First off, I'd like to say that none of these characters belong to me, but the plotline does. If plotline in genral or in full is stolen, I will sue,

demanding the cost of my lawyer, the trial, and some more money for stealing it, and the demand that you will give me credit. Actually, you

don't need permission so long as you give me credit. Then, "steal" all you like. So long as you give credit. To me. Yeah.

To my loyal reviewiers:

doubledude: Yes, Yoshi and Megaman will be in this. In fact, pretty much every character that's appeared on one of Ninty's systema I can think of will be in here, besides those I deem not worthy or too mature, or something like that.

Pyromaniac Aru of Pherae: Kudos to you for reviewing not once, but twice!

Episode 1, Part 7

Meanwhile, back in the stadium, the Male Wire Frame was explaining that the rest of the fights would not be going one-by-one, more like…100-by-100. Time restraints and all.

Everyone was pretty much randomly paired up. Looking up to the board, I saw Bowser was going up against Jigglypuff. –That'll be a short fight…-. My brother was paired up against Megaman. Myself? Vs. Metaknight.

A red robot walked up next to me. "Hello!" said Protoman. "And how is Mario today?"

Him and I had been introduced in the concession line. Neither of us liked the other. Megaman and Zero, whom I actually liked, and Luigi stayed out of this little duel.

"You know," said the android, or cybrog, or whatever, "I've been curious…obviously, you're human…so what kind of powers d you have that'd make you such a good fighter?"

"Not any, really…" I wasn't counting the fire control thing, because I really don't use it that often.

"…So, you use tools?"

"A hammer, and occasionally, a plunger."

There was a short silence. Then, the red guy started laughing out loud.

"Oh man!" said the robot wonder (as in, I wonder how he ever became a hero), "That is just pathetic! A human? Just an everyday human? How'd you get into the tourney? Bribe Mr. Frame over there?"

Luigi got into the fight now, or at least tried. I stopped him by placing my hand on his chest, and gently pushing back. I then said to Protoman, slipping back into my Italian accent, "Well-a, Mr. Proto, I can-a fight with the best of-a them."

"The best of who? The Snail League? AHAHAHA!"

A couple (more like a lot) of non-humans laughed.

I was about to say something, when the red robot said, "Tell you what! I'll try and get Framey over there to show your fight separate from the others. Then yo ucan show us how "good" you are!"

My mustache twitched with anger, but I stayed calm. "If you insist."

Protoman said, "Good! Just try not to get hurt too badly! HA!" Then he walked off, laughing, and the crowd dispersed.

Luigi mumbled something in Italian I'd dare not repeat in public. No swear words or anything, but it'd insult a lot of people besides Protoman. He then turned to me and said, "You better beat Metaknight into the ground. Then, beat Protoman farther into it!"

I remained calm, as best as possible, anyway. "Relax, Luigi. The guy may be a jerk, but we'll show him…not now…but later."

Protoman suddenly shouted, "And your Mama so ugly, she has to sneak up on a box of matches just to get a light!"

Luigi had to hold me back.

Episode 1, Part 8

A little later, I slowly ambled through the hall, where all the fights were being broadcast. The few fighters whose fights had ended, or they weren't fighting yet at all, were watching intently. I looked occasionally, and I saw the following:

Link under Dr. Wily's latest mech, stabbing straight up.

Banjo-Kazooie firing eggs, but mostly missing, at Louie.

My brother short-circuiting Megaman with his powers, but then getting shot with Mega's blaster.

Mewtwo and Samus, both blasting away, and

Ness using his Psi Powers to lift Knux in the air, and throw him into Corona Voclano, ending his fight.

I sighed to myself. -Maybe he's right,- I thought. -Almost all of these people are either not human or have some kind of power. What do I have?-

You have your heart.

I lifted my head. –Who said that?-

Your memories… said the voice, as I went into a flashback…

20 years ago…

Remember when you were but 8 years old?

-Yes…I remember…-

If you truly did, you would not be in doubt of yourself, would you? Watch…

A small boy in a red cap, blue overalls, and the trademark cap we all know and love ran up to a larger figure, obviously the dad. "Daddaddaddaddaddad!"

The dad purposely waited a few anxious seconds before slowly saying, "Yes?"

"The other kids are making fun of me! They say that jumping high is square compared to muscles, and speed, and stuff like that! Why can't I have something groovy?

The father got down on bended knee. His eyes gleamed with love for the little child as he said, "You do have something 'groovy'. You have your heart."

The little Mario looked up quizzically.

"Ha, ha…" laughed his father, lifting his son up for a piggyback ride. "Son, it doesn't matter how good or bad, strong or weak, plentiful or few your skills are. All that matters is the size of your heart. And you, my son, have the biggest heart I've ever seen."

"Really, dad?"

"Really. So, remember, as long as you live, any fight can be won, whether physical, spirtual, mental, emotional, or something else, as long as you keep that big heart of yours. Now, how about we play Superman?"

"Yay!" said the tyke as he was lifted into the sky.

The scene slowly faded away, and Mario's memories spoke up.

You did remember. And your big heart, and love for Peach, your brother, and the citizens of the mushroom kingdom, allowed you to rescue her majesty several times. But, lately, your heart has not shrunken, but you have forgotten your father's words.

-You're right…corny as he may have sounded, I suppose my dad was right. In fact, I know he was! My heart, corny as I sound, will lead me to victory!-

A voice interrupted my thoughts over the intercom. "Mario! Metaknight! Come to the stage immediately!

Episode 1, Part 9

"Alrighty, then!" yelled the Wiry host of the competition, "Today ,we have a face off between Mario and Metaknight! The stage is…"

Metaknight and I watched as the wheel spun 'round. We both anxiously hoped we would get a certain stage (I wanted Yoshi's Island, the only stage from my world, but I don't know what Metaknight wanted, because no Popstar levels were on there). Finally, the wheel stopped, but about two seconds before it started slowing down, the panels all went black.

"Well, let's see what we've got!" the Wire Frame yelled, as the black slowly faded into a stage. "It appears we're going to Death Mountain Crater underground! This stage is highly unstable, but if used correctly, can be a great asset! At the request of several people, including both fighters, no items will be dropped this match! Pure skill here, folks!"

I slowly felt myself disappearing. Then, everything turned green for a split second. I then found myself coming out of a war pipe, while Metaknight fluttered down on his cape, which had turned into two bat-like wings. After he touched the ground, a buzzer sounded.

Instead of attacking me, Meta spoke. "I have not judged you based on species, race, or skills. I judge people by how much of a warrior they are, or could be. And you, my friend, are a true warrior. Your eyes gleam with truth, your heart beats strongly and courageously, and your soul shines with love and concern."

"Thank you, Sir Metaknight," I replied.

"It is a pleasure, Mario. And it will be my honor," he shouted, drawing his sword, "to battle you!"

He zoomed toward me at speeds I wouldn't think possible for a creature made of metal. I jumped aside, but too slowly, as he was back upon me instanteously. He slashed vertically, horizontally, back slash, horizontally, forward slash, horizontally, vertically, lunge. I dodged left, ducked, jumped over the slash, jumped again, dodged right, bent backwards, did a back-flip, and caught his arm.

I then kicked him, knocking him away, and pulled out my hammer, jumping toward him. As the knight shook his head to get rid of the double vision, I swung my hammer. He jumped backwards as my hammer pounded the ground…straight toward a stalagmite.

"Look out!" I shouted

I need not have shouted that warning, as Metaknight already knew that spike was there. He moved his body, which was on level with the tip, upward, pointing his feet to make two of three triangular sides. He did this so perfectly, so quickly, so unexpectedly, that the camera, which had been in a closeup of his face (now his feet) actually moved about 16 feet (8 a second) before going back to Meta to see some more action.

"Hmm…" said the good-evil knight, meditatively. "You show concern in battle for even your enemy…well done. You are not just a warrior, you are a hero. A true hero. And now that I know you are ready…" he swung his sword straight up, and it started glowing. "Taste the fury of my Sonic Blade!" He swung his sword, sending a curved beam toward me, and another, and another.

I can't describe which way he swung his sword these times, because the blasts came too quick to dodge. I just stood there, swinging my hammer in a circle to deflect it, and hope he wouldn't figure out that if he were to move and attack, he'd probably score a few pretty good hits.

Finally, he flew toward me, his cape turned into wings again. I jumped backward, gaining about 5 feet distance from him each leap, him gaining 5 feet distance each time I leaped. In other words, counting my first jump, he was 5 feet away.

He swung his sword again and again, each time making a large crack in the wall. I wanted to fight back, but the flame attack was the only one I could fight back with. I had told myself I wouldn't use my flame powers in this fight, and I intended to keep that promise.

Suddenly, the volcano started rumbling. I barely regained my footing, mostly by sheer luck, and Metaknight met the ground…or I should say, a pillar shot up and met Metaknight. Because he had his sword out, he was able to use it as a pole in a pole vault, and escape before he got hurt, but he did get hit.

I looked around to see pillars, rocks, stalagmites, stalactites, falling and rising randomly. The cracks created by the beams had begun to spew lava, and cracks opened up in the ground, red-hot light bursting from them.

I heard Male Wire Frame yell, probably to us, "Sorry, guys, but I can't teleport you out of this! The volcano is interfering too much!"

I looked around, slowly, thinking things over. Could I escape? Should I use my powers? Even if I do, could I stop this firey earthquake? I took a few deep breaths. Meta looked at me expectantly, yet hurriedly, obviously sensing I could do something, and not wanting to wait until he was dead to find out what.

I slowly spread my legs from a half-foot to a foot apart. I raised my hands in a traditional martial arts style, and closed my eyes, steadying my breathing. I moved my hands delicately, yet forcefully, moving the lava from one crack forward, around, and into its next-door neighbor, shutting them both up.

I heard an audible gasp from the audience (obviously the one-way speaker from there to here was still on). A raised my right hand, and lava engulfed the pillar that had almost hurt Metaknight. The lava then went back down, taking the pillar with it. I took obvious errors out with a method like this, and some unobvious ones I just happened to remember were errors.

Suddenly, as if Death Mountain was angry with me, 3 cracks, 1 from the left, 1 right, and 1 behind, ran steadily toward me, the same red-hot light that came from the other cracks. I mimicked throwing something sideways and backward with my right hand, sending that crack into the other one and fusing both back into solid floor, and I simply lowered my left hand, palm down, to put the other crack back together.

I closed other cracks, both on the wall and the floor, and just when it looked like I was making headway, the volcano really began to heat up. I could barely see through the white-hot light, but what I did see involved incredible fissures that opened up into lava rivers, flaming hot rocks defying gravity and (later, while watching the tape of this fight) the ring of smoke around Death Mountain turn into a ring of energy.

I dropped my hands, a look of panic on my face. –Too much…- was all I could think for a while, then –I can't do this…I don't have the skills…-

Son, it doesn't matter how good or bad, strong or weak, plentiful or few your skills are.

-Dad…?-

All that matters is the size of your heart. And you, my son, have the biggest heart I've ever seen. Really. So, remember, as long as you live, any fight can be won, whether physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, or something else, as long as you keep that big heart of yours…

-Yes…yes, dad…I will win this fight… I will!-

I don't remember what happened next. But, according to the video, I got into a really DBZ-ish stance and did a really DBZ-ish scream. Then, the volcano, almost like I sent out an invisible shockwave, started going back into its original state, starting with the differences in the stage nearest me, and ending with those farthest away. Then, the film cut to a shot of the volcano, where the ring of fire's border widening larger and larger, until it had disappeared off-screen. Then, it zoomed back, stopping at

I then dropped to the ground, panting. Meta slowly walked up to me. I looked up, knowing if he even touched me with the hilt of his sword, I'd go unconscious. But, instead of attacking, he said the following words.

"You, my friend, are the most powerful warrior and truest hero I have ever seen. Surely, if I had not foolishly started that eruption, youwould have beaten me." He then turned so his right side was facing me,looked up, raised his sword, and said, "I throw the fight!"

We instantaneously warped back to thunderous screaming and applause. Metaknight whipped his cape around himself, and started to walk away. A happy mob of heroes (no villains) formed around me, and cheered me on for a few seconds before Protoman was suddenly next to me. "Look, I'm…sorry I made fun of you. I guess I was just being my ignorant jerk of a self. Whaddya say? Forgive me?"

I slowly turned toward him and said, "No." Then I put a spark of fire into his stomach, and as he doubled over in pain, I said, "Now I forgive you!". And everybody in the mob, including Protoman, started laughing.

Meanwhile…

"My master," said Male Wire Frame in a dark room, which you could barely make out was a throne room. He was on his right knee, his right hand on his right knee, and his left hand and leg were straight down, touching the ground. His head was bowed. "This tournament is bringing them closer together, not farther apart!"

"Patience," said the person obviously "in the throne", metaphorically and literally, "It is only the beginning of the tourney. Soon, the war shall begin, and in its midst, we shall conquer."

Oooh! Who was that? Read/ review to find out!

Oh, and Special Man loves you all.