Mario, Kirby, and Piranha Plant marched out onto the Undying Light's deck, greeted by the Great Sage. The elderly Mii gave the three fighters the watch-like devices and fold-up gliders.

"When you already have the devices on your wrists, just remember one press is communication, two presses is alert, and three presses is transportation back to the ship," the Great Sage addressed. "Good luck fixing that beacon." Once the drop-off plank pulled out from the side of the ship and the Great Sage walked away, the three fighters walked onto the rim, looking down upon the grassy field they were at a while ago.

"Are you-a sure you want-a to do this, Kirby?" Mario asked, scared of the height he and the other two warriors were about to fall down through. "I really don't think this-a -woah! " Before Mario could finish, the Piranha Plant pushed the red plumber off the plank, watching Mario falling in fright for a moment. Kirby merely looked at Piranha Plant with a slightly pissed-off face, jumping off the wooden plank with the carnivorous flower. The three were now diving from beyond the clouds, and Mario knew this was ridiculous especially from this distance from the ground.

"Poyo-poyo!" Kirby yelled to Mario, pointing at the fold-up glider in his stubby pink hands.

"What!?" Mario asked as loud as he could. "Don't try talking to me! I can't understand your language!" Shaking his head, Kirby tilted his soft, round body towards the ground along with Piranha Plant. When the three adventurers were only feet away from the ground, Kirby pulled out his glider, and so did Piranha Plant. After Mario saw what was going on, he grabbed the handles of his glider, he jerked up when it unfolded, catching the gust of wind in its fabric. The three fighters then watched as they slowly descended towards the ground, landing on the grassy field next to the gateway of the ruins. Waiting right for Mario, Kirby, and Piranha Plant was nothing more than a Supporter Jigglypuff, the Pokémon wearing a red bowtie on the back of her head, her irises glowing red with glee as in her stubby, light-pink hands was the metal ball that created the beacon.

"We must've missed this one," Magnus spoke over the transmitter in each of the fighter's gadgets. "Careful guys." Just when Mario and Piranha Plant started running towards the Supporter Jigglypuff, Kirby got a head-start, confident to get that beacon back. Before the other two warriors could reach up to the Supporter, Kirby grabbed the False Jigglypuff and tossed her high into the air. The ground began rumbling under Kirby and False Jigglypuff, emerging out of the ground and creating an invisible UV sphere, trapping Mario and Piranha Plant outside.

The stage the two puffballs were on shifted into a wooden, log-like battlefield, revealing two platforms moving to and from the center of the stage in opposite directions. The UV Sphere created some sort of cylinder-shaped landscape, dotted with houses, tree, and rivers, transforming into the infamous Smashville. The False Jigglypuff Supporter floated towards Kirby, about to use her Rest move. However, Kirby managed to dodge out of the way in time, and the Pokémon fell asleep for a short while. Her devastating move didn't hit, and it left her open for a powerful dash attack.

Kirby ran right into the Supporter Jigglypuff, setting himself on flames and whacking the puppet warrior off the stage. However, she managed to float back onto the stage, running at Kirby again. This was going to be easy, Kirby thought. All the young Star Warrior had to do was dodge the Supporter Jigglypuff's Rest move and counter-attack. No matter how fast the bow-tie Jigglypuff ran, she could not keep up with Kirby's fluid reactions. Eventually, since her only game plan was using Rest, Kirby waited until she was open and finished with a devastating kick, sending the puppet fighter into the blast zone of the UV sphere. The barrier disappeared, and so did the Smashville stage, and Piranha Plant and Mario watched as Kirby was frozen in the air, pointing that rainbow-fiery golden gun at a barrier. Inside was the bow-tie Jigglypuff, disintegrating into Shadow Bugs and revealing the true Spirit controlling the puppet Pokémon: a glowing-green Celeste.

"That's right, Piranha Plant," Mario told the carnivorous flower, looking at Kirby ready to fire. "After anyone wins a battle against a puppet fighter, the defeated Spirits and their vessels pull out a barrier constantly spinning, revealing only a tiny hole for a perfect snipe. Once Kirby fires the Spirit Sniper, he'll either absorb the rescued Spirit into the gemstone inside his body or hit the barrier, forcing him to fight again. No matter what, only one way to find out." Kirby heard what Mario was talking about, carefully aiming the Spirit Sniper at the tiny hole in the barrier, trying to stay targeted once it moved again. After a careful press of the trigger, Kirby sniped the glowing-green Celeste. The Normal Advanced Spirit freed both herself and Kirby, flying into the pink puffball's body once absorbed. The Spirit Sniper vanished again, and Kirby dropped onto the dirt path in the grassy field again. Mario ran towards Kirby, trying to keep the young Star Warrior steady. The beacon in the puppet warrior's clutches was dropped, disappearing back into the watch-like devices of the real fighters.

"You're-a okay," Mario sighed, rubbing Kirby's head. "Sooner or-a later, you'll get used to this. You'll get used to rescuing Spirits and having Fighter Spirits take over your body. I know you've fought god-like beings and literal gods in your time, especially for someone your age. Let's-a go now. We're still walking on the path to the ruins. Might as well go there." Kirby nodded, taking Mario and Piranha Plant with him to the ruins.

At the ruins, markings that seemed ancient spiraled all the way to the center. Stone pillars stuck out of the ground, eroding away in time. Mario, Kirby, and Piranha Plant looked at the darkening sky, painted with the dusk of the setting sun. While the three fighters traveled through the rocky desolation, Mario was pretty interested in Piranha Plant. The red plumber turned towards Kirby, the pink puffball looking at him in return.

"Kirby?" Mario asked. "Just to clear things up a bit, how come there's a Piranha Plant on our side? He looks and behaves like a fighter, but none of us had ever seen him appear in our group after Galeem's attack. Did you just find him wounded after some sort of brutal fight against a monster?" Kirby rubbed his head, wondering how that Piranha Plant survived Galeem's blast. Those beams spread across the multiverse, engulfing planets and robbing both innocent and evil residents of their physical forms. Galeem does give the Spirits their bodies back, but only if they promise to serve him for all eternity. The carnivorous flower was not present in the army of captured fighters. Somehow, that Piranha Plant found a way to avoid the attack unlike his brethren.

"Poyo!" Kirby exclaimed. The pink puffball was pointing his stubby arm at some sort of figure in the center of the ruins. Mario and Piranha Plant noticed it too, and it was a tall, hairy figure. It was none other than the Werewolf from the world the Belmonts came from. The three fighters were ready to fight the lycanthrope, but the Werewolf began crawling on all fours, running to the top of a nearby pillar.

"I do not want to fight you stringy morsels," the Werewolf spoke. The three travelers were confused by a lycanthrope talking in such a strong accent, especially when they clearly knew that werewolves themselves can't speak after they have transformed.

"Lord Galeem cursed me, keeping me in my animal self while giving me the ability to communicate with those that speak the common language," the Werewolf continued. "However, as much as he forces me to, I dare would not lay a hand on any of you."

"Then you would be considered a traitor," Mario objected. "Galeem might strip you of your physical form again, or even worse kill you without your conscious to save you."

"I am aware of the actions Galeem will take," the Werewolf spoke, scratching his thick coat of his fleas with his hind leg. "Like you brave souls, I too desire a chance to return to the real world."

"So, you're not-a going to attack us?" Mario asked, lowering his fists and relaxing. Kirby and Piranha Plant noticed that they were communicating with the Werewolf as a guide, so they decided to calm down to listen to what the Werewolf was saying.

"Only when I am hungry," the Werewolf said. "I already had a filling meal, so you have no need to worry. To clear things up a bit, you know that Galeem's servants are spreading across his kingdom. Your friends are not just on Gallia's surface. Some are even located in the depths of space and other planets hidden within galaxies. Galeem receives precious information about whatever they see. Which is why I have no time to waste. Be careful once you journey across these ruins. You will have to face the guardian of the Ancients, forcing you to avoid his deadly lasers and defeat him in order to advance."

"That's it?" Mario asked, looking at Piranha Plant and Kirby. "That sounds-a easy…"

"It sure sounds like it," the Werewolf spoke. "However, once you pass through the guardian, there are three paths for you to take, and each one is protected by your captured friends: the Hero-King, the Illusive Sheikah, and the Mayor of Smashville." Kirby, shocked, tugged on Mario's side, knowing about three of their friends.

"They're Marth, Sheik, and Villager!" Mario answered. "We have to rescue them as fast as we could!" Piranha Plant snarled, nodding with determination.

"I would not rush to them, if I were you," the Werewolf objected, perching on the stone pillar. "You see, after you head to the three alternate pathways, you only have one fighter to choose from. Once you have made your decision, the other two will close off the pathways with help from a Master Hand, forcing you to keep going until you have cleared the path you have chosen." Mario looked down on the ground, knowing there was a decision he and his friends would have to take.

"At least consider yourself lucky," the Werewolf finished. "I will always be following you, hidden from Galeem's spies, giving you advice on the secrets of the multiverse when you most need it. Until we meet again…" With a mighty howl as the sun disappeared behind the land, the Werewolf jumped off the stone pillar he was on, running off into the distance from the ruins.

"You heard the lycanthrope," Mario told Kirby and Piranha Plant. "We need to be-a careful with our choices. Besides, we might find more of our friends once we travel down our locked pathway…" The three travelers then heard the beeping of Mario's watch-like device. With a press of the button, Mario heard Sticks' voice coming from the gadget.

"Did you fix that beacon?" Sticks asked.

"There was an enemy holding it hostage," Mario answered. "Kirby managed to get it back it, however. Hey, is it true that there are three pathways for us to choose once we defeat some sort of guardian?"

"Don't know," Sticks answered. "This is something you'll have to discover for yourself while we map this whole world. We were going to transport you back to the Undying Light, but apparently Flynn spilled some hot soup on the shiny doohickey that beams you up while upgrading it with E. Gadd's help."

"Mamma mia," Mario tiredly sighed. "The worst time imaginable has to be that Mabu pilot from the Skylands not able to finish his supper in time…"

"Looks like you're going to have to camp down on the planet for now until we fix it… let's say about a week or two max," Sticks continued. "We'll tell you the upgrades once we dry that bad baby up, okay?"

"Okay," Mario answered, ending the transmission. The red plumber then looked at Kirby and Piranha Plant, shaking his head.

"Bad news, guys, in case you haven't-a heard," Mario said. "Transporter's busted, so we'll be staying on the planet for a while. Do you mind gathering resources?" Time had passed, and the three fighters set up a small campfire set ablaze thanks to Mario's unique ability. Kirby, exhausted, was trying to keep warm in the middle of the night, as he shivered and hugged himself. The Piranha Plant managed to gather a large clump of wild berries all gathered onto a giant leaf as he sat down and passed some to the red plumber. While Mario was popping a handful of strawberries and blue raspberries into his mouth, he noticed the pink puffball looking depressed. The red plumber scooted forward next to Kirby.

"You cold-a?" Mario asked, noticing the shivering puffball. The red plumber then handed Kirby whatever berries remained in his hand, and there was plenty.

"Eat up," Mario recommended. "They may not be delicacies, but their energy will keep you bundled up for the night." Kirby then ate Mario's hand with the berries in one bite, engulfing the red plumber's front half of his arm. Mario quickly managed to slip his hand out of the pink puffball, noticing the saliva now dripping from his arm explained Kirby's usual appetite. The red plumber then set his hand on fire, instantly drying his arm while shaking off the mist. Afterwards, Mario turned back to Kirby.

"It's alright," Mario said, knowing Kirby's loneliness in his black-and-blue eyes. "I know about your isolation, and I miss them too. You got me back, so that means we'll get them back. I guess only time will tell for sure…" Kirby looked at Mario with tears in his eyes, and the pink puffball hugged the red plumber, sobbing gently into his lap. As the stars twinkled above in a blanket, Mario watched the Piranha Plant drift off to sleep in his flower pot. It wasn't long before the red plumber and the pink puffball dozed off next to the fire in the darkness of the ruins.