be out of this tournament, because the officials of SSBM don't want to wait anymore. I'm sorry,"

I rolled my eyes, but then added, "It's just as well. The two against one was murder."

"You would've been against Zelda and Link, just to let you know," he added.

Now I was glad that I wouldn't be competing! Fighting Zelda would be harder than Bowser and Ganondorf, because it would be emotion holding me back, not just the odds.

"You said I...I had a few problems," I stammered. "What else is there?"

I heard him sigh, then say, "Fox, you didn't suffer any tumors or permanent damage, but...," he paused, and I knew it couldn't be good.

"What?"

"Bowser, when you were unconscious, tried to stomp on you, but Captain Falcon stopped him. Unfortunately, one of that Koopa's claws dug into your right hand's wrist and...,"

When he paused to take another breath, I looked down at my right hand. Bandages were wrapped around my wrist, yet I could still see blood stains under the several layers. My hand itself had no feeling, as if I didn't even have it.

Doctor Mario was stammering, probably trying to think of how to say the bad news in the softest way possible. "Am I going to be able to ever use it again, Doctor?" I asked slowly.

"...That's what I don't know, Fox. Severe muscle, tissue and bone damage has been administered, and, to be honest, it was a miracle I was able to save it from being detached."

I shuddered when mental pictures of my hand being amputated flashed through my mind. How grisly!

"I'll do everything I can to save your hand, Fox," he assured me. "Is it your good hand?"

"...What do you mean?" My mind was still spinning, and I was having a difficult time paying attention to him. My body wanted more than anything to go to sleep.

"Are you right-handed?"

"Oh. Yes, I am."

"Don't worry, Fox. I'm the best doctor you could possibly get within a wide distance. By the way, are the bandages around your head too tight?"

I never really noticed them until he brought it up. They felt like a belt around my forehead, and were a bit wet; that was probably blood.

"They're fine," I breathed, drifting into sleep.

"Well, I'll let you get some sleep now," was the last thing I heard before I drifted off.

*Doctor Mario*

With a sigh, I walked out of my patient's room. The next room I headed for was the waiting room, where Fox's guests were waiting. It was a small bundle, but a fine group, nevertheless.

Princess Zelda Gaiden of Hyrule was sitting in a chair, swinging her legs listlessly as she waited. Pichu and Mr. Game & Watch were playing multiple rounds of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and whoever won would laugh triumphantly and loudly. Yoshi was reading a magazine that was outdated by a few months, but seemed engrossed. Roy looked half-asleep, resting his head on his hand; that was no surprise, considering it was around ten o'clock.

The five beings looked up when I entered. Pichu, whose ears bobbled when he swung his head, almost screamed, "Will he play the piano again, Doc?!"

"He's resting now, and doing okay. He'll be out in a few days," I replied, and the five seemed relieved.

"How's his hand?" asked Roy. "It was bleeding quite a bit when he was taken,"

"That hangs in the air, really," I admitted. "Although I'm sure he will be able to fully use it again sooner or later,"

"Are you sure?" asked Zelda.

"Pretty sure."

"Mario sends his regards!" Yoshi chirped. "He and Luigi and Peach all do, but they too busy telling the board of SSBM about Bowser's actions!"

"Link and Young Link say hi, too," added Zelda, smiling slightly. "He went with Mario to tell about Ganondorf, and Young Link is with him."

Roy looked at both, then stood up. "He's sleeping now, right?" he asked.

"Yes. There is no need for you to see him,"

Pichu moaned, like if that was what he wanted. "But I wanna see him!" he whined.

It took a bit of time, but I was able to get them all out. Actually, Zelda, Roy and Yoshi were no problem, but the two clowns didn't want to budge.

"I'm not going!" shouted Mr. Game & Watch. "I was born in a hospital, and I'm going to die in a hospital!"

"Is there anything I can say to make you go?" I had asked him as politely as possible.

"Sure, let's go, Pichu!" said the two-dimensional man, and he and the baby Pokémon left as simply as that.

I talked with the nurses after they had left, and checked Fox's x-rays. I had lied to Fox and his friends, something I did not want to do. To be truthful, I didn't know if Fox's hand was going to make it or not; he may have a ruined wrist for the rest of his life.

With a heavy sigh, I went to dinner and studied copies of the x-rays, wondering what to do. Lylatian structures are new to me, and even though I'm a very good doctor, I didn't know what to do precisely. Then again, a humanoid wrist was a humanoid wrist and nothing else, right?

*Yoshi*

"Yoshi think Fox was lucky!" I chirped optimistically to my companions. "He could be worse off!"

"True!" agreed little Pichu. "If Captain Falcon hadn't ran over and stopped Bowser, Fox could be in the hospital in five or six pieces."

"What you think board will do to Bowser and Ganondorf?" I asked them.

"Beat them with an ugly stick," replied Mr. Game & Watch.

"Ban them from the next tournament," Roy suggested, looking as if he wanted that.

"Bitch-slap them with a steel glove loaded with bricks," Pichu giggled.

"Personally?" Zelda spoke up. "Well, I don't like or trust Ganondorf, and until he's gone, I'll never be fully comfortable!"

"That's unlike you, Zelda!" said Roy, who raised eyebrow. "I've never heard you speak so strongly like that before!"

"You don't know many things about me, dear Roy," she replied simply.

"They good things, right?" I asked hopefully.

She smiled at me. "Some of them, yes!"

I smiled back, but then my mind wandered to subject I thought about lots. I heard me blurting out, "You like Peach, Zelda?"

This surprised her, which I saw in her facial expression. She looked at me like I gone crazy. "What?" she said. "Why do you ask?"

"It big rumor on the Internet you no like her," I admitted, looking down, sorry I brought it up. "Mr. Game & Watch found it one day,"

She then looked at Game & Watch. "Is this true?"

"Yep," he replied, nodding his head and making beeping sounds. "They think because you both wear pink dresses, have blond hair and blue eyes, and are beautiful that you two hate each other!"

She rolled her eyes and groaned. "That's so stupid," she muttered. "Why would I hate her because of that?"

"Normal human instinct," said Pichu. "When you homo-sapiens see a pretty lady, you automatically think she's stupid or selfish. That's why I'm glad I'm not human!"

Roy looked tad annoyed by Pichu's comment, but me can't blame him. "That's not true for all of us!" he grumbled.

Zelda shook her head, maybe thinking about what me and Game & Watch said. "Well, first off, I'm not human. I'm what humans and Pokémon could call elvin, and I have the ears to prove it."

"Me always thought they look nice!" I chirped. "They must be good for hearing!"

She chuckled and nodded. "Yes, they are. Second, I don't have blue eyes. Mine are violet."

"Oh yeah," Mr. Game & Watch said. "Forgot that."

"Well, you shouldn't forget a girl's eye color, Game & Watch!" she said, and me think she was teasing him. "They could get really mad at you for that!"

"Not in my world," he said. "We don't have eyes, and if we do, they're slits and that's it."

"Interesting," Zelda replied. "And most importantly," she look at me when she saying this. "I hold nothing against Peach. She's darling and sweet, if a bit slow at times. We get along just fine."

"Oh, good!" I chirped. "That make Yoshi happy! We all get along!"

"Apart from Bowser and Ganondorf, of course," Roy muttered.

"Forget those two dimwits," Pichu exclaimed. "Here I am, talking with my best friend, a green dinosaur, a beautiful elf with violet eyes, and the redhead with a fiery sword! Why would I want to think about the two things that make the only negative side of SSBM?!"

"Maybe if you win more, you be more happy?" I suggested, which made them all laugh.

"Hey, we beat you, remember?" Pichu replied.

"Yoshi remember, no need to bring up that," I said, looking down at ground when I walk.

We were at SSBM stadium then. Me see Mario outside the stadium, leaning against door. I cry out happily, and run over to him right then. I approach him, and notice he look angry. "Mario!" I shout. "What wrong?"

Mario looked over at me, his face red with anger. "The board, Yoshi. The stupid board!"

"What is it, dude?" Mr. Game & Watch exclaimed, him and others running up to us. "Aren't they punishing Bowser and Ganondorf?"

"Oh sure, they're punishing!" Mario remark sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "They're suspending them from the current tournament!"

"But Fox beat them!" Roy exclaimed, him looking angry. "They were already out!"

"They claimed they didn't know that, and told us that the punishment' was final!" my friend groaned. "But I can see why they're doing this. They don't want to punish Bowser and Ganondorf, because that will them look bad, punishing two Smashers!"

"Even after what they did to Fox?!" Zelda exclaimed, who looked very angry, just like Roy.

"Yep," Mario rolled his eyes again. "By the way, is Fox okay?"

"He fine," me replied. "His hand get better, doctor say."

"Ah, good," Mario said.

Pichu was growling, looking very mad. "I...can't believe it!" he shouted. "They're getting away with this! You realize, Game & Watch, what this means?!"

"Of course!" Game & Watch replied, rubbing his hands together and making beeping sounds. "This means WAR!!"

* * *

*Pichu*

"Hey, you ever stop to think what would happen if cell phones replaced normal phones?" I asked my friend.

We were all at the regular restaurant that all of the Smashers ate at. It was only day after my friends and I had visited Fox in the hospital, and he was already out! Doctor Mario was astounded, and had concluded that Lylatians heal fast. Yet Fox wasn't in tip-top condition, walking around slowly, constantly clutching his forehead, which was still wrapped in bandages.

"No, not really," replied Mr. Game & Watch, who was eating French fries at the moment.

"Me neither," I admitted.

Fox walked by just then, carrying his tray with one hand. He waved with the other, and we waved back. He sat down at a table, but didn't start eating right away.

"Vulpine kid looks better!" I commented, nodding my head towards him.

"Yeah, he does,"

"It hasn't been a good year for him, has it?"

"His friend is now dead, he is out of the tournament, he was in the hospital for a day, and the two guys who put him there aren't being punished because it is the political correct thing to do!"

"I hate political correctness!"

"I should say. Isn't Jar-Jar Binks one of your favorite Star Wars guys?" he asked, and I swear, if he could raise an eyebrow, he would have.

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone, okay? Everyone will look at me funny and stare,"

"They already do."

"Well, that's beside the point. The point is a needle's tip. But the major issue is that if you like something others hate, no matter what it is, they don't like you."

"I don't think any of the Smashers, apart from Beavis and Butthead," he commented as he jerked his thumb at Bowser and Ganondorf, "are like that."

"We're special. What I meant was humans. They just love to hate others. Hate, hate, hate."

"This is a side of you I don't see often."

"Jar-Jar Binks fans are rarely serious, mesa dink."

Mr. Game & Watch laughed, then looked over at another of the tables. I looked over as well, only to see Zelda, Link, Marth and Roy at one table. "What is it?"

"Zelda," he muttered, chomping on his hamburger. "I think Fox has a crush on her,"

"On Zelda?" I whispered, trying to not be heard. "But they're not even the same species!"

"He's a Lylatian, dude. Their species is all kinds of creatures that look different. Falco's girlfriend was part cat."

"Oh, so it's like black and white humans falling in love, huh?"

"Mesa dink so."

"So, how do you know this, oh matchmaker Game & Watch?"

"He's always glancing at her, and he looks around to see if no one's looking. When he was out of the hospital, he smiled more when she said hi than when anyone else did. And when she talks to him, he gets real nervous and all."

"Maybe he fears Link coming after him with a vengeance?"

"Nah, I don't think so."

"You could be wrong. Maybe he just finds her very, very attractive."

"Sure, my judgment could be wrong and mine could be right. Then again, you like Jar-Jar Binks."

"AH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!" I exclaimed, snapping. "So fricking what?! Why does everyone who learns that I like Jar-Jar Binks think I'm a flipping mental case?"

The others were staring, but I didn't care anymore. I was glaring at Mr. Game & Watch, who was drinking his soda. "Dude, I already thought you were as big a mental case as I am when I met you."

Making a raspberry with my lips, I rolled my eyes and jumped down from my seat to the floor. "I'm going to the stadium, where I'll wait for you all. Don't take your time now!"

I stormed out the restaurant fuming. No one has any idea how sick I am of being mocked about my opinions! Like one fictional character, and everyone turns against you, even your best friends! Jar-Jar is fictional, for crying out loud!

Muttering angrily to myself, including some words that I'm ashamed of using normally, I headed for the stadium. I was growing more and more pissed as I grouched over the issue, and it was good thing I was alone. I would had exploded at the first being to say anything to me.

*Fox McCloud*

My head thumped with pain as Pichu's powerful voice rang across the restaurant. I groaned and clutched my head, as if that could dampen the pain. Of course it didn't, but there wasn't anything I could do otherwise.

Pichu's outburst was the last thing I expected to hear when I left the hospital. The little, cheerful guy hadn't been angry ever since the day I met him, and it was also more shocking that the person he exploded at was his friend! It was like I left the hospital to a world I was not familiar with.

Bowser and Ganondorf were going unpunished, which I had overheard yesterday from Pichu and Mr. Game & Watch's ranting and raving. Also, the final fight was today. It was to be a two verses two verses two. The battlers were Link and Zelda, Ness and Nana, and Captain Falcon and Samus Aran. A six-man battle was going to be interesting to watch, but I didn't know if my head could take it; the stadium was equipped with an extremely loud sound system that was like the one's in theater.

My meal, even though small, seemed too much for me to eat. I just didn't feel hungry, and I hadn't ever since I left the hospital. My wrist and forehead were still wrapped in tight bandages, and my right hand was still pretty much numb. I was going to have to practice using my left hand.

"You gonna eat that?"

I turned to see Yoshi eying me with sad eyes, looking from my food to me then back to my food. Smiling, I said, "Knock yourself out."

"Thank you!" With that, Yoshi's long tongue whipped out and slurped down my meal in one gulp! He licked his lips and sighed contentively, then added, "Thanks again, Fox!"

"No problem, Yoshi."

"Who you betting on?"

"Pardon?"

"In today's fight. Who you betting on?"

"Oh...probably Link and Zelda."

"Ah, Yoshi see. Yet me think Falcon and Samus are gonna win, for they really strong. Me would've bet on you if you were in, because you beat Bowser and Ganondorf alone! Very impressive!"

"Thanks," I said, flattered and slightly moved.

"It true! ...Yoshi go to stadium now. Want ride?"

"No thanks, I can manage."

"Me no mind. Me gave Mario and Peach and Luigi many rides in the past."

"Thanks, but no. I'm really okay, it's just my head and wrist."

"Okay, den. You just tell me when you want ride, and Yoshi give you one. See you at stadium!"

The green dinosaur then left, humming a tune to himself. I stayed at the restaurant for a few minutes, then left myself. When I got there, the only people there were Pichu, Yoshi and Luigi. The plumber and the dinosaur were talking, while the baby Pokémon sat in his seat fuming. It would probably be best to steer clear of him, so I sat down alone.

The other Smashers all came into the stadium eventually, Mr. Game & Watch being last. He walked over to Pichu and sat down next to him wordlessly. Yet when the two-dimensional man spoke, I could easily hear him, thanks to my great fox ears.

"Hey, dude. I'm sorry about teasing you," he apologized.

"Hmmph," grumbled Pichu.

"Isn't there anything I can say so that you forgive me?" Game & Watch asked, sounding kind of sad.

"Sure, I forgive you!" the baby Pokémon then hugged his friend.

The time of the fight came in a couple of minutes. Mario walked over to the keyboard, then looked over at me! "Hey, Fox!" he called. "Why don't you control it for this round?"

I shrugged, pulled myself up, and walked over to the electronic board. Mario quickly explained the controls to me, then left to sit in the stands. I nervously glanced at the board, then at the crowd.

"Well...," I started, trying to think of what to say. "I guess it's time for the main event of fierce, frenzied fighting for fans' fancies!"

This got a few laughs, and cheers from the now happy Pichu and Mr. Game & Watch. I then continued with, "Let the battlers come on down! Link and Zelda Gaiden! Ness and Nana! Captain Falcon and Samus Aran!"

The others cheered as the six walked down, some cheering on their favorites. I could hear Popo shouting his sister and friend on.

When I transported all of them, I asked the crowd, "Now, where shall the six battle?"

"FLAT ZONE!!" Mr. Game & Watch shouted.

"Icicle Mountain!" Popo exclaimed.

"Pokémon Floats!" Pikachu suggested.

"Final Destination," said Mewtwo, almost too quietly to be heard.

"Flat Zone!!" Pichu and Mr. Game & Watch screamed in unison.

"Oh, why not?" I muttered, then looked over the board's display of the map, which was touch-activate. Pressing Flat Zone, I could hear Mr. Game & Watch and Pichu exclaim in joy and triumph.

I watched the fight from the board, silently cheering on Zelda. The final match was set for five stock for every combatant, so the fight, even in Flat Zone, would be longer than normal.

Everything was going normally, all six of them only losing one stock each after a short period of time. Then the sky began to rain two dimensional tools. Every time one of the Smashers was hit by a falling object, Pichu and Mr. Game & Watch would cheer or laugh loudly.

They also made some pretty bad puns.

When a pail hit Falcon, Pichu shouted, "That's what I call a pail' stone!"

Game & Watch exclaimed when a wrench hit Nana, "Gut-wrenching, huh?"

A hammer hit Zelda, and Pichu cried, "Boy, did she get nailed!"

This continued all throughout the falling of tools, and stopped at the same time. The other result of the downfall of two dimensional objects was that the stock was off-balance. Link and Ness had three, Captain Falcon had four, and Zelda, Samus and Nana had two.

The fight tilted in Falcon and Samus's favor when Samus knocked Ness out with a missile and destroyed one of his remaining stock. Zelda was able to kick Falcon out and wipe out his fourth stock, but the two bounty hunters looked like the favored team from here. They had more stock than the other two teams.

The six battled, and then something really turned the tide of battle. Falcon released a Pokémon from a Pokéball, and out popped out the legendary Lugia. When it blasted its Aerosmith attack from the background, all of Falcon and Samus's opponents were knocked to the horizon. Now the two were really in the lead, and it would take a miracle for either of the two teams to win.

Nana was the first to go when Link threw a Bob-omb at her and wiped out her last stock. Then Ness was nailed by a Falcon Punch and finished. Zelda was defeated right after, when Samus slammed her with a cannon punch. The Link slashed at the female bounty hunter and knocked her into the horizon, defeating her for good.

Now it was Captain Falcon with two stock against Link with one. Link fought like a desperate man, but Falcon wasn't cutting him any slack. With a few well-timed moves, the Hyrulian hero was knocked to the side and was eliminated.

The tournament was over, and the winners were Captain Falcon and Samus Aran!