Chapter Thirteen
Round Two:
N64 Link and Pikachu Versus Master Hand!
"How is this possible?! My field should have killed you!" Master Hand raged. Link grinned and unshrank the Poké Ball.
"The ring GB Link gave me acted like an extra life and inner shield. You zapped the GB Link me, but not the real me. The ring shattered to give me a second chance." he replied smugly, "I'll have to get a new one for GB Link once I get done with you. So stop yapping and let's do this!"
"As you wish, False Star!" Master Hand shouted and tried to slap across the arena. Link rolled under the attack and stood up behind him.
"And the name's Link! N64 Link of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time! And I'm not your only problem, Pal!" Link shouted angrily and hurled the ball straight down, "Pikachu! Time to double team!" The ball exploded and the true electric mouse leaped out and landed next to his friend.
"All right! Ready to rumble! Finally, I get a little action!" Pikachu declared, "Hey, Link! Did Banana Brains give you any trouble?"
"Not a bit! He thought I was GB Link once I put on my special First Gen Ring! I got him back a dozen times over, though!" Link forced a laugh, knowing that he would still be killed whether he won the tournament or not.
"Impossible! That rat failed a challenge!" Master Hand shrieked and looked up at the capsule. The robot Pikachu kept pounding on the glass. "How can it be that he is here and in my trap?!"
"I had a plan the whole time, Master Hand! A fake Pikachu would take my friend's place, while the real Pikachu traveled with me to enter this arena. Together, we would defeat you!" Link yelled out, "Robo-Pikachu! Final order! Self-destruct!" The robotic Pikachu stiffened and began to count down.
"Pika. Pika. Pika. Pika-pika. Pika-pika. Pika-pika. Pikapika-pikapika. Pika-CHU!" the robot barked and then exploded, shattering the capsule. Link smiled up at Master Hand.
"See? I used your robots against you. Now, try to take us on!" he declared and raced forward to slash.
"Let's see if you can handle a taste of real Pika power!" Pikachu declared and leaped at Master Hand for an Electric Drill attack. Master Hand writhed and shot forward to escape, knocking both fighters down to set up another attack. He zoomed into the distance, then came in to slap the platform. Link and Pikachu dodged it and came in to attack again. The stars and comets shone brightly in the skies around them as the battle went on. The scoreboard changed to match the fight. Next to Link's picture was Pikachu's image, and Master Hand's health points were down to 199. The skies grew cloudy and it became a little harder to see where the force fields lay.
"You cannot defeat me! It's hopeless! Impossible!" Master Hand raged. He tried to fire another bullet, but Pikachu rolled away from it. Link raised his shield and ground his teeth, taking the hit, then leaped up to hit him again.
"If he was with us all along, then he heard what we were saying on the way up here!" Fox exclaimed in realization, "What Captain Falcon said... N64 Link must think that we really are planning on shutting him down after the tournament!"
"What did Capt. Falcon say?!" Samus demanded. Fox looked in her direction with a pale face.
"He said that we should activate Link's shutdown code and put him in the Omega Vault, then replace him with a new Link built with the first generation design!" he replied.
"That's why he's fighting the way he is now." Samus growled as she watched the match. Link quickly raised a shield to absorb part of another blow and braced himself as he was pushed back a few feet by the force of it. "Link is fighting as if he has nothing to lose, because he feels that he really doesn't. He could either die in the tournament, or die at home, so he's chosen to die in battle rather than be shut down by the people he had always thought cared for him."
"Go, Link! You can do it! Hang in there, Pikachu! It's all up to the two of you now!" Mario shouted words of encouragement. The other characters began to chant along. "Go, Link! Go, Link! Pi-ka-chu! Pi-ka-chu!"
"Hey! Rooting for the home team!" Pikachu panted with a smile as he called down a Thunderjolt attack to zap Master Hand. "They're lovin' us, Link!" Link didn't answer, just went on slashing. "Link? You okay, pal?" Still no answer.
"You can't do this to me! I am powerful! I am the master of this realm! You are insignificant nothings!" Master Hand bellowed as he rose out of the line of attack and jabbed at the fighters together with his Finger Poke attack. Link and Pikachu tumbled together to the platform and scrabbled to avoid the Palm Press attack, the destructive platform slap that had defeated the former fighters. The clouds in the background began to swirl in a fast and furious vortex and Master Hand's health was down to 150 points and he was infuriated by it. "I cannot be defeated by a boy and his pet rat!"
"Hey! Who you callin' a rat, ya rat?! I ain't the one who yanked innocent characters from their games just to have a shot at interdimensional domination!" Pikachu snapped angrily. Link threw a boomerang out to knock another health point off of Master Hand.
"That's it! That is it! You will both die!" Master Hand shrieked and closed his fingers up tightly together, then shot up into the air. Pikachu and Link watched him go up, confused.
"Now what do you think that punk's getting ready to do?" Pikachu muttered as Master Hand began to spin incredibly fast and dive straight down at them. Link screamed in shock and dove at the mouse.
"Pikachu! Get out of the way!" he shrieked and screamed again as Master Hand smashed into his back, still spinning in his Finger Drill attack. Pikachu tumbled across the platform, grabbed the edge and scrabbled back up.
"Link!" he shrieked in horror as he watched the elf get twisted and drilled up in the fast and furious attack. With a cruel laugh, Master Hand ended the attack and threw Link across the platform.
"Revenge! I told you that you would die, False Star!" Master Hand crowed as Pikachu ran to Link's side and the other Nintendo fighters strained to see if he was all right. Pikachu sobbed as he tried to shake Link awake.
"Link, buddy! Wake up! Please!" he whispered. The elfin hero lay on his side, limp and prone on the dark blue platform that was the Master Arena. His eyes were closed and there was a thick trail of bright red blood trickling from the corner of his mouth all the way down past his ear, pooling underneath him. "Link, you can't do this to me, pal!" Pikachu went on tearfully, "You made this plan! You said we'd take him on together! You and me! A duo! The two rookies proving themselves to Nintendo! You... you can't die on me now!" Link didn't answer. Pikachu placed his ear to his chest and strained to hear a heartbeat. Nothing.
Pulling back in anguish, the mouse kept shaking him. "Link! Don't be dead! You can't be dead! You told me that you would make it! You told me we'd do this together! That we would save Nintendo!" Pikachu cried and began to pound on the elf's chest with tiny fists, "You can't do this to me! Don't die! Don't you dare be dead! Link, you rat, how could you do such a stupid thing as to die now?!"
"Oh, no." Samus murmured and looked up at the scoreboard. Link's damage was at 300 percent already and a small gold halo appeared over the picture. "No, he can't be!" she cried in sorrow.
"What will we tell the other Links?" Mario whispered tearfully as he looked down at the scene before him. DK stared at the platform.
"Sunshine's faking it, right?" he squeaked, "Somebody tell me he's just playing possum 'cause he's too chicken to go on. Blondie's not really dead... is he?"
Master Hand laughed harder as Pikachu stepped back, shaking his head in disbelief. Link hadn't moved an inch, didn't even respond to an electric shock. It was true. Link had died in the middle of the fight, killed by Master Hand's cruel attack.
"It was meant for me." Pikachu whispered and trembled in a fury, growling deep in his throat and baring sharp teeth as he whirled around to face Master Hand. "The attack was meant for me, and Link took the full force to save me. You murderer! You killed Link, and you meant to do it to me!" he shrieked at the boss.
"He was a fool. He should have let you die first. It would have allowed him a few more seconds of life. He could have spared himself the pain of my power if he had just died when I threw him into the field the first time." Master Hand purred darkly. "No matter. He's dead, as I told him he would be. And when I have defeated you, you will return to your proper place among the rest of my slaves." The energy in the capsules was near the characters' heads, touching their necks. Another few minutes and they would be consumed by the energy and brainwashed into slavery.
"Murderer!" Pikachu shrieked again, "Link wasn't a fool! He gave his life to save Nintendo! He's a true star! And you're gonna pay for his death with your own!" He dropped to all fours and snarled, charged up with electricity. "Prepare to meet your end, Master Hand! You're gonna answer to me now, and I'm a major Poké-pain-in-the-butt!" he shrieked.
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Round Three:
Pikachu Versus Master Hand!
Master Hand laughed again and fired a Finger Shot. Pikachu leaped over it and Electric Drilled the evil hand. Enraged, Master Hand slapped at him, then tried another Palm Press. The mouse rolled past both attacks and kept on drilling. The vortex spun faster and the capsules began to shake under the onslaught of energy generated by the enraged hand and the infuriated electric mouse.
"If this keeps up, we'll all be in danger of being destroyed by their battle!" Samus shouted over the clash of the two powers.
"We can't get out of these things! My blaster doesn't work on the stupid glass!" Fox cried and struggled to keep his head above the rising energy, "And this stuff is getting higher! Help! Help!"
"Die, you pathetic rat! Die and join your pitiful friend in the afterlife!" Master Hand bellowed as he punched Pikachu. The mouse tumbled through the air, drilled down to hit the platform and used it as a launchpad to headbutt the giant hand. All through the battle, Link's body still lay on the platform, motionless.
"How's about you die first so he can give you another beating in the other world?!" Pikachu retorted and pulled another Drill to reduce Master Hand's health points to a hundred. The hand showed signs of wear and tear, bloodied and ragged but still full of fight. Pikachu was just as battle ravaged, but refused to give in to the weariness that threatened to force him into defeat.
"Why don't you give up already?! You know that I am invincible! I will rule the Realm of Humanity for all time!" Master Hand shrieked.
"Why us?! Why did you attack Nintendo?! Playstation and Sega have large audiences of their own! Why did you pick Nintendo to spread your evil?!" Pikachu shrieked as he rolled away from another Palm Press.
"I will start with your system, then do the same to the others! All three systems will become my slaves and they will enslave Humanity for me! Nintendo is weak and vulnerable! A perfect first target!" Master Hand laughed, "Just as weak and pathetic as your little elf friend, Link! The way he failed, that is how you will fail and how Nintendo will collapse and become my ship of evil and despair!"
"Over my dead body!" Pikachu screamed as he leaped up to Electric Drill him. Master Hand swooped in to meet him.
"As you wish, Electric Rat!" he howled in twisted pleasure. The two collided and fell back apart, heavily damaged. Pikachu was up to over a hundred and twenty percent damage and Master Hand was down to seventy health points. He fired a Finger Shot and Pikachu blocked, then fired two more as he dropped the shield. Pikachu flew over the edge of the platform, but utilized his Zap Jump to get back up and Drilled Master Hand again. The clouds around them swirled faster and faster, symbolizing how furious and fierce the battle was as the two fighters collided again and again.
"Pikachu! Hurry it up! We can't hang on much longer!" Kirby cried as he strained to keep his mind as the energy engulfed him. The other fighters struggled with the brainwashing energy that invaded their minds and threatened their freedom.
"You're our last hope, Pikachu! Do it for Nintendo! Do it for Link!" Fox cried and screamed as he felt himself losing to the power of the evil energy.
Speeding across the platform as Master Hand tried another Finger Drill attack, Pikachu turned sharply and lashed out with a Tail Attack, followed by a Mid-Air Kick. Down to forty points, Master Hand fought back wildly, firing Finger Shots everywhere and slapping at the air in attempts to hit the fleet-footed mouse.
"I cannot be defeated! I am all-powerful! You are a mere rat!" Master Hand screamed in blind rage, pounding the platform with Palm Presses. Pikachu leaped and Electric Drilled him, then landed on the ground to give the scoreboard a quick glance. Twenty points left. He had a hundred and ninety percent damage. No problem.
"Yeah. This'll be quick and fun!" Pikachu murmured with a laugh and leaped over another spontaneous slap. He pulled another Drill and rolled away to check the score again. Eleven points. He threw a bolt of electricity and knocked away more health. Six points. "I know exactly how to end this." Pikachu whispered fiercely and raced forward as Master Hand came flying in for another Palm Press.
"DIE, RAT!" Master Hand screamed, closing in for the kill. Pikachu leaped up to meet the attack head on, fully charged with electricity, enough for one last Thunderjolt attack.
"This one's for Link!" Pikachu screamed back and unleashed the full force of the powerful electric attack as he slammed into Master Hand. The hand exploded, shrieking in rage and agony as the vortex exploded with him. Flames engulfed the writhing hand as he fell from the sky and disappeared into the depths of Tournament Mountain. Pikachu landed on the platform, exhausted and completely drained of strength. He looked over the edge at the ball of fire that was Master Hand's dead form and smiled tiredly. "Link, your plan worked. I'm sorry you didn't live to see this. He makes a pretty cool fireball." he whispered and looked back sadly at the lifeless elf.
The capsules shattered and the fighters were freed of the evil energy. They dropped onto the platform as a wide bridge formed to connect the Master Arena to the warp that would take them out of the mountain's core. Mario rushed to Link's side and checked him over quickly as the others gathered around. Pikachu limped up to them and sagged tiredly. Samus picked him up and held him.
"He's definitely gone." Mario finally sighed and pulled off his hat in respect. Fox blinked back tears and straightened in a respectful salute. Samus bowed her head. Kirby looked down at the floor. Yoshi bowed his head and lowered his tail. Even DK, looking guilty and regretful, lowered his head. "You fought well and bravely to save us. We thank you." Mario whispered, looking down at the elf. He would have said more, but Tournament Mountain began to shake violently. He looked around in surprise. "What? What's going on?" he exclaimed. Chunks of rock began to fall from the ceiling of the arena as the shaking grew worse.
"Tournament Mountain's caving in!" Fox shouted, "This whole place is crumbling! We'll be crushed if we don't get off this rock fast!"
"DK! Get Link's body! We're not leaving him here!" Mario ordered. DK swallowed hard and picked up the elf, slinging him over one shoulder. "Take it easy on him! He died for us, and for you, you ungrateful ape!"
"It's the best I can do!" DK protested as they raced across the bridge to the portal. The ape pounded along, using one arm to help propel his bulk along while the other secured Link on his shoulder. "Listen, Sunshine." DK panted under his breath, "I know it's way too late for apologies, but... I am supremely sorry for all the crud I put you through, and for taking your Nintendo Coin." The group vanished into the portal and transported outside.
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"What's going on?! It sounded as if the entire mountain was being ripped apart from the inside out!" Ness exclaimed as the fighters reappeared.
"That's because it is! We gotta get off this hunk of rock before it becomes a giant pile of kitty litter!" Fox barked as a ramp began to form on the mountain, spiralling around it and reaching the bottom. They began to run down it.
"Mario! You're okay!" Luigi exclaimed in joy as he made his way to his brother. Mario winked at him.
"Told you I'd come back!" he laughed and kept running. Captain Falcon sidled up to Samus and puffed alongside her.
"My beloved bounty hunter! You've returned to me!" he gushed.
"Shut up! You told N64 Link that we were going to put him in the Omega Vault?! Have you lost what little mind you had to begin with?!" Samus snapped at him. Capt. Falcon looked startled.
"But the rookie wasn't even here!" he protested and yelped in shock as DK pounded past him with N64 Link on one shoulder, "Hey! When did he come back?! I thought GB Link entered the competition!"
"It wasn't the real GB Link, you moron! It was N64 Link disguised as GB Link! He heard every word you said about him!" Fox shrieked back as the mountain began to crumble and the levels collapsed on themselves. The ramp began to disintegrate behind the Allstars as they raced ever faster down the mountain. The skies were a dark and fiery red.
"What happened to him?! Is he okay?! He looks real beat up!" Jigglypuff cried as Samus scooped her up and carried her along.
"Link's dead and there's nothing we can do about it." Pikachu whispered sorrowfully, "He took a hit that was meant for me, and it killed him. Master Hand murdered my best friend and I was left to defeat him on my own." Jigglypuff looked shocked.
"But... you failed the target challenge!" she cried. Pikachu shook his head.
"Link had a plan to hide me in a Poké Ball and carry me with him. He stole a robot Pikachu to take my place and tricked Master Hand so we could both attack him at the same time. Master Hand was so angry, he killed Link for it, and I was left alone to finish carrying out Link's plan." he explained and closed his eyes, too weak to continue speaking.
"Faster! Faster! Tournament Mountain's almost gone!" Yoshi shrieked as they reached the bottom of the mountain and scrambled to get as far away from the mountain as possible. The mountain began to implode, collapsing in on itself as the Allstars and the rescued characters raced across the grassy plains to get away from the rain of burning rubble and boulders.
Finally, when they were far enough away to feel safe, the Nintendo fighters watched as Tournament Mountain crumbled and exploded in a brilliant eruption of light and fire. They breathed hard and fast, fighting to catch their breaths as DK carefully set Link onto the grass, placing one arm across his belly and turning his head to one side. The characters gathered around him in sorrow.
"Do we bury him here?" Ness whispered and looked up at Fox, "Are we trapped here? There's no way of contacting home, or getting a portal there since Master Hand was the one who transported us here. So... so we don't have a choice but to stay here. Forever." Fox looked down at him sadly.
"I suppose so. We all have homing devices, but they only work locally. They can't track beyond our dimension." he murmured, "So I guess the answer is yes. We'll have to stay here. And we'll have to bury Link here."
"But we gave Link an advanced transmitter. It's supposed to work beyond that boundary." Luigi murmured softly as he took off his hat. Ness saw him and did the same.
"We never had the chance to actually test it. It might not even work." Mario murmured as he took his hat off, too. He sighed and looked around at the characters. "Friends, we gather here today to mourn the loss of a hero. Nintendo 64 Link was young and inexperienced in the ways of our system and games. He suffered ridicule by the other characters, and endured the hardships some of us put him through. Though Link was only a rookie compared to the rest of us, he taught us to remember what it means to be a star." he began a speech. Pikachu opened his eyes and growled.
"His coin, DK. Return Link's Nintendo Coin. You stole it from him. Now give it back." he hissed. Mario looked at DK in surprise and confusion. DK looked even more guilty as he brought the silver coin out from his secret pocket.
"I took it to get back at Pikachu." he murmured and held it out to Mario. The plumber took it from him and gazed down at the smiling face that was engraved on the smooth round coin. "I guess I was a real jerk to him. I didn't mean to be. You know how I am about those elves. How can they be so powerful when they're not even built for super strength like me and my ancestors?"
"The Links were styled for a different kind of strength that comes from the heart and not for the raw brute force of muscles." Mario replied softly, "And N64 Link had the most powerful heart of all. He was smart enough to recognize the potential of using our enemy's tools against him."
"He was strong enough to continue fighting on our behalf despite the torment we put him through." Luigi put in suddenly and the others caught on.
"Link was courageous enough to sacrifice himself for his friends and his rivals." Samus declared.
"Attacked on both sides by our words and Master Hand's robots and threats, Link faced the impossible odds and overcame enough of them to give us all a second chance at winning the tournament, even a third chance!" Kirby put in with a smile.
"And even when he did get scared, he didn't give in to that fear and he went in to face Master Hand anyway! And I bet he didn't give in to that creep's attacks until he saved Pikachu!" Jigglypuff declared.
"He never bragged about beating Master Hand on his own or about why he should go in first. Link was always quiet and let us boast and rant while he devised the plan that saved us. And when we flattered him when we thought he was GB Link, he didn't say a word to let us know that we were praising someone else for his ideas. He just accepted the idea that we thought more highly of the elder Links." Yoshi said quietly.
"Link knew that he couldn't defeat Master Hand alone, so he turned to the only person he felt was his friend to help him." Fox whispered and smiled at Pikachu. "The plan he had called for the combined efforts of friendship and power. Link and Pikachu formed a friendship from the fact that both were rookies and new to our ways and they supported each other throughout the entire Master Tournament, and through the final battle."
"Link did the best he could with what he had with him." Pikachu murmured, "In the fight, when he saved me, I saw that he had almost two hundred percent of damage while I had only fifty. He knew that with my less damage, I could stand a better chance of winning. He also cared for me, and that's why he took the hit. He allowed his damage to kill him so that I would have the chance and the motivation to finish the job."
"Dying to save Pikachu and let him finish was Link's last resort. He had no idea whether Pikachu would actually win or not, but he went ahead and died to give us all that chance." DK muttered sadly, "Link carried the motto in his heart when he died. A slim chance is still a chance, and he gave that chance to Pikachu, who used it to save us all."
"Nintendo's not gonna be the same without you, Rookie." Captain Falcon murmured, "Sorry for what I said. I didn't really mean it. You would have made a great Allstar."
"N64 Link, you have demonstrated all the qualities of an Allstar. Your kindness and bravery were tested to the extremes in the past few days but you survived the challenges long enough to free us." Mario finished up, "Had you survived, I would have been proud to name you the newest Allstar. Be proud, Link. You have done what none of us could ever accomplish in our lifetimes. You showed us who the true Allstar had been all along. It was you."
With those final words, Link's Nintendo Coin erupted in an explosion of light. Mario jerked back and covered his eyes, blinded by it. The other characters stepped back and gasped as the coin hovered over Link's body, glowing brightly. It shone a light on DK and pulled out Pikachu's Nintendo Coin. The two coins danced around each other, spinning around each other before separating. Pikachu's coin returned to him, shining almost as brightly as Link's coin, blessed by its gift of love and friendship. Pikachu looked at it in surprise, then smiled tearfully.
"Thank you, Link. I love you, too, Pika-pal." he whispered and closed his eyes as the coin disappeared into him.
"What the heck's goin' on?!" DK shouted as the Nintendo Coin glowed brighter. Mario blinked and struggled to see it.
"The Nintendo Coin! It's... transforming!" he cried as it exploded one last time. Just as suddenly as it appeared, the light vanished and everyone turned to see the coin.
No longer a silver Nintendo Coin, a shining, glittering golden Nintendo Star hovered in its place, Link's smiling face engraved in the center of it. It hovered there for a second, then slowly descended to vanish into Link's body, covering the elfin hero with a golden light.
"Did you see that?" Samus whispered to no one in particular, "Link's Nintendo Coin became a Nintendo Star! He's an Allstar now!"
"But he's dead!" Pikachu exclaimed in shock and gasped when the glow ended and Link twitched slightly, "Link?!"
Link turned his head and raised a hand to his face, slowly opening his eyes and groaning. Somehow, he was brought back to life by the power of the Nintendo Star! It was a miracle!
"I feel sick. My head is killing me." Link groaned and winced in pain when he tried to get up, "Ouch!" He hissed and settled back in the grass again. "I can barely remember what happened. Pikachu, Pikachu, did we win?" he whispered in confusion, "Pikachu, I feel so weak...." Pikachu laughed in relief and joy, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"You and me both, Pika-pal!" he exclaimed and winced painfully, "You and me both! We won, pal! Your plan worked! Master Hand's dead! All the characters are free! Nintendo and Humanity are safe from Master Hand's evil plans!" Link smiled and closed his eyes tiredly.
"That's good. I feel light-headed, like I'm dying. Nintendo's mistake will soon be a bad memory. Thank you, for being my friend, even for a little while." he murmured softly.
"Don't talk crazy, Allstar Link." Mario laughed, "You were never a mistake! You proved to us that you are a true Link!" Link frowned and opened one eye.
"What did you call me?" he muttered. The other characters laughed in joy and relief.
"Allstar Link! You're an Allstar, N64 Link!" they cheered. DK grumbled a bit.
"How did Sunshine get to be an Allstar if he got killed off?" he grumbled. Mario grinned at him.
"Nintendo's power works in mysterious ways." he replied smugly and knelt down next to Link, "You're an Allstar now. DK returned your Nintendo Coin, which then took back Pikachu's coin and became a star. That star brought you back to life as an Allstar. Welcome to the elite, Allstar Link." he told him. Link stared up at him in disbelief, then brightened slowly as it dawned on him that Mario was telling him the truth.
"You mean it?! I'm... I'm an Allstar?!" he cried happily as he sat up quickly. He cried in pain sharply, then fell back onto the grass, grinding his teeth and shutting his eyes tightly. "Mario.... I can't... move.... It hurts... to move...." he whispered through his teeth. Mario placed a hand on him and shushed him.
"Don't move. Master Hand used a Finger Drill on you and he might have damaged your back pretty badly. Where's your transmitter?" he asked him softly. Link trembled in pain and slowly opened one eye to look up at him.
"My earrings. One's... the transmitter.... The other one's... a... microphone." he replied and sighed, dropping into unconsciousness.
"Link!" Pikachu cried in shock. Mario held up a hand.
"It's okay! He's just asleep now. He's taken some bad beatings and, even though the Nintendo Star resurrected him and healed him, he's still weak and a little hurt." he assured him and removed both earrings. "I don't even know if these work."
"They work. GB Link contacted him the night before we faced Giant Donkey Kong and gave him the First Gen Ring." Pikachu muttered, "He told me, the left is the transmitter and the right is the mike." He looked down at the elf and squirmed. "Put me next to him!" he cried. Samus set him down beside Link and Pikachu curled up on him, resting his head on Link's shoulder so that their noses touched. He, too, drifted off, drained of strength.
"They look sweet together." Samus murmured and watched Mario switch the microphone on.
"Nintendo base, come in! Come in, Nintendo base! This is Allstar Mario!" the plumber declared. After a moment of static, a voice called out.
"We hear you, Allstar Mario! This is GB Link! The real GB Link! We're tracking Link's transmitter right now! That weird barrier's gone now!" GB Link called back. "Is everyone with you?! All the missing characters?"
"Yeah!" Mario replied as the others cheered and whooped for joy. The mike came back to life.
"Hey! Why are you on Link's microphone?! Where is he? Where's N64 Link?!" GB Link cried in a panic.
"Calm down! He's okay. He's with us. He's hurt pretty bad, and so's Pikachu, but they're asleep and doing okay for now. Can you get us out of here?" Mario replied.
"We're locking on. We've got you! Okay! Portal opening!" GB Link called and a bright white portal appeared nearby. The Nintendo characters cheered again and raced towards the portal. Mario replaced the earrings, gently picked Pikachu up and waited for DK to do the same for Link. The ape picked him up and slowly made his way to the portal, carefully balancing his massive bulk on his two small legs
"And when we get back, you're going to have a lot of explaining to do, DK." Mario growled as they disappeared into the portal, "Stealing Pikachu and Link's Nintendo Coins?! It's unheard of! You're gonna get it now, and I don't mean from me either!"