Chapter Three

The Prankster returned to the Master Control and found a third defense blocking the way. The walls seemed odd, so a small object was thrown down the hall. The walls shook and then slammed together, crushing the object. The Prankster studied the walls carefully, then smiled. The Prankster had a new idea on how to get past this defense.

Once the walls were taken care of, The Prankster got into the room and pulled out another slip of paper, having forgotten the exact code when the first piece was lost. Luckily, the code's sounds were still in The Prankster's mind and they were written down again. Using the melody as a key, The Prankster punched in the access code, then proceeded to rearrange and mismatch items, colors and tools. And again, the tapes were melted after the deed was done. The Prankster was getting trickier and a little more dangerous.

"How did this happen?" N64 Mario asked Final Sonic as he looked at the object wedged between the two walls. The Master Emerald gleamed brightly, stuck between the two parts of the trap and completely unharmed. Sonic gave him a sideways glare.

"I don't know. Maybe it's a miracle. Here come the angels to sing the praises of a teleporting emerald." he growled.

"Man, this guy is really getting on my nerves." Mario griped and sighed. "Robinett!" The walls came apart and the trap was turned off. The Master Emerald lay on the floor, still glittering. The shimmer made it look like the jewel was laughing at them. "That isn't helping." Sonic went up and checked the ground as Mario went on, listing the new problems. "GC Shadow doesn't have his shoes, just socks. Jim's udders were swiped again, replaced with Golden Bananas. The Kongs are freaking out. And of course, GC Knuckles panicked when the Master Emerald vanished."

"GC Rouge's hair turned green, N64 Fox's Arwing got switched with N64 Captain Falcon's race car, and all of the Kirbys' tomatoes turned into mushrooms." Sonic added, picking up a few brown bits from off the floor. "What's this?" Mario looked at the bits with him, then held open a bag for him to drop the bits in.

"I'm not sure. Looks like a walnut, or a really dry raisin." he replied, "I bet The Prankster threw this down to check for traps, then used the Master Emerald to wedge it and slip through the gap."

"Then The Prankster can't be someone fat, or very wide. The Master Emerald always stands on the tip. The gap wouldn't be any wider than the top of the emerald. Plus, The Prankster would have to climb over the Emerald. It was on the ground when we found it. If The Prankster was heavy, he or she wouldn't have been able to climb up and over it." Sonic deduced. Mario nodded.

"You're right. Sonic, take the Emerald back while I go fix the codes. Looks like we have another clue. This mystery is getting more interesting." he replied and walked on ahead while Sonic picked up the Emerald and began to lug it back to Sega's section of the Nintendo base.

Mario looked around the Master Control room carefully. Once again, the chairs were rearranged and the tapes were melted. With a sigh, he started on fixing the codes, then shrank down from his super size to check the back of the computer. He smiled. The Prankster missed a secret tape Mario planted the day before. It wasn't a video tape, just audio, so he could only hear what was on it. Mario rewound the tape, then played it. For a few long minutes, there was no sound, then came a few sounds like computerized music, then the sounds of chairs scraping the floor and keys being pressed. Then there was a twang sound and, finally, nothing.

"That's weird." Mario muttered and pocketed the tape along with the bag of bits. He rearranged the chairs in their proper places, then left the computer.

"Okay, here are the clues and what we know." Mario announced to the Allstars at their meeting, "We have a red blot, a piece of paper with a code on it, a piece of metal that is being analyzed, bits of something brown, and a tape of sounds from the room last night. Those are our clues."

"We know that The Prankster is fast, not fat or heavy, and is probably bloody." Allstar Link added.

"Don't forget strong. He or she carried the Emerald to the trap to wedge it." DK pointed out.

"What about the melted tapes and the chairs? Aren't they clues too?" Peach remarked, "And The Prankster must be a very quiet person. Notice how we didn't hear a voice or footsteps on the tape?"

"So the punk stapled his lips together! How's that gonna help us any?!" DK griped. Peach glared at him.

"It means that we have to rule out anyone who is noisy or can't keep quiet for more than a few minutes. Now, what are we going to do about protecting the Master Control tonight?" she replied.

"Arcade Mario and DK have come up with a new defense and are installing it right now." Mario told the group. "It involves combining all three defenses into one long obstacle course. First the falling ceiling, then the blades, then the crushing walls."

"That might work. The Prankster knows how to handle one defense at a time. With three at once, he may as well give up!" Luigi remarked.

"I don't know. The Prankster's outsmarted us so far. What if he just screws us over again?" Link asked worriedly. DK sniffed.

"The punk won't dare try anything funny with three defenses blocking the way to the Master Control! And the jewel thing he used for a wedge is locked up good and tight!" the ape declared. Link still looked troubled and he rubbed at his bare wrist a little.

"It's late and we're all a little stressed out from this mystery. Let's get some rest. Allstars, dismissed!" Mario declared and the group left the Master Control to get to their rooms.

"I just know this isn't gonna work." Link muttered as he headed back. DK walked with him, grinning.

"Why? Are you The Prankster and say it won't 'cause you know how to mess it up?" he teased. Link turned his nose up.

"Yeah, right! You wish I was The Prankster just so you'd have an excuse to make me look as stupid as you!" he declared haughtily.

"Then what about those wrist things you always wear? They're made of metal, aren't they? And now you don't wear them. Is it because they got chipped when you broke into Master Control last night and you don't want anyone to see the broken part for fear of them discovering you?" the ape went on teasing.

"You shut up about that! I told Fox already! I'm getting them polished! If you're looking to bug somebody about metal, then bug N64 Kirby! He's got that metal blade sword thing but he doesn't bring it out as much as he used to. And GB Kirby's got that Final Cutter thing! Bug him!" Link shrieked angrily, "Just stay off my back about my gauntlets! And I'm not The Prankster, you moronic baboon!" There was a faint sound from nearby and Link jerked his head to see what it was.

"Now what, Sunshine?" DK grumbled, "You starting to see things?"

"I thought I heard something, like quick footsteps." Link muttered.

"It's 'cause of those big ears. I'll sell ya some ear plugs, prankster." DK went on teasing. Link scowled at him and stormed back to his room as DK went on to his own area, laughing at the top of his lungs.

"Stupid Donkey Kong's still trying to push me around." he grumbled as he opened the door to his room. The room next door opened and Advance Link poked his head out, already dressed for bed. He had on some green pajamas, but didn't wear a hat to bed. Hats weren't allowed in bed.

"What's going on? Did you get in a fight with an Allstar, GC Link?" the little teen asked. Link smiled at him.

"Nah, just telling off a jerk ape. And I'm not GC Link, yet. My upgrade isn't until next month. The guys say I'll probably look the same, but I'll be a permanent adult." he replied. Advance Link thought about it, looking out at the hallway.

"Probably. Or maybe you'll be a kid again." he wondered aloud. N64 Link shrugged and stretched.

"Who knows. Anyway, let's get some sleep. It's late and you have studies tomorrow." he reminded his trainee. Advance Link smiled at him and laughed, then ducked back into his room.

That night, The Prankster stood before the three traps and looked puzzled. This was new. The Prankster sat down and thought about the new defense, studying the ceiling, the blades, and knowing the walls were rigged on the last part. The first two defenses could be bypassed easily enough, but the third was trouble. How could The Prankster wedge the walls if the Master Emerald couldn't get past the first two defenses safely? For a few minutes, The Prankster thought the problem over, growing frustrated by the puzzle. Finally, irritated by the fact that it prevented any more tricks from being pulled, The Prankster left the hallway and headed out in search of the Allstars' rooms. Master Control was inaccessible now, but tomorrow a solution will be found. In the meantime, the Allstars would each get a little present from a very annoyed Prankster; their reward for spoiling the fun.

"Master Control is safe!" Mario declared at the meeting the very next day. The other Allstars glared at him from around the table. Morning had brought them unpleasant surprises.

"Great. The room's safe, but now The Prankster's messing with us!" Luigi grumbled, his head bandaged up. When he got up that morning, Luigi found the floor of his room coated with slime. He slipped on it and bumped his head. It was currently being cleaned out.

"I don't know how it happened, but my room stinks!" Peach wailed. Her room had been filled with some kind of stink gas. She was forced to bunk with N64 Zelda, who wasn't too happy about the smell that lingered around the Mushroom Princess.

"Look at this! I look hideous!" Link cried and jabbed a finger at a poster of himself. The Prankster had nailed it to his door and scribbled all over it, adding a pointed beard, horns, an eyepatch, and gapped teeth to the elf's face. "Although, you gotta admit, the guy's got talent. Maybe he's in an art class." DK looked at it and started laughing.

"It's a perfect look for ya, Sunshine!" he hooted and slapped the table. Link gave him a furious look.

"How about I shove them precious Golden Bananas up your nose, Ice Cream Head?!" he snapped back. DK stopped laughing.

"Leave my head out of this, Elf-boy!" he growled. Donkey Kong had gotten his head bleached. The fur and curl now resembled an ice cream cone. "How did The Prankster get into my room anyway? Only Kongs know the password to our living area!" he grumbled.

"Calm down, everyone!" Mario exclaimed. The Prankster had stained all of his clothes with ink and paint. Mario looked like a tie-dyed hippie. "At least none of our games were messed up. And since The Prankster couldn't get into the Master Control, we finally got a videotape of the culprit." he added with a grin and produced a picture. "This is a photo of the guy. Anyone recognize it? I can't tell whether The Prankster is a boy or girl." Mario put the photo on the table. Everyone leaned in for a good look.

The black and white photo showed a small figure sitting on the floor, dressed in a cloak, hood, and long-sleeved gown. The costume was a solid color and fairly dark, with no distinguishing marks or features. The face couldn't be seen because of the camera angle.

"Doesn't ring a bell." Peach muttered.

"Never seen him or her." Luigi added.

"Is that a dress?" DK wondered aloud.

"That's a new one on me." Link remarked. Mario sighed. This wasn't going well.

"Well, at least the Master Control is safe again. Let's focus on finding this kid, okay?" he declared. The Allstars nodded and left the room to start searching.

N64 Fox smiled at DK when he approached with the picture of the robed Prankster. The ape scowled and shook the picture.

"Not one word about my hair." he growled. Fox just smiled wider as DK sat in a chair and held out the photo to him. "Do you recognize this?" The relaxation room was quiet, with some of the trainees and other characters all in a calm and relaxed mood. Tiny, Diddy, and Advance Link were giggling in one corner, watching the two of them. Fox looked at them, winked, then turned to the photo.

"No, can't say that I do. Sorry. Kinda small for a threat to Nintendo, ain't it?" he replied.

"This photo of The Prankster is our only big clue. And that other fox said the metal had magnetic properties. That doesn't help us." Donkey Kong muttered.

"Well, then. Ask the cafeteria refrigerator. It knows tons about magnets." Fox replied with a toothy grin. DK scowled as the kids laughed harder.

"You're being a pain, McCloud." he grumbled and started to storm away. Fox finally gave in to himself.

"Yo, DK! Want a cherry to go with that cone-head?!" he called out and burst into laughter, joined in by the children as the ape stomped out of the room.

"Donkey Kong looks weird." Advance Link remarked as their giggling finally ended. Diddy and Tiny nodded.

"Yeah. How weird. The Prankster somehow got into our living quarters and bleached out his head. But why didn't he do anything to the games?" Diddy wondered aloud.

"Didn't you hear? The new defense was too hard to figure out, so The Prankster gave up. She can't get past three at once." Tiny replied.

"She? Who says The Prankster's a girl?" Link asked, raising one eyebrow questioningly. Tiny jerked a thumb at herself.

"Me! I say The Prankster is a girl because boys are too dumb to come up with cool pranks!" she declared.

"It wasn't so cool when The Prankster switched our Golden Bananas again. That's twice we've been hit." Diddy muttered, "Why are the Donkey Kong games big targets?"

"Maybe the Prankster doesn't like gold bananas?" Link wondered. Tiny made a small noise as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ah, what do you know? Golden Bananas are the most wonderful things in all of DK Isles!" she told him. Link rolled his eyes and got up to pace around. "Now what are you doing?"

"Thinking." Link muttered.

"Oh, you're trying to figure out how to catch The Prankster yourself, right? That way nobody will treat you like a kid anymore, right?" Diddy pointed out. Link laughed.

"No, not that! I was thinking of something else. You can try to catch him, but I'll try to catch some sleep." he replied.

"What's up with Allstar Link? Why doesn't he wear those wrist things?" Tiny asked him.

"He said he was getting them polished." Advance Link replied and stopped pacing. "You know, I heard that N64 Superman is really fast and strong. Why didn't they name him as a suspect?" he wondered aloud.

"There's an idea." Tiny remarked, "Let's tell Mario!" She jumped down from the couch and waited for the boys.

"You tell him. NES Link told me I have to go back to my room and wait for him. He's taking me to the rec room to learn more about sword-fighting." Link replied and waved to them as he left, "I'll come over to your place later! Say hi to Dixie and Kiddy for me!"

Throughout the day, the Allstars showed the photo to every character they came across. None of them recognized the small figure with the cloak and hood. Pikachu turned the picture one way, then another.

"Looks like Gary when he has a bad case of acne." he muttered. Peach tapped her foot impatiently.

"Is that your suspect or what?" she asked him. GB Pikachu shrugged and handed it back. "Never mind. Hey, you're pretty fast yourself, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but do I look like someone who can lug a giant jewel on my back and throw it in the middle of a hallway?" the mouse replied flatly, "Besides, I can't reach the stupid controls to the games." Peach sighed and walked off to ask other characters.

Finally, the group of game characters came together and had to admit it to themselves; the photo wasn't helping.

"I'm gonna kill that punk!" Link yelled, tearing up the picture into small pieces, "I'm gonna break every bone in his body and throw him off Hyrule Castle!"

"Link, you're being hostile! Rated 'E', remember?!" Peach scolded him.

"Why don't we all go to sleep and continue our investigation tomorrow? The Prankster will be caught sooner or later. After all, the Master Control room is blocked." Mario told the group, "Allstars, dismissed." Everyone pushed their chairs in and left the control room.

"How long does it take those gauntlets to get cleaned anyway?" DK asked Link as they left.

"Gold and silver are very soft metals. They have to be cleaned carefully, you banana-split brain." the elf growled as he stormed into his room. DK made a face at the door, then headed back to his living area. When he went in, he found Advance Link sitting in the main room with the younger Kongs, playing a game with them. Bad timing, since he wasn't in the mood for elves.

"What's that elf-boy doin' here?!" DK bellowed, "No elf-boys allowed in our area! Out! You're just like that good-for-nothin', airhead blondie, Sunshine!" He slammed the floor with his hands, drumming it and making the kids bounce up and down.

"DK! Cut it out! What's goin' on?!" Diddy wailed as the group continued shaking and falling all over themselves. It felt like a small earthquake. Link couldn't stand up on his own. Every time he got to his feet, the slamming knocked him back over.

"Whoa! Hey! Watch it! I can't get up!" he cried as the other Kongs scurried into the room to see what was the matter. "What did I do?! Arcade Donkey Kong told you not to mess with us Links! Show some respect! We helped save your butt!"

"You didn't do anything, ya little punk! You're in our area! Out! Now!" DK yelled as the Kongs yelled angrily for him to quit. Link bounced and flipped towards the door, yelping angrily the whole way. Finally he got to his feet and jumped each bounce to stabilize.

"I'm telling on you, DK! You wait and see! You'll be sorry you messed with me! I'm telling GB Link on you!" Advance Link yelled and ran out of the room, staggering down the hall to his room.

"DK! What's gotten into you?! That's no way to treat a guest!" N64 Candy Kong snapped.

"How'd he get in here?!" the ape questioned her suspiciously.

"The same way he always gets in! We invited him in!" the lady ape yelled, poking her finger into his face, "Nice going, Numb-skull! You just made an enemy out of the Links again! You don't know anything! They're still more powerful than us equipment-wise and you go beating up on GBC/GBA Link for no good reason! Jerk!" She stormed away and the rest of the group glared at DK as they began to clean up the pile of toys and games the kids had been playing.

"Little Sunshine can't do anything to us except whine to the others. Big deal." the ape muttered as he headed for his room.