A/N: I'm back everyone! Yes, I'm finally posting the third chapter. It really took a long time to write lol. But, I should say a few things before we start. I think that the pilot arc (Everyone's Here!), the one that I've been writing since Chp 1 and STILL am writing, it will probably go on until the next episode. Then after that, the chaotic episodes can ensue! Second thing is about this chapter itself. There will be some newcomer stories that are shorter or longer than the other. Just know that's because my bias is showing lmao. The long ones are usually long because I'm more familiar with the franchise it's about, so if you notice that the Inkling story is longer than the King K Rool story or something like that, then I apologize T-T. And finally, just know that this chapter will be LONG. And I mean, LONG long, since I'm fitting like more than 10 newcomer stories into this. So, if you come across a story that you're not particularly interested in, feel free to skip, and I won't count you against it. It's not like I'm gonna quiz you on what was in each newcomer story after you read this chapter, anyways. So, with that aside, sit back, relax and enjoy!
Episode Three: Newcomer Madness (Everyone is Here! Part 3)
Description: Each team sets off with determination of recruiting the newcomers. But, it turns out to be harder than expected when old AND new rivalries appear among some of them.
Inkling Boy and Girl
Orange's eyes flashed open, and blinked. Confused, she looked around. She was in some sort of room. Only, it was empty. Nothing except white assaulted her senses. That is, until she saw a flash of blue.
"HEY!" an almost echoey voice shouted.
Orange whirled around, her orange tentacles swishing. She saw someone in the distance, waving and laughing. Soon, she realized that it was her best friend, Blue.
"Come on, Ory! Catch me if you can!" he cackled.
And with that, he sprayed blue ink from the Splattershot in his hands, and jumped into it as a squid, swimming away. Once she caught on, Orange smirked.
"So Blue wants to play, huh? Well, GAME ON!" she said.
Quickly, she used her Splattershot to spray orange ink on the floor. After that, she jumped in it as a squid, swimming and jumping after Blue. When she got close, she hopped out and started firing.
But, Blue caught on to what she was trying to do, and got out of squid form, shooting his Splattershot as well. Orange dodged the ink shots effortlessly, her smirk growing into a wicked grin.
Blue jumped out of her path, and tried to go behind her. Orange quickly planted her feet, and turned around in the same spot while still firing. But, Blue easily dodged her attacks.
"Think you're quick? DODGE THIS!" Orange shouted, as she threw a Splat Bomb.
Blue's eyes widened as the Bomb came hurtling towards him. But, he rapidly changed into a squid and jumped away, missing the ink explosion barely. When Orange noticed, she curled a hand into a fist.
"Got him on the ropes!" she declared as she raced after him.
As she ran after Blue, she fired some more ink shots. Occasionally, Blue would turn into his human form, fire some shots, and turn back into a squid. But mostly, he just retreated.
"Get back here, and face your defeat like a REAL squid, would ya?" Orange said, as Blue got farther and farther away.
While this was going on, the lights of the room started to dim. Due to the adrenaline coursing through her, Orange didn't notice at first. But soon, her vision was getting dark as the room finally went lights out, and she slowed down to a stop.
Orange frowned. "Eh? Who turned off the lights?!"
She lifted up her tentacle slightly, showing the glowing backside of it.
"This light isn't enough!" she sighed as she looked around.
Slowly, she saw an orange light start to form around her. Orange stood up straight, and turned around.
"Ugh, finally. Keep ON the lights next-" Orange started to say, before she completely stopped with shock, "Time….."
Orange's mouth dropped open, as she looked at the sight in front of her. She saw a huge, burning ball of flame, with two slashes on it. In front of it were 12 shadowed people, just standing there. But, the thing that stood out most was the ball, burning brightly and seemingly burning Orange's eyes.
"What…. The…. F-"
Orange's eyes flew open wide, as she gasped loudly. She sat up with wide eyes. Her heart was beating rapidly, her breaths were sharp and shallow, and her head was racing with thoughts. As she blinked, Orange realized that she was back in her bedroom, back in her apartment, and back in Inkopolis. Once she realized that, Orange started to calm down.
"Was that all… a dream?" she asked herself.
Her hands clutched the covers, her sharp nails digging into the fabric.
"No way… that was too real. Most of my dreams don't make sense." she whispered.
Suddenly, a ring sounded that made Orange jump out of bed in squid form, making her bonk the ceiling with her squid head.
"GAH!" she said in a gurgly voice, as she fell down.
Laying down on her bed, Orange turned back into human form, rubbing her head.
"Ow…" she said softly.
Orange got up properly out of bed, and looked at her nightstand. The loud and sharp ring came from her SquidPhone. It was an incoming call from one of the Turf War teammates that she regularly battled with.
Orange frowned, and grabbed it, a little salty about how a simple phone ring made her nearly Super-Jump through her bedroom ceiling.
"Hello?" she said once she picked up.
Suddenly, a loud voice screeched, "ORANGE," making her stretch the phone away from her ear.
"WHUH?! What's going on?" Orange asked, confused.
"I'll tell you what's going on!" the voice continued, quieter than before but still loud, "Me and everyone else have been waiting for you for almost an HOUR! Where the SHELL are you? Our match starts in 20 minutes!"
It took a few seconds for the words to sink in, but when it did, it hit Orange like a bus. All thoughts of the dream disappeared in an instant. She had forgotten all about the Turf War she had scheduled today with her team.
But, Orange decided to keep her cool, as she spoke again. "Right! Sorry! I had to… um…"
Quickly, her eyes darted around, trying to find an excuse, and ended up spotting her Splattershot by the door.
"Polish my… Splattershot?" she finished.
"Well, STOP POLISHING! We're on soon, and we DON'T want to go through the hassle of finding a temporary replacement on short notice." the voice demanded.
"Okay! Chill… I'll be there, I promise." Orange said calmly.
"Fine. We'll be waiting." the voice said, finally relenting.
Slowly, Orange hung up. She stood there for a second, before finally screaming, "CARPPPPP!"
In a flash, she bolted to the bathroom to get ready. She struggled as she tried to brush her teeth, take off her pajamas, pull on her outfit, and grab her things at the same time. Somehow, in some weird way, she was able to pull off the feat, and raced out of the apartment door, leaving it wide open. But, she was able to go only a few steps before freezing.
"Splattershot!" Orange squealed as she bolted back.
Quickly, she took the Splattershot, and left again, closing the door this time. Orange smiled a little, proud of herself.
"Okay! This squid's all good! Pulled it off perfectly!" she said as she turned around.
But, little did she know that she was a tiny bit wrong. Only one thing was left unfixed. Her shirt was on backwards.
The train's doors slid open, as it came to a stop at the station. A crowd of Inklings and Jellyfish exited. But soon, the crowd separated as Orange pushed her way through.
"Watch out! Coming through! Excuse me! Pardon!" Orange shouted, trying to say every variation of 'excuse me' as she got through.
Finally, she emerged from the crowd with a gasp, and ran towards the exit. When she walked outside, light immediately overwhelmed her senses, and she quickly covered her eyes.
"Ugh. Stupid sun…" she grumbled.
When her eyes adjusted, Orange blinked as she looked around, almost in awe. She was in Inkopolis Plaza. A place that is one of the main hotspots of the city of Inkopolis. It's a hotspot especially for squid-human hybrids called Inklings; thrill seekers who enjoyed and actively participated in competitive sports called Turf Wars.
But before Orange could look around anymore, she heard a voice shout, "THERE YOU ARE!"
Orange glanced out of the corner of her eye to see three Inklings coming towards her. There was an Inkling boy with green tentacles and a face mask, an Inkling boy with cyan tentacles and glasses, and an Inkling girl in a school uniform outfit.
The Inkling girl came up to Orange, and punched her on the shoulder.
"OW!" Orange yelped, as she rubbed the spot.
"Sorry. Doing this to look threatening. But…" the girl put her hands on her hips and glared, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Orange, we've been waiting for you longer than we should have!"
Orange, while still rubbing the spot that the girl punched, sighed.
"Look! I'm sorry! I got caught up doing... stuff." she said.
The Inkling boy with the green tentacles waved a hand dismissively.
"You don't have to apologize, Orange. Violet just needs to learn how to be chill."
Violet whirled around, fire in her eyes. "Ex-CUSE YOU?! I am chill, for your INFORMATION!"
The boy didn't look fazed at her outburst, and he narrowed his eyes playfully.
"You say that while yelling at me in a very un-chill-like manner," he said while rolling his eyes.
Glaring, Violet stomped on the boy's foot, making him yelp and hop around while holding his hurt foot.
"Shut it, Lime." she growled.
Just then, the other Inkling boy with cyan tentacles and glasses shushed them.
"Will all of you be hush-hush?! I'm trying to read!" he said.
Orange glanced at the open book in his hands. Immediately, she put on a tired and slightly annoyed face.
"Cyan. That book is upside down." she sighed.
Cyan blinked. "Huh?"
He looked at the cover of the book, and widened his eyes in realization.
"No way... I KNEW something was off! The words looked funny. I thought that I was reading an alien language…." Cyan turned the book around the right way, and smiled, "What a game changer."
Immediately, Orange, Violet, and Lime slapped their foreheads.
"You know, for someone who looks like a 'smart' person, you're not that smart, bro." Lime scoffed.
Cyan frowned. "Hey! I am the smarterest out of all of you!"
Orange raised an eyebrow. "Really? What's -3 * 2?"
Cyan smirked. "Easy! Canada!" he frowned, then put a hand on his chin, "No… Math!"
Lime nodded with an exaggerated fake grin. "Sure…."
Violet growled a little, fed up. "ENOUGH WITH THE MONKEY BUSINESS! If we don't march ourselves into Inkopolis Tower, I will drag each one of you, by the tentacles, myself!"
Lime grabbed the two tentacles on his head. "Hey! Don't touch my babies."
"Then, let's GO." Violet said as she stomped away.
After groaning, Lime and Cyan followed her as well. But, Orange stayed back, noticing something over by the shops. When she saw what it was, her eyes widened.
It was some sort of stubby thing. A sphere with little ovals on its sides to act as legs and arms. It was casted in shadow, but Orange recognized it. It was in her dream as one of the figures underneath the burning ball of flame.
As soon as she thought of the fireball, it seemed to flash in her vision for a split second, making her gasp.
"ORANGE!" Violet shouted.
Orange blinked, then the ball disappeared in an instant. The stubby shadow was also gone, nowhere to be seen. Orange glanced at Violet, Lime, and Cyan standing at the Tower, waiting for her.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Orange sighed, as she jogged away, sparing one last glance at where she once stared.
As Orange walked away, Link watched her go. He was hiding by the side of the building, while holding onto Kirby with a tight grip. They had both come to the Splatoon universe just a few minutes earlier. But, Kirby suddenly decided to run off, causing Link to chase him around, until he was eventually able to grab him, but not before Orange saw Kirby for a few seconds. To Link's relief, the Inkling friends that Orange was with called her back, which caused her to look the other way long enough for Link to snatch Kirby.
Link exhaled loudly when Orange and her friends were completely out of sight, and glared at Kirby.
"Look at the trouble you almost caused, Kirby! Running off like that in an unknown universe is BAD! Plus, the Inkling almost saw you, and we're not supposed to interact with her. At least, not until we get a good look at her skills. You should be ashamed."
Kirby blinked, then looked sad.
"Poyo yo." he said in an apologetic tone.
Link tried to look angry, but eventually dropped the act and sighed.
"You know, you're lucky that you're too cute for your own good. I can't stay mad at you with that face." Link said as he shook his head.
"Um… excuse me. Who are you?" an unfamiliar voice asked
Link and Kirby froze, looking out of the corner of their eyes. A random Inkling boy with yellow tentacles stared at the pair with a confused expression.
"Uhh…. I'm… an Inkling, of course!" Link lied, then held up Kirby slowly, "And this… um… is my jellyfish friend… buddy."
Slowly, the Inkling tilted his head to the side, frowning. Kirby imitated the motion, and blinked.
"...Hi?" Kirby said.
The Inkling stopped tilting his head, gave them a suspicious look, and walked away. When he did, Link and Kirby sighed.
"Let's get out of here. The Inklings here are too judgemental." Link said.
"Po-YO." Kirby replied while nodding, as Link carried him away.
In Moray Towers, a battle was about to begin. On each side of the battlefield, 4 Inklings spawned from a respawn pad. Orange spawned on the left side, and looked over at her teammates, who had orange tentacles now.
"Team Orange? Yes!" Orange said triumphantly.
Violet frowned slightly, as she looked at her tentacles. "I would have preferred purple, but this will do."
Orange looked over to the other team, which consisted of two Inkling boys and two Inkling girls, just like her team. But, her eye caught one Inkling. Specifically, an Inkling boy with blue tentacles.
"Blue!" Orange exclaimed happily.
Blue is an Inkling that is best friends with Orange. Arguably, her closest friend. She had known him for a long time, ever since they were children, and they came to Inkopolis together. Sadly, they had formed their own separate teams, but Orange didn't mind. While he was her best friend, they were equal rivals in Turf War, proving to be very elite players compared to other Inklings. Anyways, being on different teams did nothing to change their bond at all, so it was a win-win.
Just then, Orange's mind flashed back to the dream she had, where she was fighting Blue. Maybe, she should talk to him about it. But, she shook her head, clearing her thoughts.
Focus, Orange! Blue can know about your dream later. But for now, get your head in the game!
Soon, a voice counted down, signalling when the match was going to start. "3… 2… 1… GO!"
Quickly, Orange and her team set off, inking the battlefield. As they did, Orange's mind was now in "Turf War" mode as she developed a strategy.
"Violet! Cyan! Try to ink some turf!" Orange shouted.
Violet got her Inkbrush ready, while Cyan threw down his Roller on the ground.
"Got it!" they said in unison, as they inked away.
Orange looked at Lime. "Lime. You and I are on defense. Push the enemies back, and prevent them from advancing or attacking Cyan and Violet."
Lime grinned as he cocked his Blaster. "Roger that, boss!"
Quickly, Orange and Lime sprang into action, directing their fire to the middle of the battlefield, where most of the opponents were inking with their weapons.
Lime separated from Orange, still firing in the middle. "I'll keep firing at these suckers from the right."
Orange nodded in reply, as Lime went away. She continued to ink the middle, deflecting the Bombs thrown at her and splatting some opponents.
Suddenly, she felt some blue ink shots hit her back, making her flinch. Quickly, she dodged the shots, and jumped away from the ink shots in her squid form. When she turned back into human form, she heard something.
"You should focus more on your surroundings." a voice said behind her.
Orange turned around to see Blue, who had snuck up behind her. With his Splattershot raised, he smirked.
"You never know when a squid's going to splat you in the back." Blue finished.
Despite the danger she was in, Orange showcased a wicked grin.
"Even in battle, you're always talking." she said, as she started firing.
Effortlessly, Blue dodged her attacks, and raced towards her. After that, the two friends were locked in a fierce battle of ink, even throwing in some hand-to-hand combat, which Inklings usually refrained from using in battle.
As this went on, Link and Kirby watched in awe from a dark corner of the stage.
"Those moves… that agility… the clever maneuvers!" Link exclaimed breathlessly, as he looked at Kirby, "These newcomers are AWESOME!"
"Poyo!" Kirby replied with sparkling eyes.
Meanwhile, during Orange's and Blue's fight, Orange's head lit up. Once she noticed that, she grinned wider. Her Special was all charged up. Quickly, she jumped over Blue in her squid form, just as he tried to land a karate chop. When his attack didn't land, Blue stumbled, giving Orange a window of opportunity.
"You better hold on to your tentacles, Blue. It's SPECIAL TIME!" Orange shouted, as she activated the move.
With the Special activated, she pulled out a huge machine that resembled a megaphone. She positioned it to be right in front of Blue, and cackled.
"Special Weapon…. KILLER WAIL! " she shouted.
After she said that, the Killer Wail released a shockwave of orange ink that hurtled towards Blue. Orange couldn't tell if the attack had hit Blue, due to her vision partly blurred with ink, but she was sure of it.
But, as the Killer Wail fired, time seemed to freeze. A picture flashed in front of Orange's eyes, and her eyes widened. It showed her pulling off that same, signature Killer Wail move. But, she was firing at unfamiliar people covered in shadow. And, in the background, she saw that same fireball, burning brightly. Suddenly, a voice started speaking out of nowhere.
"It's time, Orange. Time to be a part of something legendary…."
And just after the voice said that, the picture disappeared in a flash. Orange was back on the stage, and her Killer Wail just ended.
Orange gasped, as she staggered backward in complete shock. She slipped, and landed on her butt, but that didn't seem to affect her. Meanwhile, Blue jumped out of a puddle of ink, and turned from squid to human. The blast had almost got him, but he had jumped into an ink puddle, saving him from getting splatted. He wiped the orange ink off of his cheek with his eyes closed, while grinning.
"Hah! Almost got me there! But, as always, I'm two steps ahead!" he said.
But, when he opened his eyes and saw shocked Orange on the ground, his demeanor changed from cocky to confused.
"Um… Ory? Are you okay?" he asked, a bit of concern creeping into his voice.
But, Orange wasn't okay. Her mind was racing with thoughts and questions, but one was more prominent than the rest.
What is going ON with me?!
Shortly after that, the match ended. Orange's team ended up winning, having inked BARELY enough to defeat Blue's team by a small percentage. But unlike other times, the outcome of the Turf War was the LAST thing on Orange's mind.
After the battle, she and her teammates have parted ways. As far as they knew, Orange's team only planned to play one Turf War match that day, since they all had things to busy themselves with. So, Orange was free for the remainder of the day. Which made her relieved, because she didn't feel like battling anymore.
By Inkopolis Tower, Orange leaned against the wired structure, as she sat on the ground and polished her Splattershot absentmindedly. Despite her recent determination to find out more about her dream, Orange had no clue on what to do next.
She was debating on telling Blue about it. After all, he was there for the majority of the dream. But, she doubted if he would believe it. Although he's cocky and confident, Blue was a levelheaded kind of guy. He didn't seem like the type to be fully invested in Orange's dream.
Just then, she heard a voice say, "Ory!"
Orange looked to see Blue approaching her with his hands crossed behind his head and a large grin. Orange offered up a small smile, as she set down the Splattershot.
"Hey, Blue. What's up?" she asked.
"Not much. Just wanted to congratulate you on that win." Blue replied, then looked at her shirt with a snicker, "And ask you if you knew that your shirt was backwards the whole time. You did know that, right?"
Orange looked down, just noticing that, and sighed.
"Yep. Haven't you heard? Backward shirts are a fresh new thing now." Orange lied, as she got up.
Blue chuckled.
"I bet they are," he said sarcastically.
Orange crossed her arms with a hint of a smile. "So. Do you have anything else to tell me, other than judging my fashion choices?"
"Actually, I do. You wanna stop by the Crust Bucket, and get some Shwaffles? On me." Blue said.
Orange thought for a moment. Logically, this was a good opportunity. It would give her much-needed alone time with Blue. Maybe then, she could tell him about what she saw. Despite the nagging doubts about how Blue would react, Orange needed to tell somebody. After all, Blue was the only friend she shared most of her secrets with. And, he believed them then, so why wouldn't he now? Plus, Orange WAS in the mood for a Shwaffle.
"I'm in." Orange said.
"Helloo squiddos! I'm guessing the usual?" Crusty Sean, the manager of the Crust Bucket, asked.
Blue smiled, as he pulled out two tickets, and set them on the metal counter.
"You know it!" Blue said.
While Crusty Sean made the food, Orange stood by Blue, and glanced around. She was partly wondering about that stubby shadow she saw from before. Did she actually see that? Or was that a trick played on her by her brain? And if she did see it in real life, what even WAS it?
Orange sighed, as she put two fingers on the bridge of her nose. Ugh! This dream business is getting weirder and weirder!
At that moment, Crusty Sean set down two large boxes, filled with Shwaffles.
"There you go! Enjoy!" he said happily.
"Thanks!" Blue replied, as he took the boxes.
After that, Orange and Blue found a table, and sat down. Once they did, they both started to dig into their food. But, while Blue was eating quickly, Orange picked at her food, taking small and delicate bites.
Soon, Blue noticed this, and he put down his fork, an eyebrow raised.
"Are you good?" he asked.
Orange looked up quickly, as if she was distracted from thinking.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, yeah. I'm okay." Orange answered, letting out a half-hearted chuckle.
Blue frowned. "Are you sure? You're picking at your food. Last time I checked, you eat Shwaffles in only 3 bites."
"Oh, that? It's nothing. I'm just… not hungry." Orange said dismissively.
Blue looked even more suspicious than ever, which made Orange a little nervous.
"Ory, what's with you today?" he finally asked.
"Huh?" Orange asked, while blinking.
"You heard me. First off, you came to the Turf War late. With your shirt on backwards, as well. You seemed pretty fine when we battled, but when you fired that Killer Wail, that changed. I mean, you fell on your butt, and looked like you saw a ghost. Now, you're quiet, not even ONCE boasting or bragging about your win. That's when I KNEW something was fishy. My point is, something's up. Tell me what it is."
Orange was silent for a few seconds. He noticed all of that? Was it THAT obvious? Then, she sighed. Okay. No more beating around the bush. Tell it to him straight.
"Okay. But, PLEASE promise me that you won't think I'm crazy once I tell you, kay?" Orange finally said.
Blue slowly nodded. "I promise. Now, spill it."
Orange hesitated, then finally talked. "I… had a dream. And it was… something."
Blue looked confused for a second, but that look disappeared as he narrowed his eyes.
"What… was it about?" he asked.
Orange blew air through her lips. "Well, it started off pretty normal. I was in this… white room. And you were there too. Then, we started to play some Turf War with each other. After a while, you ran off somewhere. When you did, the room got dark. But a few seconds later, an orange light came in. That's when I turned around, and saw something."
As she described the dream, it seemed like Blue was slowly getting more and more shocked.
"What did you see?" he asked.
"I… saw a fireball. It was big, and it had two black lines running through it. And in front of it were these… shadowed people. I don't know who they were, but I knew that they weren't Inklings. After that, the dream ended and I woke up."
Orange leaned forward in her chair. "But, the weird experience didn't stop there. I tried to forget about the dream today, but everywhere I looked, I saw some things that were from my dream, and they would ALWAYS disappear whenever I gave them a second glance. I don't know what's going on, but I… I think the dream has more meaning to it, you know?"
After she finished, Blue just stared at her with an unreadable expression. Orange rubbed the back of her head, and smiled awkwardly.
"I know you probably think I'm crazy. And you're right! Maybe, I'm overreading into this, and it was just one of those dreams you have when you accidentally breathe in too much ink scent-"
"I believe you."
"And I know that you don't believe in- uh huh?" Orange said, stopping as she registered what Blue said. "You… BELIEVE me?"
Blue nodded. "Yeah."
"But…. how come you do?" Orange asked.
Blue showed his clenched teeth. "Because… I had the same dream too."
When she heard that, Orange dropped her fork with a clatter.
"You… you what?" she asked.
Blue smacked his lips. "Yep. Sure, it was a little different than yours. When we were battling in the white room, I was the one who was running away. And when it got dark, I couldn't see you anymore, so I went back to where you stopped. That's when I saw the fireball and the shadowed people."
"But, that's impossible! Two people can't have the same dream." Orange exclaimed.
"I know. That's why I was surprised when I heard you tell me about the dream. Which means…" Blue narrowed his eyes and looked around, "Something else is going on."
Orange frowned. "Do you think… the dream was real?"
"No. I know the difference between dreams and real life. And, it felt like a dream. What I'm saying is… what if the message of the dream is trying to… I don't know, TELL us something."
When he said that, Orange's mind flashed back to the moment when she was firing the Killer Wail, and what she heard. It's time, Orange. Time to be a part of something legendary…
Orange looked around, with her eyes narrowed. "But, what message would it be? And what does that mean for us?"
At that moment, she spotted something, and froze. The stubby shadow was back. However, ANOTHER shadowy person, who was taller than the stubby one, was with it.
Orange's eyes widened. "Blue. Look."
Blue looked in the direction Orange was looking, and froze with wide eyes.
"I CAN'T be the only one who sees that, right?" Orange asked.
"Nope. I see it too." Blue whispered.
It was at this moment that the two shadows seemed to notice that Orange and Blue had caught them watching them. Which was why both of them made a run for it.
"HEY! Get BACK here!" Orange shouted as she sprang up and chased after them.
"Orange!" Blue shouted as he got up too.
But, all Orange was focused on was getting the shadowed people. They had some sort of connection to her dream, and could possibly be a lead, so she was NOT going to let them get away.
Orange turned down a corner, and saw the shadowed people running a few feet ahead. But suddenly, the stubby one tripped and fell, making the tall one stop in his tracks.
"Kirby!" he shouted.
Orange was finally able to catch up to them, and skidded to a stop. She stared at them, eyes wide. Now that they were up close, they weren't covered in shadow, allowing Orange to see them clearly. It turned out that the stubby one, the one that the tall one called "Kirby", was some sort of pink blob with arms and legs. And the tall one had flowy, stringy hair, and had a sword held right below his blue tunic.
"...What the?" Orange asked.
The tall one put on an awkward smile. "Um… hey?"
Blue turned down the same corner that Orange passed, and stopped in his tracks immediately.
"Orange? Who are they?" Blue asked nervously.
The tall one sighed. "Alright. You caught us. I guess it's time to cut out all of the horsing around."
"Poyo." Kirby said, as he pushed himself up.
"Hold on… What? 'Horsing around'? What's going on?" Orange asked.
"Wait, but first, start with who you are." Blue said as he stood by Orange.
"Okay. My name's Link." the tall one replied, then pointed to Kirby, "I guess you already know Kirby."
"Hi!" Kirby said happily.
"Link and Kirby?" Orange asked.
"Yes. I come from the Legend of Zelda universe, and Kirby comes from… well… the Kirby universe. We're also part of the original twelve, the people who have attended each and every Super Smash Bros Tournament."
Orange immediately felt more shock at the last sentence.
"Hold on… I KNOW YOU!" Orange shouted with realization.
"You do?!" everyone exclaimed in unison (except Kirby who said "Poyo poi?!")
"Yeah! The Super Smash Bros Tournament! I remember watching you in battle! I was a big fan!" Orange exclaimed happily, "Wow… I can't believe I didn't recognize you! Then again, the last time I ever watched that tournament was like… 3 years ago."
Link smiled. "Wow! I'm glad you remember us!"
"Poyo!" Kirby said with a grin.
Orange went from excited to confused after that.
"But, what are you guys doing here in Inkopolis?" she asked.
"Well, for a number of reasons. Firstly, I wanted to see Inklings up close. I mean… your kind is very interesting." Link explained.
Orange and Blue looked at each other, then at Link. "Us?"
"Yeah. But, the most important reason is something else. You see, the Super Smash Bros Tournament is opening up again."
"WHAT?!" Orange and Blue shouted in shock.
Link nodded, confirming it. "And it's the biggest one yet. All of the fighters you've seen before are returning, along with other newcomers."
"ALL of them? How is that possible?" Orange asked.
Link rubbed the back of his head with another awkward smile. "To be honest, we don't know. But, the Hands are going to pull it off, so it's happening." Link's smile turned into a genuine one, "And I guess you two are lucky, since you'll be able to see it up close."
"...What do you mean?" Blue asked.
Link's smile grew wider, as he took out two letters and handed it to them. Blue looked at it with a confused expression, but Orange looked at it with a mix of immense shock and happiness.
"Is this… what I THINK it is?!" Orange squealed.
Link nodded. "How would you two like it, if you were to be part of the next group of newcomers to enter Super Smash Bros?"
Daisy
Yoshi ran down the winding dirt road, on his way to Sarasaland, the place where Daisy lived and ruled over. But soon, he stopped and planted himself on the side of the road, out of breath and tired.
"It HAD to be here out of all the places. Daisy could have ruled over a nice island, or a snowy kingdom. But, NOOO. It had to be a desert filled with sand, sand, and more sand." Yoshi complained.
Slowly, Yoshi got up and continued his route, trudging through the shin-deep sand (for a normal person, of course. In his case, it was up to his hips).
"You know, if I had a Blue Shell right about now, I'd get to Sarasaland in 5 minutes TOPS." Yoshi mumbled.
Just then, Yoshi heard a rumble in the distance. He stopped, and listened while frowning.
"Huh?" he said, "What's that?"
Suddenly, Yoshi saw a huge black motorcycle with yellow flames painted on its side jet in his direction, speeding towards him. Realizing what was about to happen, Yoshi dived to the side, as the motorcycle passed by, nearly running him over.
The motorcycle screeched to a stop, and the rider (who was in a helmet) turned around. Grabbing onto the helmet, the rider took it off (albeit with a lot more difficulty than it should). When the rider took it off, it was revealed to be Wario, who glared at Yoshi.
"Hey! Watch it, you dolt! You almost messed up my sweet ride, Greeny #2!" Wario yelled.
Yoshi sighed (mostly at the nickname, which Wario called him often, although he called Luigi Greeny #1).
"The fact that you are more concerned about not messing up that horrid paint job, as opposed to running me over and killing me, says a lot, Wario." Yoshi said in a tired voice, sick of Wario's antics.
Wario gritted his teeth. But instead of getting angry, he cackled evilly.
"Insult me all you want, Yoshi. But, just know that you should watch that freakishly long tongue of yours. After all, you don't want to do something you'll regret, when I have this precious little PRINCESS!"
It was then that Yoshi noticed the wagon behind Wario's motorcycle, which was tied to it. Inside the wagon was none other than Princess Daisy, who was wrapped in rope and duct tape.
"Yoshi! Help me!" Daisy said, as she tried to break apart the rope and duct tape.
"DAISY?!" Yoshi exclaimed, jumping in surprise.
"Yup! And this Daisy is MINE! MWAHAHAHAHA!" Wario cackled, as he put on the helmet and drove away.
Immediately, Yoshi chased after the motorcycle with renewed energy. Sometimes, the motorcycle would make crazy turns, and sometimes even back up, to confuse and lose Yoshi. But, Yoshi was persistent, and kept chasing, until he was able to grab onto the edge of the wagon and hitch a ride.
"HEY! GET YOUR OWN RIDE!" Wario shouted.
"Thank goodness you're here, Yoshi. If I wasn't so tied up, I would have smacked this fool myself." Daisy said with a humph.
"Let's leave the Wario abuse until AFTER I untie you, okay? Then, we can dropkick him together." Yoshi replied, as he started to untie the rope knots.
"Agreed." Daisy replied with a smile, as she tried to chew the tape apart.
"ARGH! STOP RUINING MY PLAN!" Wario shouted.
In an attempt to get Yoshi away, Wario yanked the motorcycle to the left, then rapidly to the right. As a result, Yoshi was flinged off the wagon, and into a prickly bush facefirst.
"NOO!" Daisy exclaimed. "Yoshi, get up!"
Wario looked back with a grin. "Don't get your hopes up, toots. That little froggy ain't gonna COME BACK. HAHAHAHA!"
With that, Wario zoomed away with Daisy, until they were out of sight. A few moments passed after Wario left, before Yoshi got out of the bush. With tears in his eyes, he stuck out his tongue, which had a thousand thorns in it.
"AH! Ma tongue!" Yoshi said with a lisp, due to not having his tongue in his mouth.
Yoshi plopped down on the road, and sighed.
"Zat's it. I can't do zis alone. I need backup, and thtat!" Yoshi said.
Yoshi got up with his fists curled confidently.
"And I know jutht the galth for the job!" he said with determination.
Meanwhile, in Peach's Castle, Peach and Rosalina were having tea and talking.
"You got the Smash letter as well, right?" Rosalina asked.
"You bet!" Peach said brightly, "I just got it today! And I'm so excited!"
"Me too! Imagine coming back to Smash Manor, and seeing all of our dear friends!" Rosalina said with a smile.
"I know! I can't wait to see Zelda. I heard that she got a redesign." Peach replied.
"Hm… perhaps that's just a rumor, but we'll see when we see. Did the boys get a letter?" Rosalina asked.
Peach nodded, but pouted. "They did. But, they left without a word. I guess they were too eager to get back into action."
Rosalina sighed, as she shook her head. "Boys. They really are a subject that I have very little knowledge about."
"You and me both, sister." Peach said as she took a sip of tea.
Just then, Yoshi bursted through the door, surprising Rosalina and Peach. With a hurried motion, Yoshi picked the remaining thorns out of his tongue and threw them to the side.
"Daisy! It's Daisy!" Yoshi shouted frantically.
Peach and Rosalina rushed over to him.
"Breathe, Yoshi. Breathe." Peach said calmly, as Rosalina called over Luma.
Yoshi took a few deep breaths, and calmed down.
"Now, what's this about Daisy?" Rosalina asked.
"Okay, so. I was on my way to Sarasaland, to go and see Daisy about something. And I've been travelling for a while, since the roads are long and sandy and hard to navigate. So, I was feeling pretty tired, and I had to rest when-"
"Yoshi. Get to the point." Peach said, frowning.
"Right." Yoshi said, then took a deep breath, and let out the news, "Daisywaskidnappedfromhercastleandnowshe'sbeingheldhostage."
"WHAT?!" Peach and Rosalina exclaimed.
"Wait, wait. This might not be as bad. Who kidnapped Daisy? Bowser?" Peach asked.
"No. Wario did." Yoshi replied.
Peach sighed. "Oh no… This is worse than I thought."
"Why does the kidnapper matter? What's the difference between Bowser and Wario?" Rosalina asked.
"Bowser kidnaps princesses to make them fall in love with him. That means he pampers them. Trust me. I don't know HOW many chocolate covered strawberry platters I was given each time I was kidnapped. Wario, on the other hand, does this kind of thing for the money. Which means that he's probably looking to exploit Daisy in some sort of way."
Rosalina and Yoshi looked at Peach with a dumbfounded expression.
"What? A girl who's been kidnapped 5,000 times before should at least KNOW the kidnapping basics!" Peach said while frowning.
"Well,the point is Daisy's in trouble! And I need both of your help." Yoshi said.
"Consider it done. After all, a proper princess helps her friends. It's basic royal girl code." Rosalina said.
"That's right! That lowlife Wario will regret messing with the Triple Threat princesses!" Peach said with a fist pump.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? ONWARD, princesses!" Rosalina declared.
With that, the two princesses ran out of the room, with Yoshi running after them.
"Not a princess but okay!" Yoshi shouted after them.
Meanwhile, Daisy sat inside of a lonely cell. She had no clue where she was. All she knew was that this was Wario's new supposed "lair". Then again, she only knew that from Wario's bragging.
"HAH! All of the naysayers laughed and said I'll NEVER get a good place like this!" he had said, "Well, look who's laughing NOW, Mom!"
That was shortly before Wario took her to the cell. Once he did though, he just left her there and went off, probably to cause more mischief. Which was a huge mistake, considering that he left her alone with no supervision whatsoever.
"Wario really IS a dummy." Daisy whispered to herself.
After she said that, she immediately resumed trying to untie herself, which consisted of chewing on duct tape and rope. As she worked, Daisy was thinking about what she wanted to do when she got out. Namely, beat Wario up.
When the money-loving crook came to kidnap her, Daisy tried to fight him off herself. And she almost won too. But, there's only so much that you can do, when you get knocked out by a vase thrown at your head.
Next thing she knew after she woke up from her fainting spell, Daisy was tied up and sitting in Wario's wagon, while Wario sped away from Sarasaland. That was when Yoshi saw her, and tried to help her, but failed when Wario threw him headfirst into a prickly bush. After that, they went off to the lair, and now, Daisy was in a musty cell, helpless.
Helpless. She hated that word. It didn't describe her at all! It was the kind of word you'd use on crying damsels in distress. And Daisy was not that. After all, her father left her in charge of Sarasaland, so she was quite the opposite: a confident, kickass princess.
As she continued to gnaw on sticky tape, Daisy thought about another topic. Specifically, the Smash Tournament. She remembered the day she first watched the tournament on her TV, and was immediately hooked on the idea of getting invited. She wanted to be up there, in the tournament, fighting and kicking butt.
When Peach got invited for Smash (specifically the second tournament, Melee), Daisy was obviously ecstatic for her friend. She cheered for Peach in every battle that she was in. But despite those happy feelings, Daisy couldn't help but wish that she was chosen as well.
Later, Rosalina joined Smash alongside Peach. That, Daisy didn't mind. Rosalina was, of course, a galactic princess who ruled over and watched over stars. What was more badass than that? But when it happened, that was when Daisy lost a little bit of hope. Smash already had two feisty princesses. Why would they need more?
That was why when Peach and Rosalina told her that they were going back to Smash for another round, Daisy felt indifferent. Them going wasn't going to change anything drastically. It was going to be the same old routine as always for Daisy: continue to rule Sarasaland, while occasionally watching the new Smash battles, and waiting for Peach and Rosalina to come back from their Smash expedition.
When Daisy focused back to where she was and what she was doing, she realized that she had successfully chewed through the tape and rope, which was now broken apart.
"Yes!" Daisy exclaimed with a grin, "Wario's gonna get it now!"
But as she started to slide her hands out of the rope, she heard a clang, and looked up. Beyond the bars of a cell was a metal door that was used as a second barrier, in case Daisy got out of the cell. And, it seemed like Wario was trying to open the door, albeit with some difficulty.
"Gah! Open, you stupid door!" Wario's voice growled from behind the door.
As Wario struggled to open the door, an idea popped into Daisy's head. She narrowed her eyes, and quickly put her hands behind her back, putting the frayed rope and tape away from Wario's view. When she did, Wario finally got the door open, and stood in the doorway, panting.
"I really need to hire a mechanic." he grumbled as he stood up, and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Daisy scoffed. "I can't believe I let an overweight buffoon kidnap me."
Wario looked offended. "WHAT?! Are you BLIND?! I'm not FAT!" he gestured at his swollen belly proudly, "It's obvious that I have a chiseled 6-pack!"
Daisy looked with a raised eyebrow. "More like ONE-pack."
Wario snarled. "Oh, shut it, toots. Anyways, I need a little favor."
Wario ambled over to the bars of the cell, took out some keys, unlocked the locks by the door, and opened the bar door with a smirk.
"Get on up. Or should I have to pick you up, so that you don't hurt your dainty little feet." Wario said, saying the last sentence in an over exaggerated baby voice.
Daisy stood up slowly, still keeping her untied hands behind her back, while glaring.
"You lay a pudgy finger on me, and you'll get a heel stuck in your eye." Daisy threatened.
Wario simply cackled at Daisy's threat, as he led her out of the room. As they walked out into the hallway, Daisy looked down the right end, which had a staircase leading upstairs, and then the left end, which had a staircase leading downstairs. Quickly, Wario forced her to the left end.
The right end of the hall probably leads out of the lair. Noted. Daisy thought as she complied.
The two of them walked down the stairs silently for a while, before Wario said something.
"You know. You sure are quiet over there, toots."
Daisy closed her eyes and sighed. "PLEASE stop calling me 'toots'."
Wario grinned. "No can do, toots."
Daisy glared. "What do you even WANT with me? Just know that I would rather DIE than be your girlfriend."
Wario put on a disgusted face.
"Ew! Why would I want a girlfriend? That would SERIOUSLY cramp my 'ladies man' lifestyle. No, I only want you for the money."
Daisy sighed. "Of course."
Wario rolled his eyes. "I mean, seriously. Don't you KNOW me? I'm a bachelor, toots. That's one of the main reasons I even want money: for the ladies."
"No lady in her right mind would fall for you, even if you had all of the money in the WORLD." Daisy said.
Wario growled as they reached the end of the steps and stopped in front of a double set of doors. "You know what, toots? I'm starting to grow tired of you. So, let's get this over with, so that I can kick you to the curb."
With that, Wario pushed the doors open. Inside was a room full of computers and technology. In the middle of the room was a chair with handcuffs and locks.
"Alright, toots, make this easier for me, and bring out your untied hands." Wario said, then laughed at Daisy's shocked face, "HAH! You thought I didn't notice! I may have been held back a few grades, and dropped out of middle school, but I'm not dumb. If anything it's dumb that you didn't even THINK of using your untied hands to your advantage and escape! But of course, it's kind of obvious that you aren't the smartest cookie in the pack."
Daisy growled, then stuck out her hands. "You got me."
Wario cackled again. "Obviously. Now, be a good girl and sit."
Daisy felt like slapping Wario out of his shoes when he said that, but bottled the urge and grudgingly, sat down on the chair. Wario stood in front of her, at one of the computers. Suddenly, the monitors showed a password screen, and Wario turned around.
"Alrighty. So, I KNOW that you keep the pretty little jewels and coins in your royal safe. And THAT'S what I want. But apparently, kicking the door, punching the door, burning the door, and begging the door won't even open it a SMIDGE. No, the only thing that opens it is a password that only the royal family knows. Now, tell me what it is, toots."
Daisy scoffed. "Why should I?"
Wario snickered. "If you don't, then I'll have no choice but to take over Sarasaland, and throw you into the Piranha Plant Pit!"
After he said that, Wario pressed a button, and the ground around Daisy's chair gave way to a giant hole filled with a bunch of hungry, snappy, and cranky Piranha Plants. Daisy looked down, then back up with a bored expression.
"So, THIS is your big plan? Force me to tell you the royal password, or throw me into a pit of Piranha Plants?" Daisy asked.
Wario put a hand towards his ear, and leaned forward. "What's that? 'Feed me as lunch to these Piranha Plants'? No PROBLEM!"
Wario slowly started to push a lever. Suddenly, Daisy's chair started to tip forward slowly into the pit. But instead of being terrified, Daisy looked calm.
"Okay. Bye bye, then." she said.
After hearing that, Wario pushed the lever back up again, making Daisy's chair stand looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.
"Did you say… okay? You DO realize what mess you're getting yourself into, right toots?" Wario asked.
Daisy nodded with a straight face. "Yep. Feed me as lunch to these Piranha Plants."
Wario glared with a humph. "I will, then."
Wario pressed on the lever, making Daisy tip forward again. But before the chair tipped over enough, Wario brought back the lever and whined.
"Come ON! All I want is my moolah! Is that so much to ASK?!" he complained.
"Well, you're not going to get it out of me. Even if I have to die by being chomped alive, my lips are CLOSED." Daisy said with a shrug.
Wario growled as he pressed a button, making the pit close up and making the lock on the ciar unlock, releasing Daisy.
"FINE! I don't NEED you! I'll just kidnap one of the other loser princesses, and make them give ME their money!" Wario said with a stomp of his foot.
"The only thing that these loser princesses are going to give you…" a voice said.
Wario barely had time to react, before Luma rammed into his belly, throwing him back to the wall. Luma came back to Rosalina, Peach, and Yoshi, who had just arrived in time.
"...is a PIECE OF OUR MIND!" Peach and Rosalina finished.
Wario got up shakily with wide eyes.
"HOW DID YOU FIND US?! This lair's supposed to be hidden!" he exclaimed.
Daisy got up, and turned to him. "Not anymore. While you were yapping about whatever on the stairs, I used my untied hands to press my special SOS button." she pulled out a plastic cartoon daisy with a glowing blue dot in the middle, "Really comes in handy when you get kidnapped."
Peach and Rosalina walked up to stand beside her.
"Now ladies. Shall we show this man what happens when you mess with the Triple Threat princesses?" Peach asked, taking out a golf club.
"Don't have to tell me twice." Rosalina replied, as she pulled out her wand.
"Prepare to have your butt KICKED, Wario!" Daisy exclaimed, while grabbing a tennis racket.
Wario, knowing what was about to go down, tried to flee to the exit. But, the princesses already sprang upon him. Using their weapons, the princesses bonked Wario on the head, making him fall backwards. They proceeded to jump him, and even Luma got into the action by kicking Wario's shin a few times. After getting beat up, Wario tried to crawl away, but all three princesses grabbed him, and plopped him into the chair.
"Yoshi, take it away!" Peach said to Yoshi, who was at the control panel.
"Certainly!" Yoshi replied, as he pressed a button.
Suddenly, the pit opened back up under Wario, who was shaking.
"Uh oh." Wario squeaked.
And with that, Yoshi pulled down the lever fully, which caused Wario to fly into the pit with a scream. Quickly, Yoshi pressed the button, which made the pit close up.
"MOMMYYYY!" Wario squealed just as the pit shut.
After that, everything was quiet, with the occasional sounds of breathing. Finally, the three princesses cheered.
"We GOT him!" Peach cheered.
"Perfect!" Rosalina exclaimed.
"HUZZAH!" Daisy whooped.
After that, all the princesses gave each other a group hug and squealed. When they separated, Peach smiled.
"It's been a while since all three of us beat a bad guy up, hasn't it?" Peach asked.
"It really has." Rosalina added.
Daisy chuckled. As the princesses talked, Yoshi came up to them.
"It's nice to know that you're safe, Daisy." Yoshi said with a smile.
Daisy smiled back. "Thanks, Yoshi. I owe it all to you, though. If you hadn't told Rosalina and Peach that I was kidnapped… well I'd probably be dinner to a bunch of Piranha Plants."
Rosalina looked at the closed pit. "Speaking of which, should we help Wario out? I'm glad that we beat him up, but I don't wanna KILL anybody."
Yoshi waved a hand dismissively. "He'll be fine. We'll feed him a One-Up Mushroom soon."
As everyone laughed, Daisy's laughs started to fade, as she realized that they probably had to part ways soon. Peach, Rosalina, and Yoshi will all go to Smash, while Daisy just goes back home.
"Well, I guess it's time I go back to Sarasaland. You know, to rule it and all." Daisy said, a little bit of sadness in her tone.
The other two princesses and Yoshi shared a look. Then, Yoshi stepped forward.
"Actually, that's the reason I came to see you in the first place." Yoshi said.
Daisy stared at him, a little confused. But, when Yoshi took out a letter, her eyes widened.
"Is that…? IS THAT…?!" Daisy started to squeak.
Yoshi smiled, as he put the letter in her hands. "Yep. It's time, Daisy. You're going to Smash."
Peach and Rosalina squealed in excitement.
"YESSS!" Peach screamed.
"YOU'RE GOING, DAISY!" Rosalina yelled, as Luma danced in happy circles around her.
Daisy looked up, with happy tears in her eyes and a dopey smile.
"I'm going to Smash…" she whispered.
Rosalina and Peach hugged her. "Yes, baby!"
"I'm going to Smash!" Daisy squealed as she started to sob.
Isabelle
It was a nice day in New Leaf Town. The villagers were relaxing, and living their normal daily lives. The mayor, Villager, was busy redecorating the town for the 5th time. Everything was nice and serene.
That is, before Isabelle sprinted through the town with a stack of papers as tall as her.
"Hey! Watch it!" Rosco, a Cranky villager, growled as Isabelle pushed him aside.
"I'M SORRY!" Isabelle shouted over her shoulder.
As she did though, she nearly tripped over Marshal, who was sunbathing.
"OUCH! Isabelle, you almost ruined my tan!" Marshal complained.
"Oh! Sorry!" Isabelle apologized, as she ran past while thinking, How can he even get a tan? He's a squirrel.
On her way, Isabelle ran and pushed past other villagers, while promptly and sincerely apologizing to them whenever they protested. She did not like disturbing the peaceful residents of New Leaf Town. But, this was one of those times where overwhelming work became a priority over politeness. And as much as she hated it, she had to do it. After all, Isabelle couldn't let the mayor down. Not after all he has done. So, Isabelle had to help out as best as she could.
Quickly, Isabelle bursted through Town Hall, panting. She rushed over to the mayor's empty desk, and set down the papers. Once she did, Isabelle collapsed into the chair, out of breath.
"Okay…" she said to herself, once she could actually speak words, "Come on, Isabelle. This is simple. The mayor just wants to do some redecorating the town, that's all. The only thing you have to do for him while he does that is organize this… very huge stack of paper. Easy! The mayor will be happy to see all of his work laid out for him when he's finished. Maybe, to make this more fun, we can color code and decorate each pile. But, don't get too carried away. This is official paperwork, not a potential arts and crafts project!"
Isabelle sighed, still staring at the huge stack of paperwork. It was in times like these where she wishes that she could catch a break. She DOES love working at her job, and fulfilling every need of the villagers along with the mayor, so it's not like she was sick of her job. She only wished to take a break once in a while. Kick off her shoes, have a glass or 2 (or 10) of nice Vacation Juice, and just have not a care in the world.
Just then, Isabelle softly slapped herself. "Isabelle, what are you THINKING?! There's simply no time for that. The only thing you're doing is…"
She sighed softly.
"...Work." she finished.
Isabelle sat for a few more seconds, before putting on a dedicated face. She grabbed a coffee cup on the table, and downed it in one gulp, grimacing afterwards.
"Ugh. It's cold." she said with a shudder.
But, she quickly went back into Work Mode, cracked her imaginary knuckles on her paws, and grabbed some papers.
"Let's DO this!" Isabelle shouted with determination.
For the next hour, Isabelle took every single paper, and separated it into their respective piles. She only paused to drink some more cold coffee, then went straight back to work. Soon, she was finally done, and she leaned back into the chair, and closed her eyes.
"Yay…" she sighed.
As she sat there for a few seconds, Isabelle seriously considered just sleeping for the rest of the day. But just then, the door opened, making her jump upwards in her chair. The door was just opened by a crack, and a certain someone peeked inside.
"Hello? Is Isabelle there?" they asked.
Isabelle recognized the voice immediately, and ran over to the door, opening it fully.
"Ness?" she asked, surprised.
Ness waved with both hands. "Hey, Izzy!"
Isabelle squealed, and wrapped Ness into a hug.
"Oh my goodness! It's so nice to see you!"
"It's nice to see you too! It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Ness replied.
Isabelle let go, and smiled. "It really was."
As Ness fully came in, Isabelle looked at the mayor's desk, which had organized piles but a lot of coffee cups.
"Please excuse the mess." Isabelle said with an awkward smile, "Had to get some work done."
Ness stared at the papers in awe. "Wow! You organized all of that? That's amazing!"
Isabelle waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, that's nothing. All in a day's work."
Ness turned to Isabelle, who titled her head curiously at him.
"So, what are you doing all the way out here in New Leaf Town?" Isabelle asked.
Ness smiled, as he reached into his pocket. "Actually-"
Just then, the two of them were interrupted by the door opening again, and they both turned around. Villager was standing there, and a bee sting was on his eye.
"Isabelle, I need you." he said, as he walked inside.
"Ooh. That looks rough. What happened?' Ness asked.
Villager turned to him with an awkward smile. "Hey, Ness. And, I don't really want to talk about it. But, let's just say that apparently, wasps don't like it when you hit their tree with an axe."
Isabelle put her hands to her mouth. "Oh my gosh! Let me go get some medicine for you!"
Villager nodded, wincing from the bee sting. "That'd be GREATLY appreciated."
"I'll come with you, Isabelle!" Ness said, as he followed her out.
"Thanks, Ness." she said with a smile.
After stopping by Nook's Cranny, Isabelle and Ness brought back a white bag.
"Here, take this." Isabelle said, handing the bag to Villager.
Quickly, Villager took it, opened it, took out some pills, and popped it into his mouth. After he did, he twirled around, and the bee sting magically disappeared.
"WHEW! Boy, am I glad THAT'S over." Villager said as he sighed in relief.
Ness, meanwhile, stared at Villager with confusion.
"But, you- How did a twirl do-... you know what, nevermind. I'm glad you're okay." Ness said.
Isabelle turned to Ness. "So, what did you want to tell me?"
Ness smiled. "Oh yeah! I just wanted to say-"
Just then, the two Nook brothers, Timmy and Tommy, burst through the door.
"Isabelle, we need you!" Timmy said.
"...need you!" Tommy echoed.
"Hold that thought, Ness." Isabelle said as she rushed over. "What's up?"
"You see, we got a new shipment of supplies. And we have some volunteers helping out in storing the supplies away over at Nook's Cranny. However, we would GREATLY appreciate it if you organize everything. You know, whip 'em into shape!" Timmy explained.
"...shape!" Tommy echoed with a smile.
Isabelle smiled. "Don't worry! Leave it to me!"
As Isabelle walked out with the Nooks, Ness followed.
"Okay. After this, I can finally break the news. No big deal. It's just one chore." Ness said to himself.
It was not one chore. After helping out Timmy and Tommy, Isabelle had to help out Lily plant her newly bought roses. Then, Isabelle had to act as a therapist and resolve Pietro's and Cherry's fight (which was not easy, considering that they kept on yelling and throwing chairs at each other). THEN, Isabelle had to help organize a litter cleanup event (and did most of the work, since the villagers volunteering were apparently "allergic to litter" and were useless). After that, she had to clean up Town Hall, help Dizzy find his lost bag of chips, be a model for the Able Sisters and try on their new designs, try and soothe an angry Tom Nook (Redd had visited that day), and ALSO try and find a missing beach ball (which was stuck in Roald's washing machine out of all the places).
Despite the massive work that was done before, Isabelle was now attempting to trim each and every tree. No one told her to do this, but she had insisted. And of course, Ness helped her by supporting the ladder she was on.
Ness looked up at Isabelle, trimming the branches and leaves with only a pair of garden clippers. At first, he didn't seem to mind Isabelle's chores. But now, he was getting concerned at Isabelle's willingness to do them, and was frustrated on how Isabelle could not say no, even at the most ridiculous requests. Proof of that was when Marshal wanted Isabelle to clip his toenails, and Ness was the one who had turned down the offer, despite Isabelle almost saying yes.
Just then, a drop of rain plopped onto Ness's red hat, and a light shower of rain began.
"Isabelle, it's raining. We should go back." Ness said.
"One second. I'm almost halfway done." Isabelle said, as she snipped a twig.
Ness looked unconvinced. From where he was looking, it was shown that Isabelle only trimmed 5% of the tree.
"Come on, Izzy. We can finish this later." Ness pressed.
Silence came from Isabelle's end, and Ness raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Izzy?" Ness asked.
Isabelle snorted, as if she just woke up from a nap. "Huh? Yeah, yeah, what's up, Mayor?"
"...I'm not the mayor. I'm Ness." Ness said, frowning.
"Hm… oh. Sorry, Tommy." Isabelle said in a sleepy voice.
Ness blinked. "Okay, Isabelle. It's clear you're tired. Let's go, so that you can sleep."
"Huh?! I'm not sleepy! I'm wide awake." Isabelle protested, still trimming. "I'm as fresh as a daisy! I'm up with the sun. I'm… I'm…. uh…"
Isabelle slowly trailed off, being silent again. Ness looked up, concerned.
"Isabelle?" he asked.
Suddenly, the garden clippers fell from the top of the ladder, and fell onto the ground. And after a few seconds, Isabelle fell down too, fast asleep.
In one quick motion, Ness dropped the ladder, used his psychic powers to lift him up into the air, and caught Isabelle, before landing back on the ground. Isabelle didn't really seem to notice this, but her eyes fluttered as she tried to keep them open.
"I'm fine. I'm fine…." Isabelle mumbled in a sleepy haze.
Ness sighed, and shook his head. "You're always the type to push yourself more than you should, aren't you?"
"Mm." Isabelle mumbled, as her eyelids shut.
Ness started to carry her back to Town Hall, as it rained harder.
"Let's get you in bed, okay?" Ness said.
All he received in reply was a soft snore from Isabelle.
When Isabelle woke up, she felt a soft surface beneath her, and a nice blanket on top of her. Immediately, she opened her eyes and sat up quickly.
"I'm not tired!" Isabelle blurted.
After she said that, Isabelle realized that she was in a bed in a nicely decorated room. Ness was there too, sitting in a chair and reading a book, which he put down once he noticed that Isabelle was awake.
"Well, not anymore you're not. After all, you slept for 3 hours straight." Ness said, as he shut the book and got up.
Isabelle blinked, confused. "But- I was… and you were…"
Ness sat on the bed. "You fell asleep while trimming a tree, and fell. I caught you before you hit the ground. Then, I took you to Town Hall, and told Villager that you were knocked out. So, he let you crash in one of the rooms in his house while you took a nap."
Isabelle looked around, starting to realize that it was, in fact, one of Villager's guest rooms. She rubbed her eyes.
"I fell asleep… unwillingly?" she asked.
"Of course! You were exhausted, and were working your tail off all day. No wonder you did." Ness replied.
Isabelle was quiet for a second, then sighed.
"Yeah. I guess I got carried away, and overworked myself again." she said.
Ness raised an eyebrow, concerned. "You overwork yourself on a daily basis?"
Isabelle's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "No! Not all the time! I usually moderate myself," she stopped, and looked down, "The few times I do overwork myself is on my own accord."
Ness grabbed his friend's hand. "Well, you should learn not to do that, Izzy. I know that you want to dedicate yourself to make others happy, but you gotta focus on yourself as well."
Isabelle sighed. "I know. I've been thinking about taking a break the past few days. But, what if I just leave someone who needs my help? What if while I'm doing whatever, there's someone out there who's depending on me?"
Just then, a new voice started to talk.
"When that happens, Isabelle, we'll help each other." the voice said.
Isabelle and Ness turned around to see Tom Nook entering the room, as well as Villager, Tommy and Timmy, the Able Sisters, and every one of the residents in New Leaf Town.
"What are you guys doing here?" Isabelle asked, confused.
"We've been wanting to thank you." Sable, one of the Able Sisters, said.
"You helped me with my bee sting." Villager said with a smile.
"You helped organize our stocks!" Timmy added.
"...stocks!" Tommy echoed.
"You helped me plant my roses." Lily said.
"You helped me and Cherry make up!" Pietro exclaimed, as he smiled at Cherry.
"You helped us clean up litter." Marshal said.
"More like, 'did all of the work while we lollygagged'." Roscoe corrected.
"You cleaned up Town Hall!" Villager said.
"You helped me find my precious chips." Dizzy exclaimed.
"You tried on our fierce designs!" Mabel said.
"You calmed me down when that sneaky fox came." Tom Nook said, partly growling.
"And, you found the beach ball in my washing machine!" Roald finished.
"WE LOVE YOU, ISABELLE!" everyone said in unison.
Isabelle put her hands to her mouth, as happy tears jumped out of her eyes. "Oh, you guys…"
Ness stood up with a grin. "Which is why everyone is okay with what I'm about to offer you."
Isabelle's eyes widened, as Ness reached into his pocket, and took out a letter.
"How would you like it if you were to join Smash?" Ness asked.
Isabelle sat there in shock. Suddenly, she sprung up, and took the letter with the biggest smile ever.
"I'd be HONORED!" she squealed.
King K. Rool
Donkey Kong let out a huge yawn, as he stretched out on the floor of his place. Shortly after the Telebeamer took him back to his universe, he went straight to the shack that he and Diddy shared, not at all bothering to go to King K Rool.
Why? Because he was not happy at all with the idea of King K. Rool going to Smash. He didn't even DESERVE to go, in DK's mind. With his big belly and crappy attitude, DK considered him to be very unlikeable.
But, the Hands specifically wanted King K. Rool to be a newcomer. And DK didn't want to doubt their judgement. So, he grudgingly relented, and let King K. Rool be a newcomer. However, this does not stop DK from putting off when he was going to hand the letter over to King K. Rool. And, it was clear that he was going to put it off for a long time.
Taking a banana, DK unpeeled the banana, ate it in one big bite, and tossed it behind him onto the floor next to many banana peels.
"I just don't GET it, you know? What did that two timing crook do to become a Smasher, huh? Nothing, that's what. I don't care if he apologized for squat. He's a villain, and he always will be." DK complained, letting out a huge burp afterwards.
Diddy Kong looked up, as he hung out on the tire swing.
"Well, I mean… technically, YOU were a villain once. Remember when you threw barrels at Mario?"
DK frowned. "That? That ain't even CLOSE to villany."
Diddy narrowed his eyes. "You tried to trample him with barrels. Since when do friends try to trample the other with barrels?"
DK scoffed. "You clearly don't understand, Little D. We were just playing a fun game of Barrel Jump. No big deal."
Diddy rolled his eyes. "Try telling that to Pauline."
DK finally turned around with a glare. "Okay, who's side are you ON, huh?"
Diddy shrugged. "I'm only trying to sympathize with the Hands. Cut them some slack. I know, it's annoying that they chose King K Rool out of all people. But, you can't blame THEM. They're just trying to make the tournament more popular. And like it or not, I'm starting to think that it's the PUBLIC who wanted King K Rool in the tournament. Apparently, I heard some rumors going around that people LIKE him." Diddy shuddered when he said the last sentence.
"HUH?!" DK exclaimed, "You're lying!"
"Nope. I'm being as real as the many banana peels you threw on the floor. So, if the public likes King K Rool, then that could mean he's doing SOMETHING right. Maybe, he's improving his overall character, and THAT'S why people like him. Either way, it's clear that he's changed, so let's give him a chance."
DK thought for a moment, blew air through his lips in frustration, and flopped back on the floor.
"Fine. But, I want to stay here for a little bit. Mentally prepare myself before going. So, as far as I'm concerned, I'm not gonna deal with him right now." DK said, then chuckled. "I mean, it's not like the crook's gonna waltz up to our house, anyways."
Suddenly, an earthquake-like rumble shook the house, making Diddy and DK jump, before plopping back down in their spots with wide eyes.
"What the ever-loving banana peel was THAT?!" Diddy squeaked.
"Didi. Did you forget to put the barrels away?" DK asked slowly.
Diddy shook his head. "After 'The Incident', I have and will NEVER forget."
Just then, another thump occurred, making the two monkeys jump again.
"There it is AGAIN!" Diddy exclaimed, clinging onto the tire swing.
DK stood up. "Alright. Enough of this monkey business!"
Quickly, Diddy and DK ran to the window, and simultaneously pressed their faces against the glass. As they did, they looked around to see nothing there. Just then, a tall shadow crossed their window, and the two of them looked up with wide eyes. In front of them was a silhouette of someone they weren't expecting.
"Don't tell me the loon actually waltzed up to our house…" DK said softly.
Just then, the shadow bent over and sprung up again, spooking Diddy and DK. When it sprung up though, the light shone on it. A disguise flipped off, and revealed King Dedede, who grinned at them.
"SURPRISE! You just got PRANKED!" Dedede declared.
Diddy's and DK's mouth dropped open in shock, incredulous.
"WHAT?!" they both squeaked in unison.
Meanwhile, King Dedede roared with laughter.
"I can't believe you buffoons fell for that! Y'all REALLY thought that King K Rool was around. Hah! If only you could see your faces. Y'all look so stupid!" he cackled.
But, little did Dedede know, another shadow rose up behind him. With a swing of their hand, the shadow slashed Dedede on the back of his head, sending the blue penguin flying. Now that the shadow was in the light, it was revealed to be the REAL King K Rool, and he grinned evilly.
"Hey." he said simply.
Diddy and DK went absolutely nuts, and screamed hysterically.
"Not YOU!" they exclaimed.
"Yes, it's me! I'M BACK!" King K Rool declared with a roar.
Immediately, the two monkeys scrambled out of their shack.
"What are you doing here, Rool? This is Kong TERRITORY!" DK growled.
King K Rool put on a fake sad face.
"Aw. And here I was, thinking that you'd be nice to me for once." he said in a pouty voice.
"Look, King K. We don't want any trouble. In fact, DK has something to ask you." Diddy said, trying to push DK forward.
Despite this, DK held his ground. "What do you mean? I got nothing to say!"
"Donkey Kong! The Hands…" Diddy prompted through his gritted teeth.
"I'm not ready! Not yet! Now, stop pushing!" DK complained.
As this went on, King K Rool frowned in a confused manner. But, after a few seconds, he raised his eyebrows in realization, and immediately narrowed his eyes.
"Oh. I get it. I get what you two are going to do." King K Rool said, almost snarling.
Diddy and DK stopped bickering and stared at him.
"Really?" Diddy asked.
"Yeah. You wanna FIGHT ME!" King K Rool snapped, his teeth bared.
Immediately, Diddy's eyes went wide.
"WHAT!? No, no, no! You got it twisted!" Diddy protested.
King K Rool chuckled to himself, stepping in front of DK. Aggressively, he poked DK's chest.
"You think you can FOOL me, huh?! Thought you can get me all vulnerable in enemy territory, and jump me while I'm off guard, didn't ya?! Well, you're WRONG! This croc's TWO steps ahead! Be upfront with me, and BRING IT ON!"
"NO! Don't 'bring it on'! DK, you gotta-" Diddy squeaked.
Just then, DK grabbed King K Rool's hand, used it to spin the crocodile off the ground, and let go, making him fly into a nearby tree. Proudly, DK thumped his chest.
"Come AT me then, if you're MAN enough, King K!" DK shouted.
Diddy sighed in defeat, and slapped his forehead. "Oh no…"
King K Rool got up, roared, and immediately sprinted towards DK, tearing up the ground with his claws. But just as King K Rool got close enough, DK dodged, making him skid. Quickly, King K Rool dug his claws into the ground, making him stop, and turned around, nostrils flared.
"You say that, and yet dodge me. Are you too WEAK to attack me?" King K Rool taunted.
This, of course, made DK mad, and he ran towards K. Rool with his fist extended. But before DK got his chance to attack, K Rool took out his Blunderbuss weapon, and shot out a Kannonball, which was thrown into DK's stomach, knocking him back. As DK fell on the ground, K Rool dropped the Blunderbuss, raced towards DK, grabbed him, and tossed him like a potato sack. The throw made DK fly at least 30 feet through the forest, before skidding to a stop.
"ARGH! THAT'S IT! PREPARE TO BE PUMMELED!" DK hollered as he sprinted back to K Rool.
K Rool also sprinted towards DK with a devilish grin.
"BRING IT!" he shouted as he ran.
While this was happening, Diddy was standing there, watching the ensuing battle. But when the two arch nemeses started to charge towards each other, he finally sighed.
"I gotta stop this." Diddy decided.
Quickly, Diddy took out a Jetpack, put it on, and blasted away. He arched over King K Rool, going over to DK's side. As the two sped side by side, Diddy glared.
"So much for not dealing with him!" he shouted, as the two jumped up, as well as K Rool.
In the air, DK and K Rool raised their fists, winding up for a punch, while Diddy raised his foot for a kick. When the three attacks connected, it created a shockwave that seemed to shake the whole island and flatten every tree in sight.
Using just his foot, Diddy pushed the two fists apart, making DK and K Rool separate and fall to the ground with a thump. They immediately got up, and glared at Diddy, who landed safely in between them with his Jetpack.
"Come on, Diddy! Move so that I can PUMMEL him!" DK growled.
"NO! There will be no pummelling or fighting." Diddy shouted.
Diddy took off his Jetpack, marched over to the shack, and after a few seconds of rummaging, came out with a letter. DK's eyes widened.
"Diddy, NO!" he screeched.
Diddy ignored DK's protests, and handed the letter to King K Rool, who looked confused and suspicious as he looked it over.
"What we've been ORIGINALLY wanting to tell you was that… you've been invited as a newcomer for Smash." Diddy said.
K Rool's eyes widened as he looked up. "You're serious?"
Diddy nodded. "There's a new Smash Tournament starting, and the Hands want you there to-"
K Rool didn't let him finish, as he roared, "OH YEAH!"
DK scowled as K Rool jumped around in joy.
"Well then, of course I'll join! Who would turn down the opportunity to kick some butt?! Thanks, yall!"
And with that, K Rool ran away through the forest, probably going back to get ready. Diddy looked back at DK with a smile.
"See? He means well!" he said.
DK narrowed his eyes. "I'll be keeping a close eye on that crocodile fool. If he TRIES anything, I'll shove that crown down his throat."
Diddy sighed. "Well, that's good enough for me."
Just then, they heard a groan and turned around. King Dedede was trudging towards them, and rubbing the back of his head, while grumbling.
"All I wanted was some freaking ME time. And apparently, going over to this universe won't SPARE me from my undeserved punishments. Tried to pull off a harmless prank, and got slapped. Why me?!"
Suddenly, Dedede tripped on a small rock, and face-planted into the ground, letting out another pained moan. DK and Diddy looked at each other, then him.
"We should take him to the hospital…." Diddy said softly.
DK shrugged, and walked back to the shack. "We'll take him later. He's cutting into my banana stress-eating time."
Incineroar and Ken
"PIKACHU, get BACK here!" Jigglypuff screamed.
"You'll NEVER take me ALIVE!" Pikachu replied as he turned down a corner, and ran down a hallway.
Jigglypuff sighed exasperatedly. Shortly after the Telebeamer took her and Pikachu to some maintenance hall, they were walking around, trying to find a way out. But, just as they found the exit, they both heard Incineroar's booming roar coming from behind it. Which made Pikachu take off in the opposite direction. And which caused Jigglypuff to chase him, and try to bring him back.
"I don't wanna DIE, Puff! Stop trying to KILL ME!" Pikachu yelled as he ran faster.
"Oh, stop being DRAMATIC." Jigglypuff snapped.
Quickly, she took a running jump, and successfully tackled Pikachu to the ground. After that, the two of them rolled around on the ground, before Jigglypuff got Pikachu into a headlock.
"I'm warning you, Puff. This Electric Type can EASILY shock you with Thunderbolt." Pikachu threatened, his cheeks sparking with electricity.
"You do that, and I'll pull a Rest move on you. Don't make me Rest, Pikachu." Jigglypuff growled.
Pikachu, knowing what Jigglypuff's Rest move could do, stopped his cheeks from buzzing, and slumped. Once Jigglypuff knew for sure that Pikachu gave up, she let go of him, but stepped on his tail to prevent him from escaping.
"I don't get why you're so scared by Incineroar all of a sudden. Didn't you beat him?" Jigglypuff sighed.
Pikachu looked back with a glare. "Yeah! But when I did, he said, and I quote, 'This isn't over. When we face off again, I will not hesitate to bury you 6 feet under'. He's out to KILL me, Puff!"
Jigglypuff frowned. "Yeah, I heard that. But, you didn't look so intimidated by that threat."
"There's something called, 'fronting', Puff. It's what weak losers do." Pikachu sighed, as he plopped down on the ground.
Jigglypuff looked sad. Then, she glared with determination, and bopped Pikachu on the head.
"OW! What was THAT for?" Pikachu whined.
"To snap you out of this foolishness!" Jigglypuff scolded, "Who cares what that glorified housecat does?! You're freaking PIKACHU! The Pikachu I know NEVER backs down from a fight. AND, he doesn't refer to himself as a weak loser; he refers to himself as a strong WINNER! So be that Pikachu, Pikachu! Just shock the bully if you need to!"
Pikachu stared at her with wide eyes. After a moment, he jumped up, and put his fists in front of him with determined eyes.
"You're right! I'm freaking PIKACHU!" he shouted, as his cheeks started to spark with electricity.
"THAT'S more like it!" Jigglypuff replied, putting her own fists in front of her.
Now that Pikachu was all energized, the two went back the way they came. This time, Jigglypuff opened the exit door and the two walked in. But before they did, they made sure to turn on the universal translation collars that they were given, in case they needed to talk to a human like Incineroar's trainer without any language barriers
Once they were inside, they looked around. It was some sort of locker room. Only, it was much smaller and more private. Just then, Jigglypuff spotted a photo hanging on a bare wall. It was a photo of Incineroar, who had a fierce grin.
In fact, the whole ROOM was decorated with Incineroar merch. Incineroar posters, Incineroar T-Shirts, Incineroar water bottles, Incineroar stuffed animals. Every kind of merchandise was themed in reference to Incineroar.
"This may be a stretch… but I think that this is Incineroar's locker room." Jigglypuff sighed sarcastically.
Just then, a sound made Jigglypuff and Pikachu freeze. It was the door they had just come out of, and the knob was jiggling.
"Quick! Hide!" Jigglypuff whisper-shouted.
In a flash, the two Pokemon dove under a bench. For good measure, Pikachu grabbed a towel with Incineroar's face on it, and draped it over the bench, so that the two of them were not in sight.
Just as the towel settled, the door opened. Jigglypuff and Pikachu held their breath, and clinged onto each other. Someone was walking around the locker room. Through the towel, neither Jigglypuff or Pikachu could tell who it was; only that it was someone tall.
Suddenly, when the shadow walked by the bench, Pikachu let out a sneeze, which made Jigglypuff's eyes widen. Quickly, she shot him an accusing look, while he just looked terrified.
The sneeze had made the shadow stop in their tracks. Slowly, they stepped backwards, so that their feet were shown right behind the towel. The Pokemon stayed still, hoping that they wouldn't be seen or heard. Just then, the towel was ripped off the bench, exposing Jigglypuff and Pikachu, who both screamed hysterically.
"AHHH! DON'T EAT ME! TAKE THE JIGGLYPUFF INSTEAD!" Pikachu shrieked.
Jigglypuff glared, and slapped Pikachu on the back of his head.
"Ow!" Pikachu said.
The "shadow", who was actually Captain Falcon, raised an eyebrow with a confused expression.
"Um… no thanks. I don't eat Pokemon. I prefer ribs and burgers." he replied.
It was then that Jigglypuff and Pikachu got a good look at Captain Falcon, and realized who he was. They jumped out of their hiding spot with wide eyes.
"Captain FALCON? You scared us to death! I was about to make a run for it! What were you doing here in this locker room?" Pikachu asked.
"Okay, but first, why are you here at ALL? Aren't you supposed to be looking for your buddy, Ken?" Jigglypuff asked.
"I was!" Captain Falcon replied, "But, the Telebeamer took me here instead. Or, more like some sketchy maintenance hall. Then, I came across this room, which has…"
He looked around with a grin. "AWESOME merch! I mean, this room reminds me of my dorm room back at Smash Manor! It's clear that Incineroar must love himself, as much as I love ME!"
Pikachu and Jigglypuff glanced at each other, then Captain Falcon with a dull expression.
"What a shock…" they said in unison.
Captain Falcon looked back at the two. "Anyways, I think that Ken may have ended up here. Along with your buddy, Incineroar."
"Yeah, but where exactly is here?" Pikachu asked.
Just then, Jigglypuff noticed a flyer on the ground. Quickly, she walked over and picked it up. As Captain Falcon and Pikachu crowded around her, she looked up, frowning.
"I may have a faint idea…"
Little Mac almost fell to the ground as he skidded almost halfway across the ring from a punch. Quickly, he regained his footing, and got back into a fighting position, glaring. As he did, he stared at his opponent who looked smug, as he got into a fighting position. Little Mac could only think one thing.
Who the hell IS this guy?
Before that match, Little Mac had gotten his Smash invitation, and wanted to train hard before opening day. And what better way to train than a boxing match? He was supposed to go up against a rookie boxer. Not one that was too easy to pick off, but not one that was going to give Mac a hard time.
Well, after sparring with the guy for what seemed like hours and not managing to land a single hit, it was clear that Little Mac didn't get what he wished for.
He wasn't even sure if the guy was a BOXER. With his weird, red, karate outfit and strange fighting style, the opponent looked like he came out of a Street Fighters game or something.
Which, to Little Mac's cluelessness, he did.
"That's all you got? HAH! You're weaker than the opponents I usually fight. Which is saying something!" Ken cackled.
Little Mac snarled a little. Another thing that was so annoying about his opponent was that he talked during fights. Like full on trash talk. Little Mac hadn't seen that since he faced off against boxers who were full of themselves. But at least he was able to give them a good beating to shut them up. With this guy though, that was a different story.
Little Mac clicked his tongue. As much as he tried to hide his contempt, he hated it. Hated that the guy could just waltz into the ring and beat him. Who does he think he is? Some kind of HOTSHOT?! It pissed Mac off to no end. Which was why he wanted to win already so that this guy could LEAVE.
As Mac tensed up, Ken noticed and smirked.
"Bring it on!" he taunted.
And so, Little Mac did. He sprinted towards Ken, and the two engaged in a fiery hand-to-hand combat battle. But, Ken only defended and didn't attack. While this was happening, Ken was charging up a powerful attack. But due to being enraged, Little Mac did not notice until it was too late.
As Little Mac threw a punch, Ken dodged and jumped over him to the other side of the ring. Little Mac turned around, stunned. He was right where Ken wanted him.
A blue fireball formed between Ken's hands, and with a devilish grin, he threw it.
"HADOKEN!" Ken cried.
Little Mac could barely dodge the fireball, as it seared by inches from his face. Right after the fireball missed, Ken came over with his fists extended, and started to fight again.
As this went on, someone watched from the shadows. He grinned, and chuckled.
"A worthy opponent…" he said softly to himself.
Meanwhile, Ken punched Little Mac in the stomach, making him slouch over and groan. Seizing his chance, Ken pulled off his special attack. Using fast and furious kicks, he repeatedly kicked Little Mac into the air, before landing a final large kick.
The impact made Little Mac fly out of the ring, and all the way into the huge screen that showed the fighter stats, breaking part of it as it flashed with the word, "KO!"
Immediately, the crowd cheered wildly. Ken struck a victory pose, taking in the applause.
"YEAH!"
In the front row of the crowd, Captain Falcon, Jigglypuff, and Pikachu sat. Jigglypuff stared with wide eyes, while Captain Falcon roared along with the crowd and Pikachu just clapped and whistled.
"OH YEAH! YES, KEN! I OFFICIALLY LOVE YOU!" Captain Falcon shouted, as he threw some vigorous fist pumps.
"Wow! Ken's a good fighter! He knocked out Little Mac in one hit!" Pikachu exclaimed.
"I know, right? That fierce fighting style… I see why the Hands wanted Ken to be a newcomer!" Jigglypuff agreed.
Suddenly, the person who was in the shadows sprinted out, jumped upwards, and dived into the ring, making Ken jump back. The crowd gasped and went silent, surprised at the sudden arrival. The shadowy figure stood up straight, and let out a roar. It was Incineroar.
"HAH! Think YOU'RE finished? You'll have to get through me!" Incineroar yelled.
Jigglypuff blinked, shocked at the English that came from Incineroar's mouth.
He knows how to speak human?
Ken frowned, but smirked, as he got back into a fighter's position.
"Ah, a new challenger. So, you want to fight fire with fire, huh?" Ken asked.
Incineroar grinned evilly, and glared.
"You BET!" he yelled.
With that, the two sprang at each other, and attacked. Quickly, the two of them threw fierce attacks at each other, both striking but keeping their ground. Ken tried to throw a double punch at Incineroar, but Incineroar grabbed it and spun Ken around, giving a heavy kick to the back to make him stumble. Ken turned around, throwing some kicks this time, but Incineroar easily knocked down each foot that went near his face, almost looking bored when doing so. On the 5th kick, Incineroar grabbed Ken's foot, and suddenly dropped to the ground, throwing Ken above him.
After Ken hit the ground, he got up, stunned. Quickly, Incineroar got up, grabbed him, and threw him to the border of the ring. As the rubber strings slingshotted Ken back, Incineroar punched him up into the air a few times, then slammed Ken to the ground, making a huge fire dome surround them.
After the dome disappeared, Ken flew into the fighter stat screen right next to Little Mac, and the screen flashed, "KO!"
The audience went wild again, cheering for Incineroar this time. Grinning, Incineroar did a fierce, over-the-top pose, while cackling.
"NOW, I'M THE KING OF THIS RING!" he shouted.
The crowd cheered louder in return, Captain Falcon alongside them.
"WHOOO! HOLY SHIP! FORGET KEN, I LOVE YOU!" he hollered.
Incineroar walked around the ring, moving his arms up and down to make the crowd cheer louder. As he did, Jigglypuff and Pikachu stared, with Jigglypuff in awe while Pikachu looked uncomfortable.
"Wow, Incineroar really stepped up his game. He's WAY stronger than when you faced him." Jigglypuff noted.
Pikachu gulped, and sunk farther into his seat. "Yeah…"
Just then, when Incineroar approached the side of the crowd Pikachu was in, he froze. Slowly, Incineroar turned to face Pikachu, with a dumbfounded expression on his face.
"It's you…" he said quietly.
Then, after a few moments, Incineroar looked livid, his teeth grating.
"IT'S YOU! THAT PUNK WHO ELECTROCUTED ME!" he yelled.
Immediately, the crowd went silent. Everyone turned their heads to Pikachu, making him stand out more. Pikachu went pale instantaneously, his eyes bulging. Jigglypuff laughed nervously.
"Well, what do you know? He does recognize you." she said.
Incineroar marched towards where Pikachu was, going towards the edge of the ring. Blinking, Captain Falcon leaned towards Pikachu.
"I think that's your cue to skedaddle, Pikachu." he whispered.
"Hey, we don't know if he'll actually CHASE Pikachu. He's bluffing. He won't even step a FOOT out of the ring." Jigglypuff said.
As if purely for contradicting Jigglypuff's words, Incineroar jumped over the border of the ring, and roared.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Jigglypuff went pale.
"Pikachu, run." she whispered.
But, Pikachu was way ahead of her, as he bolted up and scampered away.
"FUUUUDGE!" he cursed loudly as he ran.
As soon as Pikachu bolted, Incineroar pounded after him, following him out of the stadium. Captain Falcon and Jigglypuff looked at each other, and immediately scrambled after them.
Meanwhile, Pikachu ran through a hallway, panting, while Incineroar was right behind him.
"I'LL KNOCK THE STUFFING OUTTA YOU LIKE I DID WITH KEN!" Incineroar shouted, seemingly making the walls shake.
"PLEASE DON'T! I LIKE TO KEEP THIS STUFFING INSIDE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" Pikachu hollered behind his shoulder.
Pikachu turned around a corner, only to realize it was a dead end, to his horror. Pikachu tried to turn back, only to see Incineroar approaching him. Terrified and scared out of his mind, Pikachu backed up until he pressed against the far wall.
"Hey, Incineroar. Buddy. Let's talk about this, okay? You don't have to do this." Pikachu begged.
Incineroar smirked. "Oh, but I do. Ever since you defeated and publicly humiliated me, I lost everything. I've been exiled from my Trainer, kicked out of my OWN family, and shunned by society. When I was, I trained relentlessly, making myself stronger. I learned and mastered the special art of wrestling from a Conkeldurr named 'Lucha Dora'. I've gone through a difficult journey that tested my limits."
Pikachu frowned, now confused instead of scared. "In ONE day? You DO realize that we just fought like yesterday, right?"
Incineroar looked as if he thought Pikachu was dumb, as he rolled his eyes.
"Yes? So?"
"So, if you have gone on that spiritual training journey with… um… 'Lucha Dora', that would take more than one day, correct?"
"No? The 'Lucha Dora! : Learn Wrestling in only 7 Hours!' CD I bought took 7 hours to listen to fully. And it took an extra hour to return it. I say an hour because every store I went to wouldn't fulfill my request, so I had to throw it in the donation bin outside. Those shopkeepers wasted my time by screaming and shouting, something about a wild Incineroar. The complete disrespect an Incineroar gets nowadays." Incineroar crossed his arms and scowled at the last sentence.
Pikachu frowned, as he stepped off the wall. "Wait… did you even get exiled by your Trainer and family?"
"Of COURSE I did, idiot!" Incineroar growled.
"Okay, let me rephrase that question… what do you CONSIDER as exiling?" Pikachu asked.
Incineroar lowered his head, a shadow crossing his face.
"My Trainer wouldn't give me head scratches or belly rubs. And he only put ONE rubber ducky in my bath. ONE! It wasn't even my favorite one, it was Viking Ducky! And among my ducky family, I hate that one the MOST. And the last straw. When my Trainer put me in the Pokemon Pen for the night, everyone laughed at my failure. And to add insult to injury, they made me sleep next to freaking Magikarp. MAGIKARP, PIKACHU! That's a whole new LOW! At that point, I knew. My Trainer and family hated me. And it's all because of YOU."
Pikachu stared at Incineroar, speechless. After a few seconds, Pikachu started laughing hysterically, making Incineroar's eyes go wide.
"WHAT, YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?!" Incineroar shouted, his voice cracking a little.
Pikachu stifled his laughter a little, and coughed. "No, no! I'm just… I'm just-"
Pikachu didn't finish, as his efforts to restrain his laughter were broken and he cackled. Suddenly, he felt Incineroar pick him up and stopped laughing. Incineroar was inches away from Pikachu's face, and he snarled.
"You little shiitake mushroom." he growled, as he shook him, "You really are just a punk! Prepare to be SLAMMED-"
"NOT SO FAST!" a voice shouted.
Incineroar and Pikachu turned to see Jigglypuff and Captain Falcon standing behind them, ready to fight.
"You leave our friend alone!" Jigglypuff shouted.
"The pink spherical cat creature is correct! If you don't drop our Pikachu, you'll be in big trouble!" Captain Falcon shouted.
Incineroar laughed evilly, still holding onto Pikachu. "And who's gonna stop me?"
"Well…" Captain Falcon replied, mulling. Suddenly, it came to him, and he showed a smug smile. "How would your TRAINER like to know that you were out here terrorizing a poor, innocent, electric mouse creature?"
Incineroar's eyes widened. "You WOULDN'T!"
Captain Falcon pulled out a phone (that had a case with his face on it), and waved it enticingly.
"Just one tiny phone call away," he said.
Quickly, Incineroar dropped Pikachu, and fell on his knees. Frantically, he bowed up and down, to everyone's shock.
"Please, please, PLEASE don't call Trevor! He'll be angry at me! Especially when he finds out that I used his credit card to buy a plane ticket to fly here. And when he finds out that I may or may not have used it to buy merchandise with me on it. In fact..."
As Incineroar continued to apologize (and let out a sob every now and then), Captain Falcon, Jigglypuff, and Pikachu looked at each other, then him.
"Okay, okay. Calm down. We won't call him. Not unless you promise to leave Pikachu alone." Jigglypuff said.
"Oh, GLADLY. Just don't tell Trevor that I'm here, and he can go." Incineroar replied.
Now that he had permission to go, Pikachu scampered towards Jigglypuff and Captain Falcon. He gave Jigglypuff a fist bump.
"Thanks, Puff. I owe you." he whispered.
Incineroar got up and sighed. "Well, I guess it's my cue to leave. Pack up my stuff and come home to Trevor…. And take my rightful spot next to…." Incineroar winced inwardly and continued, "freaking Magikarp."
"Wait." Jigglypuff said as she stepped forward. "I know you have some sort of reputation as some kind of wrestling champion bully. But, I admit. You're true to your title. You know how to fight well."
"Really?" Incineroar gasped.
Jigglypuff nodded, as she took out a letter. "Which is why we want to invite you to the newest Smash Tournament."
Incineroar's eyes widened, as he took the letter. Then, he roared in triumph.
"I'M GOING TO SMASH?!" he shouted.
The three others nodded, as he jumped up and down in joy.
"Wait… I HAVE TO PACK! I'll need my Incineroar blanket, the Incineroar themed dumbbells. Don't forget the Incineroar themed apple peeler!"
With that, Incineroar stomped away. Jigglypuff watched him go with a smile.
"You know… even though you and Incineroar have beef, he's really not that bad." she said to Pikachu.
Pikachu scoffed. "Oh, I KNOW that. I can't BELIEVE I let myself be scared by a Pokemon who takes bubble baths, and sleeps next to Magikarp! HA! If we ever meet in the tournament, I'll beat him EASILY."
After he said that, the three of them walked away from the hallway.
"Hey, aren't you gonna recruit Ken?" Jigglypuff asked.
"Yeah, yeah. Just have to wait until the hospital gives me his release forms, and he's ready to go." Captain Falcon answered.
Pikachu and Jigglypuff gave Captain Falcon a horrified look. Captain Falcon shrugged.
"What? Ken's fine of course. Sure, he's in a body cast and virtually all of his bones are broken, but… that doesn't matter. We'll feed him a One-Up Mushroom if it's that bad."
Pikachu and Jigglypuff shrugged as well, taking that as a sufficient answer. "Eh."
A/N: Now, you guys are probably wondering, "Wait, where's the rest? Where's the story about Luigi and Fox teaming up with Simon & Richter to face Dracula, or the story where Samus and Ridley face off? Welp, I decided to cut this into two parts, since there's already 17,424 words in this thing, so the stories will have to wait til next time! But, don't worry, it won't take 4 months to be posted like this time, so look out for it soon! Bye bye!
