The Crossing of Paths

So, here we are. We are about to witness the Smashers formally meeting a new face. Who is she, and what are her intentions? These questions will be answered in this chapter. On with the story!

The maiden stared at her newfound surroundings. She was unfamiliar with this isolated area and had little recognition of any of its features. Although it was clear that she was inside a medical center of some sort, largely due to the presence of special equipment like bandages and medicine, the cloud of mystery that hovered over her head refused to disappear over time. She was just as unsure about the thirty-six people that surrounded her. The faces that stared into her eyes were diverse; some were swordsmen, others seemed to be more menacing in appearance, several more were strange creatures that had been obscured from her eyes until now, and some seemed to have no malicious intentions whatsoever. The diversity, however, failed to block a certain question within the confines of her mind:

Are these people friends? Or are they hostiles?

She was completely unsure of the answer. There was no doubt that they could be friendly and would be more than willing to aid her in her plans, but if they turned out to be hostiles instead, her life could very well be in danger. Still unsure of what to do, she decided to patiently wait for them to perform an action, for if she tried to attack them and they turned out to be friendlies...

"Welcome to the Smash Mansion," greeted Captain Falcon, who expressed a high degree of friendliness towards the maiden herself. Since he did not perceive her to be openly hostile, he now strongly desired to make her feel accepted inside the mansion. This brought sheer relief to the maiden; Falcon's friendliness comforted her to the point where she no longer had any desire to attack or, at the very least, escape from the Smashers.

"Poyo," the pink puffball, Kirby, squeaked in a high tone. As he could not speak any existing language aside from his own, it was up to one of his allies, Falcon specifically, to provide a proper translation.

"Kirby said that we rescued you after Marth had noticed your bout of fainting outside the mansion's gate."

"Marth…? Kirby…?" the maiden whispered. Her voice was marked by a thoroughly distinct accent, almost reminiscent of what was heard in the colder lands of Scandinavia. However, no Smasher appeared to have ever been familiar with that Germanic accent, nor did they know anyone who spoke in that style. To the peering eyes in the crowd, it was a strong sign that she was a foreigner of sorts.

"Poyo!" Kirby leaped upward to ensure the maiden of his identity. She glanced at the puffball; he was distinctly miniscule, almost entirely pink, and possessed the ability to puff up so that his body could float.

A strange creature, she wondered. No organism in my world has ever possessed this sort of appearance. I wonder if there are more creatures like this one in the realm…

"I am Marth Lowell, the fair ruler of Archanea." The former Altean prince stepped forward, also in response to the young maiden's comment. His greeting forced the maiden to redirect her attention towards him.

A king from a distant land, she whispered in her mind again. He is also a swordsman of sorts. He seems so… determined, so confident. It appears that he is a true veteran, a hero who has proven himself many times before.

"Now, dear madam, I need you to answer my questions," Marth continued, desiring to know his guest's identity. "Who are you supposed to be, and why have traveled to this home?"

"I am Lillian Åkerfeldt, and I am from a magical world separate from yours. I have traveled to this area to seek help."

"What-a seems to be the problem, Lillian?" Mario asked, slightly eager to hear about the possible adventure. No matter how dangerous they were, the Italian-accented hero always had an interest in adventures, and the people that knew his name—especially close friends—were fully aware of it. Of course, the mysterious maiden managed to notice his interest by his tone of voice alone.

He seems to have a taste in pursuing dangerous adventures, she remarked. Keeping her voice firm, she cleared her throat before proceeding to reveal her reasons for visiting the Smash Mansion.

"There is a powerful and maliciously twisted force known only as the Svärtad Orm. If you do not know about its power to threaten civilizations, I shall explain. It was responsible for causing death and destruction wherever it appeared in ancient millennia. The destruction was not limited to my world, for it scattered its evil across many other realms, including the one that now shelters your souls. While it was spreading its influence, entire civilizations were plunged into utter chaos. Thankfully, it was sealed away by a magical item known the Staff of Björn, named after the hero who eventually defeated the force, and its reign of terror has largely been forgotten. The staff has been separated into five parts to prevent the entire artifact from falling into an evildoer's hands."

"Hold on," Falco spat, feeling like he was not receiving one vital detail, "Back up. If this thing is sealed away, then why do you need our help?"

"Years ago, a certain group spawned within my world and is now seeking to resurrect the Svärtad Orm. It is known as the Orm's Lords, and its members are searching extensively for the five parts of the staff. If they get their hands on the pieces and then merge them into one, they can revive that dreaded thing and usher the realms into a new age of ruin…"

After she had fallen into silence, her hands magically conjured multiple images and presented them to the eyes of the Smashers. One of these pictures featured a serpent with an outer skin that was tainted with the color of charcoal and an aura of wickedness. As the Smashers stared at it, they noticed that many black and smoky tentacles were emerging from its body, which strongly complemented the bloody coloring of its eyes. Although not a single word crawled from their mouths, they all realized that, while analyzing the snake, it was indeed the vile Svärtad Orm mentioned by the maiden herself. It was a sinister sight to behold, even for the villainous fighters, but equally disturbing was the image of several figures, all of whom gathered in what appeared to be a neo-Gothic cathedral. Besides the foreboding background—which contrasted with the mansion's colorful atmosphere—the group members were all garbed in lengthy, shadow-colored, and loose cloaks. A property that each cultist shared was the presence of a printed serpent on each robe's chest area. The hoods that came with the cloaks obscured each member's face, and the fact that there were so few methods of distinguishing the members forced the Smashers to wonder who the cultists were or whether they were potentially not human at all.

Sinister as those images were, however, a third image provided comfort to the fighters. In that image, a staff forged from platinum was the primary focus. The tip of the staff was forged from diamond, an unbelievably valuable mineral, and glowed with such radiance that it illuminated virtually the entire background. Just beneath the diamond was a set of wings; the wings were undeniably angelic in appearance and signified the staff's status as a weapon of holy power, designed to banish virtually all traces of evil whenever and wherever it was used. The images were just enough to convince the Smashers that this matter was indeed a serious one. The refusal to act was not an option.

"So," Samus Aran, a bounty hunter raised by the bird-like Chozo, muttered, "We need to search for the five pieces of the staff so that its sheer power can stop the Orm's Lords from unleashing the creature." The light-haired huntress was wearing a bluish, skin-tight, and technologically advanced uniform dubbed the Zero Suit, which contrasted with her bulkier Power Suit in appearance.

"Correct," Lillian answered, seconds after her hands had dispelled the images that she created. "The Lords are currently searching for the pieces, and their organization possess the technology to travel between dimensions, which makes your involvement in restoring and maintaining peace especially vital."

"Yes, but I have only one question: where are those pieces?"

The maiden paused to consider the question. Her answer was going to be a disappointment, she believed. As much as she desired to do so, she could not reveal the locations until tomorrow at the earliest. "I cannot reveal their locations now, as my powers are not strong enough to sense them."

The bounty huntress tilted her head in confusion. "What happened to your powers?"

"Most of my energy was siphoned in an earlier battle, and whatever was left has been used for the signal that I summoned earlier." This statement left the Smashers wondering just what sort of enemy had confronted Lillian. If it was the organization of the Orm's Lords, especially if it was in possession of a deadly foe, then the drawn implications from Lillian's words meant that the fighters would be facing a powerful group of enemies that had slipped under their dimensional radar for some time… until now. Some of the Smashers were chilled by this thought alone, while others tried to suppress their fear to avoid the weakening of their high confidences.

"Do you think your power can reveal the locations tomorrow?" Captain Falcon asked. He was never one to accept defeat; he passionately believed that there was always a way out of a tight situation, and he was certain that there was a way out of this potentially grim scenario as well. Many other Smashers were visibly more skeptical, however; they doubted that Lillian would even have the strength to track down the pieces by morning, and that problem could give the Orm's Lords enough time to complete their plan for world domination…

"I am unsure, but I will try to do my best when the time comes."

Falcon felt a tingle of hope as he heard the answer. "Alright, because if you cannot do so, then we may not get those pieces before the organization does."

"Wait a second, why can't you just tell us now?" Fox questioned, hoping to obtain more answers.

"When the staff was separated into its five pieces," Lillian turned her attention towards the vulpine leader of Star Fox, "The location of each segment was kept hidden by the hero himself and shared only with a small circle of trusted people. After his death, the pieces were soon forgotten over time, which has left their existences known only to a small group of observers. However, I have been given the ability to track all five of them, and since no map—realm-based or otherwise—has ever recorded their resting places, it is a useful ability that can help us defeat the Lords."

"That makes sense." Not long after the pilot's comment, Master Hand floated into the infirmary. As soon as his field of vision shifted to the small room, he earned a glimpse of Lillian, whose tired form was sitting on one of the beds.

"So, you must be the new visitor to the Smash Mansion," his great voice rang with a tone of high power and respect. Like Falcon, Master Hand sought to make Lillian comfortable at the Smash Mansion. To him, it would be acutely upsetting if she or any other guest experienced anything uncomfortable inside the mansion walls, an event which would be a disgrace to the heroic organization itself.

"Yes, I am," she replied. "I am Lillian Åkerfeldt, and I have come here to request your help. You must be…"

"Please, dear, call me Master Hand. So, what was it that you wanted us to assist you in doing?"

"Master Hand," Falco interrupted, "Lillian here is talking about some evil force known as the "Svärtad Orm", and some organization is out to get the pieces of this artifact known as the Staff of Björn, which is what keeps the force sealed away."

"Hmm…" Master Hand muttered, twitching his index finger as he did so. "Very troublesome indeed. I'll take that into consideration."

"So, you want us to go or not?" Falco's voice was filled with a slight amount of impatience. If the threat of the Svärtad Orm was real, he believed, then it was better for him and the others to take immediate action. The floating hand, however, quickly decided otherwise.

"Not yet. It is late now, so you must get some rest before we begin tomorrow. All Smashers, please head back to your rooms."

All the fighters nodded in agreement and withdrew from the infirmary. Falco grumbled slightly at Master Hand's decision before the entire group exited the room; he had long bided his time for another adventure to suppress his agonizing boredom, but he would have to wait until tomorrow to quench his thirst for that very burst of freedom. As soon as the infirmary was almost empty, Master Hand redirected his attention to Lillian.

"Would you like to stay here for the night, madam?" That comment made it clear that Master Hand had no intention of leaving the mysterious woman outside the mansion whatsoever.

"Yes, do you have any rooms available?" the maiden responded.

"Unfortunately, our bedrooms are occupied by the Smashers and a couple of servants, but I do have a couch situated in the living room that should be large enough to hold a sleeping person. Do you wish to rest there?"

"I will. Thank you, Master Hand." She placed her feet onto the ground and strolled out of the infirmary. While she proceeded to stroll out of sight, Master Hand floated back into his office to get some much-needed rest.

A dark and gloomy atmosphere overtook the mansion; the nighttime seemed to have the effect of revealing what an observer would have deemed a second personality to the area. In the daytime, the mansion was a form of beauty to behold, complete with its unique architecture and amazing size that no other mansion in the world could hope to surpass. However, in the shadow of the night, that beauty was now twisted into something darker, an aspect to which both the Smashers and the Hands were partially oblivious. As Lillian wandered through the mansion, a chill crawled across her back. In her mind, the mansion appeared to be more reminiscent of an abandoned structure that was typically seen in gloomier stories, especially gothic ones, and less like an inhabited mansion.

This place seems haunting, she pondered. And I am rather surprised that no one in here has taken the time to stare at the darker aspects of the rooms. It is something of a black rose to me, something that has beauty, albeit in a corrupted form…

Her steps eventually guided her to the living room, another section of the Smash Mansion. Like the rest of the area, it was swallowed by the lasting darkness of the night, just another petal of a black rose. All the electrical equipment, including a television set and all the lights glued to the walls, was shut off. The scene was overtaken by a truly ominous atmosphere, with no one in the area aside from Lillian herself, minimal lighting at best and complete darkness at worst, almost no sound, and an uncomfortably cold feeling in the air. In the center, a couch was positioned several meters away from the television set. Although it was hard to tell, the couch was comprised of simple leather, a stark contrast to the grand architecture present in the mansion. Lillian approached it and rubbed one of the arms with her right hand.

Upon contact, the couch felt so… smooth. It would do more than serve as a resting place in lieu of a bed. Within seconds, she slumped onto the piece of furniture and pulled a blanket that was hanging on an arm over most of her body, hoping to remain comfortably warm throughout the cold night. The maiden felt the increasing heaviness of her eyelids on her ocular organs, and within a matter of minutes, her mind drifted into unconsciousness…

Meanwhile, Marth was just outside the living room. He had miraculously avoided detection by Master Hand and was now inside the main hall to examine the maiden that rested on the couch. As he glanced at her, a sudden thought entered his mind; this maiden was truly a mysterious person from an equally mysterious realm, and he had never witnessed someone like her. To exacerbate it all, he had no clue on what her kind was like. Questions were rampant inside his head:

Is she from a truly peaceful civilization? Or is she from a society that desires nothing but dreaded bloodlust? If her people turn out to be a deceptive kind, what forms of trickery do they use to achieve their potentially heartless goals? Moreover, how did she know that our realm was invaded by that evil snake? Shouldn't Master Hand have known about that event beforehand?

The Hero-King had no answer to any of the questions. As such, he was unsure if she truly was seeking help from the Smashers or simply luring them into a fatal trap. One thing was for certain, however; killing her right now was not an option, for if she was a true ally and he utilized the mighty Falchion against her, then his hasty decision was guaranteed to shed innocent blood and cripple the organization's plans to stop the Svärtad Orm. The best that he could do now was to hope for the best. He eventually traveled back to his room to obtain his much-needed sleep.

The next day…

It was now morning. The sun was crawling over the horizon, and the Smashers were preparing themselves for the adventure they would be experiencing. All forms of equipment were getting packed, and vehicles were under examination to ensure that they were ready to go. A hearty breakfast, which consisted of scrambled eggs and waffles, was prepared for the fighters, Lillian, and several servants by Kirby to grant a boost in energy levels. It would be troublesome, in the pink puffball's mind, if the Smashers lacked the energy needed to overcome the trials encountered by them. As with last night's dinner, most of the Smashers ate normally, but those in the minority showed no manners whatsoever and hoarded whatever food they were given. Kirby simply stared at the sloppier fighters in disgust. As soon as all thirty-six Smashers present had consumed their breakfast, Master Hand floated towards the table.

"Lillian," he asked, "Are you ready to show us the location of the staff's pieces?" Some Smashers were tense over whether Lillian was prepared to track the pieces down with her magical abilities, and they were not alone. Master Hand himself, despite his greater optimism, was also feeling uneasy.

If she cannot track down the pieces, then there may be nothing we can do to help her, he pondered. Everyone else remained silent for the answer.

"I will use my abilities to mark the locations," Lillian finally responded. With these words, she raised her right hand into the air. Almost immediately, all the bystanders noticed a glow from her palm. It was subtle at first but soon intensified in a matter of mere seconds; this sudden change caused a handful of Smashers to squint and turn away. As the glow brightened, five golden spheres emerged from the light's source and hovered over the room for what seemed like a minute. The Smashers stared at the orbs, wondering what sort of action they would perform under Lillian's strong influence. Their question received a response as the glowing lights circled around the room, slowly at first but soon reaching ridiculous speeds. Before anyone could utter a word, the orbs suddenly launched themselves into five distinct directions outside the mansion—never to return—and the glow on Lillian's hand soon diminished completely.

"That was… I've-a never seen anything like that-a," Mario gasped, apparently in awe over the event that had just occurred. The other Smashers, even renowned magicians like Princess Zelda of Hyrule, were just as dumbfounded, for they had witnessed no other magical ability exactly like the one just shown to them. The Smashers even began to wonder about what other unheard abilities Lillian likely had in her possession. The maiden then closed her eyes to accurately pinpoint the locations. Seconds transformed into minutes, and the Smashers were forced to wait patiently for the maiden to do her job. One character, however, was far too impatient to wait.

"Well?" Falco snorted, "Do you have the locations down or not?"

"Falco, please be patient," Ike grunted. Falco shot a harsh glare at the mercenary. The people that were close to him, or perhaps those who at least knew who he was, recognized the fact that he generally despised having to accept orders from others, barring the sole exceptions of some trusted Smashers and Master Hand, and he was certainly not going to listen to someone that was too authoritative for him—especially if the conversation was in danger of turning bitter. Before he could do anything to retaliate against Ike, however, Lillian finally revealed her answer to the previously asked question.

"The handle of the staff is located on a planet that was once home to an alien race known as the Chozo. This planet was plunged into turmoil when an unidentified object slammed into its surface and unleashed a terrifying substance of corruption called Phazon. Most lifeforms on the planet perished, and the survivors were twisted into horrifically mutated versions of themselves. Along with this blight, the Chozo society eventually fell into ruin due to the deadly contamination. However, a warrior, known as the Newborn by the Chozo, arrived to destroy this fountain of corruption and restore life to the planet."

By now, memories were thrust into Samus's mind; despite the long length of time between the events and the present day, she could remember every single detail that her mission on that planet had delivered to her.

The substance called Phazon…

Mutated creatures…

Remains of the Chozo-based society…

The Impact Crater…

"Wait," Samus muttered, "You're talking about Tallon IV, aren't you?" Tallon IV was a unique planet; it was painted with many diverse regions, from the lush Tallon Overworld to the fiery Magmoor Caverns. It was filled with life until Phazon reared its hideous head into the environment. As Lillian mentioned, the bounty huntress once destroyed the corrupting substance's primary source on the planet, which was embodied in the form of the deadly Impact Crater and had killed many creatures within years. What the maiden failed to reveal, though, was that the galactic fighter herself had also defeated a powerful creature known as Metroid Prime, identified by the Chozo as the Worm, and had dismantled a Space Pirate operation that exploited the substance's ability to drastically mutate certain creatures.

"Correct. That is where the handle will be located. The second piece, the mid-section, is located on a planet in the Lylat System. This planet is infamous for its inhospitable environment due to the lack of breathable air and acidic oceans, which are its most notorious features. It was once the stronghold of a maniacal scientist who was exiled from Corneria due to his dangerous experiments, and it was also the homeland of a vicious species that hailed from the acidic oceans. Since their separate defeats, each having occurred many years ago, the planet has since been abandoned and now possesses no visible traces of life.

The description of the planet was all too familiar to Falco; the details were stuck to his mind like glue, with no chance of ever being detached. Even though it had been years since the events of the two unrelated incidents, he could remember them like they had only occurred yesterday. It was nearly impossible for him and Fox to wipe their minds clean of the deadly planet itself…

"Venom," was the only word that quietly echoed from his mouth. Indeed, Venom was a hazardous land, incapable of supporting life in nearly all cases. Andross once gathered his troops from that cursed planet to dominate the Lylat System, which forced Star Fox to swoop in and resolve the crisis by force. The Anglar race also emerged from the planet to wreak havoc on Corneria and other surrounding planets, but its schemes were thwarted by the heroic efforts of Fox and his team.

"The third piece, which is the left wing, is found in a thriving metropolis," the maiden continued. "This area is one of the more famous locales of a popular and dangerous racing event known as F-Zero. It is also home to a hero whose past is shrouded in mystery but has nevertheless foiled the plans of many dangerous criminals and saved numerous innocents on many occasions."

A sudden revelation was thrust upon Falcon himself. Not only could he recall the perilous adventures that he had experienced at that futuristic area, but it was also fathomable to him that the hero mentioned by Lillian was none other than himself.

"You must be referring to Port Town," he puffed. Port Town was something of a home to him. Before arriving at the Smash Mansion, he had resided at a chain of islands off the city's coast. It was where he had created his plans and lived his life in solitude, for his reputation as a bounty hunter had earned him numerous foes. As mentioned by Lillian, he had also protected the city from numerous criminals like Black Shadow, a dreaded figure who sought to bring chaos, and saved the lives of numerous innocents, including those of other F-Zero racers.

As an acknowledgement to his comment, Lillian nodded her head before continuing with her statements. "The fourth piece, the right wing, is located inside a former kingdom on the continent of Archanea. This small kingdom was home to a prince whose parents were ruthlessly murdered by war-loving armies, while the prince himself was exiled from his own land and separated from his kidnapped sister. The kingdom was reclaimed when the prince gathered an army to shatter the enemy's grip on it, but it fell into turmoil again when he was betrayed by one of his closest friends. He was forced to endure another series of trials before his land was liberated once more; his sword proved to be the downfall of a certain dark dragon. Later, he would unite all the kingdoms of the continent into one entity, becoming its new ruler."

The events were still fresh to Marth. Time had no effect on his memories of those highly destructive wars; they simply would not fade away, no matter how hard he tried to suppress or forget about them. He could also clearly recall the tragic loss of his parents, the capture of his sister, multiple betrayals from different groups, and the two defeats of the evil dragon known as Medeus.

"That's Altea," Marth gasped, "It must be!" Although he had been away from his beloved homeland for most of the past five years, he could still remember its name. It was a bittersweet moment; he was departing from the Smash Mansion, which he now deemed a second home to him, but his soul was also returning to the land that he had sworn to protect in years past. He wondered how the inhabitants there were feeling at the current moment…

"The diamond, which is the fifth and final piece, is resting in a factory somewhere in the Mushroom World. No, it is not exactly in the Mushroom World; instead, it is inside an alternate dimension near the edges of its existence. It was once the stronghold of a mechanical madman who led a massive army of machines. He almost succeeded in conquering the Mushroom Kingdom, but five warriors arrived to disable his army and destroy him for good. Since the fall of his feared organization, activity in that castle has been reduced to zero."

A mechanical madman…

A massive army of machines…

Those words were cues for images to start zipping in Mario's head. While he initially believed that his memories of the years-old adventure had disappeared with time, he soon realized that—contrary to what he originally believed—they were simply in a dormant state, waiting for the right time to be unleashed. Just like the others, there was no possible way to detach said memories of his respective adventure from the confines of his inner mind…

"Smithy's factory…?" he whispered. As far as his knowledge extended, Smithy was a dreaded villain who brought chaos by destroying the Star Road, which was the source of wishes in Mario's world, and scattering his minions across various locales in the Mushroom World. Malevolent beings they were, the minions had ruthlessly destroyed towns and had even attacked innocent civilians to achieve one goal: world domination. It was through a miracle and some hard work that Mario, accompanied by his team, ultimately overcame all the obstacles that the Smithy Gang had launched at him. The factory that the villainous organization once inhabited could have been best described as a dark, relentless, and mechanical form of Hell itself, with numerous enemies, dangerous machines, and deadly traps.

"So," Fox spoke up, "We have the locations of the pieces. Now, there are thirty-five of us here if the Ice Climbers are counted as one, and there are five pieces, so we need to split up into five groups of seven."

"I'll-a lead the journey to Smithy's former headquarters," Mario interjected, "Since I have the greatest familiarity with that-a place."

"Anyone who wants to join the trip to Tallon IV should be with me," Samus announced, displaying the fact that she was the only Smasher who exhibited familiarity with the planet.

"I'll be the one to lead my group into Port Town," Falcon added. "Without me, a Smasher can get lost in a matter of minutes."

"The adventure into Altea will be led by me," Marth called. "I don't want a person unfamiliar with my land to get lost in its boundaries."

"Falco, I will let you lead the journey to Venom," Fox declared.

"What?" Falco gasped, "But what about you?" Fox's comment struck him as unusual. As far as he could remember, he had never been on a mission to Venom without Fox by his side. If that was the case, then why was the vulpine fighter suddenly granting him control over the Venom expedition?

"I don't think you need my guidance to lead your team into Venom. You have shown yourself to be quite a leader with your former gang, and I know that you have sharp piloting skills that surpass even my own. I believe that you are more than well-equipped to take care of yourself and the teammates that you will be getting in just a moment."

Still in shock over the comment, Falco could not help but quietly mutter a simple response:

"Alright, I'll take control of my team."

After Master Hand had instructed the Smashers to join the groups available, the thirty-plus Smashers that were not leading any of the expeditions scattered like spheres on a pool table to determine which adventure would be the most pleasing to them. It was a scene of confusion; many fighters scrambled to enter the groups that would be within the confines of their comfort zones.

Eager beings, Lillian thought. They are always seeking adventure wherever they could sniff it out. As the number of spaces began to decline, the hectic atmosphere soon withered. Some of the Smashers became upset after having been zoned into groups that would delve into completely unfamiliar territory or contained certain characters they would rather not have as partners. Within minutes, five groups of seven were finally present. The groups were as follows:

Mario's group: Mario (leader), Luigi, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Wario, and Bowser

Marth's group: Marth (leader), Ike, Link, Zelda, Toon Link, Ganondorf, and Pit

Captain Falcon's group: Captain Falcon (leader), Peach, R.O.B., Red (the Pokémon Trainer), Jigglypuff, Kirby, and King Dedede

Samus's group: Samus (leader), Solid Snake, Meta Knight, Pikachu, Fox, Wolf, and Olimar

Falco's group: Falco (leader), Ice Climbers, Sonic, Lucario, Ness, Lucas, and Mister Game & Watch

"Now," Lillian whispered, "I will establish a telepathic link with all of you."

"And why is that?" Snake, a former member of the organization FOXHOUND, asked. Lillian's comment took the spy aback; telepathy was something that he had not experienced in an exceedingly long time. During the events of the disaster dubbed "Shadow Moses", he encountered a legitimate psychic known as Psycho Mantis, who—among other things—possessed the ability to accurately predict which move Snake would perform via telepathy. Even with the advanced technology in Snake's home universe, Mantis's abilities were something that defied all forms of conventional science. Now, here he was, being reintroduced to this mystical form of magic…

"I need to have a form of communication that will allow me to keep in touch with all five groups. Since the individual searches for the pieces will occur simultaneously, I cannot travel with all of you. I am also doing this as a way of monitoring your vital signs and knowing your identities."

"I get it now." Following the end of the conversation, the lighting in the room instantaneously diminished. Some of the smaller Smashers, including Kirby and Olimar, shifted their heads left and right, behaving as if they were not sure of what exactly was going to occur. A mysterious silence creeped into the mansion, but that was soon dispelled by a high-pitched hum that coincided with the appearance of a golden light, which swallowed Lillian's entire body. Without a clear and predictable indicator, thirty-six beams of light suddenly zipped out of her delicate form like bullets fired from a gun and immediately tore through the Smashers in a matter of seconds. A numbing sensation enveloped the fighters; it was so great to the point where they almost believed that their feet were no longer stuck to the main hall's hard floor. What originally seemed like seconds suddenly felt like long hours, almost as if the flow of time had been slowed down by the magical maiden herself. Just when the fighters believed that it would be virtually endless, the mysterious process finally reached its ending point, and the numbing sensation faded into nothing. The Smashers noticed a faint glow around their bodies; it was a graspable sign that the process was successful and that they had the ability to communicate with Lillian at any given time, no matter the distance. Shortly after that, the mansion regained its original lighting.

"Alright, Smashers," Master Hand boomed, "You should now have a telepathic link with Lillian. Now that you are all set, I will create some portals that will lead you to your assigned worlds. Leaders, if you have any vehicles, you can head down to the garage to retrieve them."

Out of the five leaders, Mario and Marth stayed behind with their groups, for they lacked a stationed vehicle inside the Smash Mansion's garage. The garage was massive, almost the size of a full-blown hangar bay. It contained the vehicles of many Smashers, from Olimar's clunky Hocotate Ship to the mighty mother ship of Star Fox, the Great Fox. Meta Knight's Halberd was once a resident of the garage when not in deployment, but the events of the Subspace Emissary had since reduced it to nothing; it was still rumored that the Kirby-shaped fighter was working on a newer model. In addition to the main portion of the garage, a repair bay was also present whenever a Smasher's vehicle ever needed repairs.

With permission from Fox, Falco activated the Great Fox to let its systems warm up. Meanwhile, Falcon and Samus also started the ignition sequences of their respective vehicles: his Falcon Flyer and her personal gunship. Lower hums were easily audible from all three vehicles as their systems gradually reached full power; these hums were so deep that an observer who was none the wiser would have been fooled into believing that a miniature earthquake was rocking the garage. The members of Falco's group entered the garage to climb aboard the massive ship of Star Fox. Not too long after that, both bounty hunters guided their groups into the other two vehicles.

Outside, in the still-frozen front yard of the mansion, Master Hand conjured five portals that led to five diverse worlds, each of which contained a piece of the Staff of Björn. The portals were distinct in appearance; each one presented a faint image of the world that the Smashers would enter. In addition, three of them were significantly greater in size than the other two, most likely as an accommodation for the massive sizes of the vehicles to be deployed. The remaining two groups, who were not in possession of a vehicle, strolled out of the front doors to witness the portals that hovered in front of them.

"Now, you will be heading into an adventure that will pit you against threats that we have never battled before," Master Hand announced, "As such, this adventure will be rife with danger, so you may not make it back alive. Nevertheless, I believe that you are more than worthy of gathering all the staff pieces and stopping the Svärtad Orm. Just be careful and do your best. Are there any questions you would like to ask?"

None of the Smashers from either group uttered a word. It was a sign that they, all fourteen of them, were prepared for the adventure, which was a great thing in the commentator's invisible eyes. Not too far away, the massive garage doors whirled open to reveal the vehicles that contained the other three groups. By now, all three machines were warmed up and ready to endure the rigorous journey that lurked ahead. Noticing this, the hovering hand delivered one last comment to the Smashers present:

"Good luck... and Godspeed."

The three vehicles soared out of the garage in an astoundingly short moment of time and dived into the portals. As they did so, the Smashers that would travel on foot also rushed into the portals to begin their adventures into dangerous territory. Within the minute that breezed by, all the Smashers had vanished before the portals could gradually dissipate. Master Hand soon floated back into the mansion, filled with the hope that the Smashers would prevail over the Orm's Lords. Meanwhile, Lillian was observing the scenery from one of the mansion's many windows, having just witnessed the send-off.

"Please," she prayed, "You must stop the Lords from obtaining the staff's pieces, and if you fail, all the realms will be thrown into fiery chaos…"

And that is the end of "The Crossing of Paths"! Here is what will be present for the next set of chapters; staring with the next chapter and until the next segment, the story will be divided into different "theatres" that will focus on each of the five groups. Mario's theatre will be first on the list. As stated in the previous chapter, please read and review.

A/N:

-Svärtad Orm is Swedish for Blackened Snake.

-Lillian's surname is derived from that of Swedish metal group Opeth's leading man, Mikael Åkerfeldt.