Marth strode elegantly into the foyer of the LCHH. As he entered, a mosquito flew in front of his face, as if tantalizing him. He quickly whipped out his sword and sliced the pest into seven pieces. Stupid bug.

"Hello, Marth," Master Hand called over the intercom. "Are you leaving?"

Marth glared at the ceiling. "I have no intention of forfeiting this game. "Or losing, for that matter." He wandered over to a chair and sat down in it.

"Why are you here, then?" Master Hand sounded curious.

"Because I want to be," Marth said snidely.

There was silence from the intercom. Finally. It's so nice to have some peace, Marth thought.

As he sat in silence, Roy entered the room. "Hey," he greeted as he sat down in a chair on the other end of the room.

There was a brief silence, and then Marth began to speak. "Do you ever wonder why Master Hand put us in here?"

"I thought Crazy put us in here…" Roy said.

"Oh, come on. Like he's actually smart enough to come up with something as elaborate as this all by himself."

Roy grew thoughtful. "I guess you're right…"

Marth leaned forward. "I think he's working for someone. Someone who wants us all to live horrible, tortured lives. Someone more powerful than any one of us."

Roy's eyes grew wide. "Maybe we should find out," he suggested. "I bet we could take whoever it is together. If not you and me, then all of us. Maybe we could send Falcon in first so he could die painfully."

Marth cocked his head. "I have no doubt that we could take this thing on. Probably even just us. I just wish this contest would be over so that we could start our research."

"You don't want to just quit?"

"Of course not! I want to win this contest as much as everyone else. I never back down from a fight."

"What about that time when Peach -"

"THAT NEVER HAPPENED!" Marth screeched. He then stood up and tore out of the room.

"He's so touchy…" Roy griped.

"Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Young Link laughed. "My finest work! And that was a good laugh, too. I wish I could pull that off more frequently…"

He stood in front of his not-exactly complete robot, which he had dubbed Amelia. Currently he had installed a jetpack, a rocket launcher, two laser guns, the needle that Ness had crafted for him, and an Unlimited Pepsi Dispenser.

"Ah…time to go to sleep!" he said as he reverently placed Amelia in her All-Purpose Robot Case that he had bought from Mewtwo for the low, low price of seven hundred rupees.

After making sure that Amelia was well hidden under Fox's Arwing, he turned to leave the hangar. He passed through the dining room on his way to bed, where he met up with two unfriendly faces…

"Well, well…" Zelda growled. Her eyes were dangerously narrow, and she had pulled off her left glove.

"It's the rat," Link muttered. He had equipped the Silver and Golden Gauntlets, and was wielding a Regal Blade he had "borrowed" from Roy.

Hmm…how do I get past them? Young Link wondered. Zelda was slowly walking forward, and Link was brandishing the sword…

"Zelda made out with Marth last week!" Young Link cried.

Link turned to Zelda. "What?" he asked in confusion.

"He's lying. He just wants to distract us." Zelda reached over and pushed Link's face back towards his young self.

"Oh. Right."

Crap…but this'll work!

"Link stole one of your dresses and wore it to a costume party!" Young Link shouted.

Zelda glared at her boyfriend. "You what?"

"He's lying! He's just trying to turn us against each other!" Link yelled. He then bit his lip and looked away.

Zelda gasped. "I knew it! I knew that dress was gone after you left! You idiot!" She began slapping him.

"Aack!" he yelped, raising his hands to shield himself.

Young Link smiled in satisfaction before scurrying away.

Luigi entered the arcade. Now that he was all healthy again, he figured he should spend as much time as possible doing active, social things to make up for lost time.

"I'm gonna play Luigi's Mansion! I love games that star me!" he exclaimed as he approached his Gamecube.

Unfortunately, he didn't know something. His Gamecube was the rigged one, and whenever Luigi's Mansion was activated…

"Wha?" he asked stupidly as the small purple box exploded, throwing him into the wall.

"Nooo!" Mewtwo shouted as he floated in. "That was my new world domination invention!" He turned to Luigi and glared at him. "What did I tell you about not playing any games that starred you?"

Luigi quivered. "Oops…"

Mewtwo floated over to the shattered Gamecube of Death and began repairing it. Luigi walked up behind him and attempted to assist the Pokemon, only to be thrown backwards yet again, this time at a much higher velocity.

Roy walked into his bedroom. Something was missing…he could sense it…

"My Regal Blade!" he shouted. It wasn't hanging above his bed like usual – it was gone! He whirled around and went in search of Ness.

"Watcha need?" the telepath asked as Roy stormed into the dining room.

"Somebody stole my Regal Blade! Do you know who?" Roy asked, trying to sound polite despite his panic.

Ness closed his eyes and activated his psychic powers. "…Link. Adult Link." He said.

"No! I warned him about touching that sword!" Roy turned around and stormed out of the room in search of the thieving swordsman.

Captain Falcon lay in wait for his roommate. You may think you've had the last laugh, he thought, but Samus is mine! No other man, especially one that is a sad little clone of me, can ever lay a hand on her!

He heard someone walking into the bedroom…now, which button was he supposed to press? These bombs were so hard to use…

His eyes grew wide as he felt breath on his neck. He started to whirl around, and was met by a punch from Ganondorf.

"Ugh," he sputtered as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Peach and Bowser snuck down the hallway wielding their paint cans. That trick that Link had been the victim of was good…but painting the entire mansion pink was even better! She stared adoringly at the Koopa King. She had another interesting idea, one that would throw the entire manor into turmoil…but it would have to wait until later…

"Ready?" she whispered.

"Of course!" he answered her.

They walked into the foyer and began to paint.

Ness sat in his room, waiting for Luigi to finish getting ready so he could go to sleep. At present, Luigi was showering. And taking a very long time, at that…

"Screw it. I can't stay up any longer…" Ness grumbled as he reached over to turn off the lamp. As he touched the base of it, electricity began to course through his body.

"Crap! I should have known that was coming…" he said to himself as he collapsed.

When he woke up, he was in a bizarre facility. He looked around, and saw several of the other Smashers…the other dead ones.

"Glad to see you finally up," Falco said.

"…uh, yeah." Ness looked around. "Where are we?"

"No one a-knows-a," Mario said simply.

"Do you have to do that a-a thing?" Ness grumbled.

"Yes-a-a-a-a-a-a!" Mario taunted.

Within minutes, all of the Smashers were…Smashing.

Chapter 9 complete! Wow, two updates in two days…(collapses form mental exhaustion).