Kirby woke up in a familiar bed. The sheets were soft and warm, reminding him of home. As Kirby's eyes darted across the room, he saw that it really was his place, all the way to its dome-like structure. To him, he always lived here. As he opened the only door of this place, he took a nice breath of the planet he took rest on. The pink puffball watched the puffy clouds hover across the sky, listened to the birds in the trees chirping, and felt the soft, green grass on his feet.
He wakes up to this place every day, and he had no memory of being on another planet outside of Popstar's solar system. Trotting through the Green Greens of Dream Land, Kirby rolled around on the grass, giggling to himself. Once in a while, Waddle Dees were carrying fruits, meats, and desserts to King Dedede's castle, but Kirby paid no mind and simply rested underneath the branches of the Whispy Woods tree, knowing the Waddle Dees were just doing their job as usual. Only if they were gathering too much for the ruler of Dream Land did Kirby try to put an end to.
Just then, the Whispy Woods shook his branches, and an apple as big as Kirby fell out. The pink puffball watched the apple keep on rolling down until it stopped at a dip between two hills. Driven by his curious mind, Kirby followed to where the apple took rest. He then heard a strange voice in his head.
"…Kirby…!" the voice called out for him. Kirby looked around, curious as to who said that until he found out there was no one around him. The pink puffball then looked back at the large apple, which began rotting all of a sudden. The apple quickly shriveled up into a black pulp before it fell down through a sinkhole. Because the vortex on the sinkhole was strong, Kirby could not escape its pull as it sucked him into the ground while he tried to escape.
All that remained was the feeling of syrupy-thick fluids surrounding his body, the shattering of some sort of plastic material, and his own coughing.
Kirby woke up to the sight of haziness, his stubby arms swishing around in some sort of liquid that became thinner the more he waded around in it. As soon as his vision became clear, he rubbed his head, starting to remember why he was here. He was clearly not used to the life he lived in. When the pink puffball turned around, he saw where he was kept this whole time. What he saw was some sort of bean pod with some sort of glossy texture. From what he could tell before he broke out was that it was glowing green from the inside, and there was water leaking out from the shattered glass. Two wires were dangling out from the roof, indicating that he was in a simulation based on his locked-away memories this whole time.
Kirby then recognized more pods with Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Fox, Pikachu, Ness, Captain Falcon, Jigglypuff, Peach, Bowser, Ice Climbers, Sheik, Dr. Mario, Pichu, Falco, Marth, Mr. Game & Watch, Pit, Zero Suit Samus, Snake, Pokémon Trainer, Diddy Kong, Lucas, King Dedede, Olimar, Lucario, Toon Link, Villager, Mega Man, Wii Fit Trainer, Little Mac, PAC-MAN, Shulk, Duck Hunt, Ryu, Inkling, Simon, Isabelle, Piranha Plant, Joker, Hero, Mii Swordfighter, and Mii Gunner in their individual ones surrounding him, letting him know he was not alone. So far, they were still dormant inside those pods, and they haven't broken out yet. The thunder rolled in the pitch-black sky, flashing throughout the red clouds.
"…Kirby!" the voice called out again. The pink demon realized the person calling out for him sounded very familiar. He recognized the voice to be Faker's, and he was finally happy for someone coming to their rescue for as long as they were here in this place.
"Poyo!" Kirby called out, his sound echoing throughout the place.
"Kirby?" Faker's voice asked. Footsteps started approaching the area of these pods, and Kirby was patient enough to see who it was. A Mii Swordfighter and a Mii Gunner dressed up in special forces outfits were accompanying Faker, who was dressed in a different uniform compared to her dragon armor outfit. She still wore the necklace with the magical gemstone, but she was wearing a helmet with a headset and a torn-up military uniform. Her fingers were glowing with the Fire Rainbolement she learned how to harness, which doused out as soon as she saw the pink puffball standing in front of her.
"Kirby…" Faker wept, kneeling down and spreading her arms out for Kirby to run into her chest and hug her. She noticed he still had the watch-like device wrapped around his nonexistent shoulder, faintly beeping as soon as he emerged from his old.
"It's okay," Faker reassured. "Everything's going to be fine. Break open the pods!" The brown-skinned woman ordered the two Mii Fighters, who got to work. The Mii Gunner tossed his bombs that covered a radius wide enough to crack open few pods at a time, while the Mii Swordfighter slashed more of the pods with her sword. Just a minute or two later, all of the pods were cracked open, and the fighters that were trapped inside began coughing and gasping for breath as they tried to stand up on their own feet.
"No, Zelda… come back…" Link moaned, balancing himself with his Hylian Shield.
"We almost had you, Andross…" Falco groaned, rubbing his head from the splitting headache. Once each of the fighters came back to their senses, Mario laid his hands on Faker's shoulders.
"We remember who we are now," Mario sighed. "This is… This is amazing!"
"Amazing, we wish," the female Mii Swordfighter spoke out. "You had been out cold for five years, and we spent this time looking for you…" The fighters looked at each other, feeling surprised that they had been asleep for another half a decade.
"Then that means… Luigi… Zelda… Cloud… Sonic… all of the fighters we didn't get the chance to awaken… They're still out there!" Peach spoke up.
"Good luck finding them," the male Mii Gunner answered. "We've been searching for your buddies for five years and their whereabouts are still unknown. They're always on the move, these Primaries. Quickly adapting to the new world of Draxia, where every day is a starless night. We can't even tell the time anymore."
"Follow us," Faker told the group of fighters. The team walked beyond the pod area, and the Smashers were shocked by what they saw. Terrified, even. What once stood a beautiful world now remains a burning inferno of chaos, where there are no rules and logic to follow. Floating masses of matter remained suspended in midair, and there was no real form of terrain to stand on. All of the solid surfaces were just chunks of what remained of Gallia.
"Ready to jump?" Faker asked.
"Jump!?" Joker asked, holding hands with the brown-skinned woman as he looked down into the titanic abyss that seemed to extend all the way to the center of the planet. As soon as Faker jumped, the Phantom Thief was about to scream until he realized the gravity was all screwed up, meaning he could float to the other side of a larger chunk of rock with ease.
"Like we said," Faker told the fighters from across. "There are no rules to follow, meaning the gravity's all messed up in certain areas…" The fighters, after seeing it was safe, jumped across to the other side. For the rest of the journey to their destination, the team had to use vine bridges to cross. They eventually managed to arrive at the Undying Light… or whatever was still here. There was a small team of Spirits excavating the ship from what appeared to be a stone island, one that had a glowing violet crystal that provided light.
"Things had gone to shit after you vanished for five years," Faker explained. "Dharkon has captured Galeem and his armies, drastically changing this place. Once everything remained calm, we found the ship like this for some reason. We've been rescuing Spirits from multiple Supporters and even managed to hunt your own clones to extinction, but that's about it."
"Any reason why we were hidden in those pods to begin with?" Zero Suit Samus asked.
"Don't know," the female Mii Swordfighter responded. "Probably Dharkon wants you alive for whatever game he's planned."
"And what about the three fighters that survived Galeem's attack?" Ireburn asked.
"No one's seen them ever since the Movement of the Darkness," E. Gadd answered, the Spirit overhearing the conversation as he was helping dig out the ship with a soundproof jackhammer he just invented. "However, one of our Mii Fighter troops had spied mysterious figures each going into three separate areas that split off from the rock we're conveniently stuck on. A few months ago, we figured out Dharkon was living in some sort of void similar to how Galeem his from our reach. The only way we can get to him is through defeating each boss that lives in these three areas. Most of our comrades went into those places… but some never came out alive. Those that did managed to retreat but failed to finish their missions. If you want to go down those paths, be our guests. However, this world is dangerous. And I. Mean. LETHAL. You'll die seconds after stepping foot in those sub-areas." The E. Gadd Spirit then went back to work, and he was joined by Faker and the two Mii Fighters who were in the search party. Mario looked at the team, trying to figure out a plan on how to win and survive.
"Okeydokey," Mario told his comrades. "We had just defeated Galeem. And by 'just', I mean five years ago. Nonetheless, it's time we prepare to go up against an even worse foe, that being an extended family of the Seraph of Order. In order to defeat these bosses and fight our way to Dharkon, we need to split up into groups: A, B, and C." Mario then fixed the device on his wrist into a compass, watching as the digital needle was in an induced seizure, but it was almost always pointing north. There were three paths to choose from: one that led up north, one that led southeast, and one that led southwest.
"I, Donkey Kong, Link, Toon Link, Sheik, Zero Suit Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox, Red, Ness, Captain Falcon, Popo and Nana, Marth, Mr. Game & Watch, Pit, Snake, Olimar, Villager, Mega Man, Wii Fit Trainer, Little Mac, PAC-MAN, Shulk, Duck Hunt, Ryu, Clementine, Simon, Joker, and Ireburn all take Group A, so we go southwest. Gilbert, Peach, Jigglypuff, Pikachu, Dr. Mario, Falco, and Diddy Kong, you're split into Group B and take the southeast path. Sherry, Samus, Bowser, Pichu, Lucas, King Dedede, Lucario, Isabelle, and Piranha Plant, you all stay in Group C and head up north. We each head back once we're finished with our missions, okay?" All of the fighters nodded in agreement, knowing which teams they are divided into.
Checking the compasses on each of their watch-like devices, they noticed their digital compasses trying to point north and knew where to go. Group C walked off north while Group B journeyed through northeast. Group A was about to head down southwest before Faker approached them one more time, wanting to speak to Kirby.
"Kirby… you may not know this, but… I've missed you for a while. When you removed fractions of my amnesia, I was starting to think clearly now. I've been able to learn from and control my powers just from the memories of a dragon. I'm hoping you can uncover more of my past. The stone I gave you seems to be helping you I these dark times…" Faker then clasped her hands over Kirby's stubby ones, giving him the stone she kept around her neck.
"Thank you for clearing my mind," Faker responded with a smile on her face. She then stepped back, waving her goodbyes. The Villager patted the puffball's back, knowing they and their friends will make it through. The three groups split apart from the submerged Undying Light, unaware that Dharkon himself was watching them through a magical mirror.
The Lord of Darkness kept his literal eye on Group A, watching that team of fighters slither down the bridge made out of roots. When he looked back in the pitch-black void he was living in, he gazed upon his own army. Warriors known as Dark Puppets stood in front of him, looking similar to the Light Puppets but were completely black with a red aura around them. The Supporters had eyes glowing violet, and the Primaries had the purple eyes but red aura around their bodies. The Subspace Army kept close to the possessed Mii Brawlers, and the laughter of the Crazy Hands echoed throughout the Dharkon Void, filling it with an unnerving disturbance.
"The Super Smash Brothers have managed to wake up," Dharkon calmly growled. "Now the game can truly begin. Go out into the World of Darkness and end their lives here and now." The army of darkness vanished from the creature's sight, and Flowey himself remained. He was still looking as innocent and as dangerous when he first appeared in the World of Light.
"…And why are you not leaving?" Dharkon asked, his glowing eye illuminating light on the demon flower.
"It's because… how do I put this lightly…? Um…" Flowey stammered. "Ya see, I came across these guys in the past, and they managed to overwhelm the forces of light."
"I am aware of that," Dharkon responded. "After all, I tortured that kind of information from my brother Galeem…"
"What I'm trying to say is even if you have forced Tabuu to do your dirty work with the Subspace Army, don't underestimate these fighters… especially the pink puffball they call Kirby. He's the only one of his pals to make it out alive and join forces with other survivors. With the darkness feuling my rage, I don't think it can make a difference."
"How do you know if you had never tried to use these powers?" Dharkon answered in the form of a question. The Seraph of Chaos then levitated higher into the air, still looking down on Flowey.
"Get on with it! Go on!" Dharkon commanded. Flowey willingly did as the Lord of Darkness had commanded, pulling out his own roots and leaving from the Dharkon Void. Just then, the Ganondorf Primary approached the Seraph of Chaos.
"Did I not tell you to leave?" Dharkon asked, his tentacles slithering around him.
"Why yes you did," the Ganondorf Primary responded, his voice sounding as calm and tempting as Dharkon's while also sounding rather familiar.
"So what brings you here, Mephiles?" Dharkon asked. Emerging from the Ganondorf Primary was a Spirit that appeared to be a Master Legendary, kneeling before the Seraph of Chaos. He appeared as some sort of dark-blue hedgehog similar to Sonic, his white markings shining like foggy ice. His most prominent features were his crystalline hands and legs. What made this Spirit even stranger was the fact that he lacked a nose and mouth, and he had red sclera, green irises, and slit black pupils.
"I came to check in and see how your reign of terror was going," the Mephiles Spirit spoke. "From the looks of things, it seems like you're doing fine…"
"You are different from the other Master Legendries, Mephiles," Dharkon noted, watching as the Spirit floated back into the empty Ganondorf Primary. "Somehow, you are the only one to find a way around the Dharkon Lock and interact with the physical world around you. I can see you are rather special…"
"I am intelligent, after all," the Ganondorf Primary said. "It's a good thing Ganondorf's Fighter Spirit isn't around to get back into his body before he and the others escaped years ago from your grasp… Besides, what about the one you did capture?"
"The glitch?" Dharkon replied. "Do not worry about him. I have managed to lock him up in chains. I am keeping him like a lab rat, changing and altering his chemistry, turning him into my most powerful soldier yet. He might even work by your side once I release him. Now, head to the Sacred Land. The first group will not survive through the remaining pieces of Hyrule... Now go out and stop these warriors."
"I will not disappoint you, Dharkon," the Ganondorf Primary noted, genuflecting before turning around and walking away. The Seraph of Chaos looked around the empty place, floating towards Tabuu bound in Chains of Darkness.
"Ten long years, and I am still not free," Tabuu sighed, his butterfly wings drooping down his back. "Just because I command Subspace doesn't mean I am instantly used as a tool."
"And how would I know you would not turn your back on me?" Dharkon asked, running one of his black-tendril appendages down the chains. They all led to some sort of birdcage carved out of iron if it was smoldered in hellish flames. Galeem in his dragon form lived in there, his six angelic wings held up by the chains, both pairs of his legs shackled together, and his own face muzzled so that he can still talk but he cannot use his Rainbolements to escape.
"Uncomfortable, brother?" Dharkon asked. "I can see I would not have a fun time in here if I was in your place."
"I wish," Galeem growled. "How did you change appearances in YOUR prison?"
"I can say the same for you, Galeem," Dharkon answered.
"Then why don't you kill me and put out every last light?" Galeem snarled, struggling with his shackles.
"I only need you to hold everything in place," Dharkon answered. "I only want to give your prisoners a false sign of hope. But I can assure you: if these fighters become as strong as one of your men claimed to be true, there will be disastrous consequences. Whatever happened to you changed me into what you see…" One of Dharkon's tentacles brushed against the left side of Galeem's face, not even hurting the Seraph of Order, and he revealed a golden scar on the dragon's left eye. Galeem rubbed his face into his shackled fore paw, getting rid of his brother's thorny tip caressing his features.
"You know about the Mother too, don't you?" Galeem growled, his golden orbs reflecting the dim light of Dharkon's eyeball.
"Only one of us can strive to her rule," Dharkon responded. "Whether one of us wins, it would not matter for the Forgotten Resistance. Their time is already running out under her grasp…"
