Falco's Theatre (finale): Space Ace Versus Dark Magician

It's time to close the book on Falco's theatre. Will the proud space ace and his group defeat Lars and his monster? Well, let's look for ourselves.

Hands off my prey!

Lies…

They are used to manipulate others into believing or doing certain things…

Everyday life sees most acts of dishonesty as minor, incapable of causing any serious damage…

However, when used either in excess or for especially malicious purposes, they can cause a near-unavoidable chain of events that will ultimately prove disastrous…

The art of lying has spawned the possible actions of fraud and betrayal, which have resulted in shattered relationships as well as deep hatred from the betrayed…

It is one of the many things that can cause the downward spiral of an individual…

It is also one of the weapons that an evil person will use to exact revenge…

"Let's go, motherfucker!" Falco shouted. As soon as he stopped speaking, he tossed his reflector towards Lars for very low knockback and negligible damage. In response, Lars and his monster leaped into the air to approach the fighters, preparing to attack. Ness conjured his PK Thunder to zap the captain, but the claymore would become the sponge that absorbed the electrical projectile.

"That will not work," Lars hissed. His claymore reached out to behead Ness and Popo, but well-timed ducking ensured that the metallic predator would not claim its potential prey, at least not yet. Fueled by its Aura, Lucario utilized Close Combat, a flurry of rapid-fire strikes that was never witnessed in Smash battles because of moveset restrictions imposed by Master Hand. The assault caused a few minor dents in Lars's armor, but it also imposed a slight amount of recoil damage to the Pokémon. The mysterious captain quickly unleashed a diagonal slash, but the result was only a small mark on his opponent's suit when the killing blow was narrowly avoided. Falco rushed in with a blazing Fire Bird; while it was enough to knock the elder down, it failed to cause any significant damage. Meanwhile, the monster successfully slashed Mister Game & Watch, Popo, and Ness, with noticeable results.

"Beep!" the flat man exclaimed, the claws tearing across his two-dimensional figure. As new wounds were etched, the front of his now-bloodied suit suffered serious scratches that were large enough to let a small amount of Venom's gases seep in. The flat man was not too worried, however. From the way that it was designed, the suit, while a tad bit loose, was tight enough around the neck to prevent toxins from entering his nostrils unless the sealed helmet was breached. Hopefully, the monster would not do something like that, he pondered. Meanwhile, on one side of the battlefield, the sight of the monster was causing one member to outright freak out.

"Oh, I gotta get out of here!" Slippy squealed as he retreated to the only doorway in the room. As he sprinted like mad, he was immediately noticed by Peppy, who was in the middle of preparing for the fight.

"Where are you doing, Slippy?!" the general shouted. "Are you trying to abandon us?"

"Sorry, that monster is just too scary for me to handle. I'm gonna head back to the Landmaster and stay there. Good luck with the fight."

"Damn it, get back here now!" But it was already too late. Slippy had already stumbled out of the area. This left the general angered right off the bat; there was no way in Hell that this form of insubordination was acceptable. If anything, it was utterly shameful to cower away from the battle when the fate of the multiverse was at stake. However, upon realizing that the frog had no weapons on him, the boiling heat of the mind began to fade. Maybe Slippy did have a reason to retreat after all, but there would still be a stern warning for him later. Right now, Peppy had to be focused on the monster that was ready to commence the shedding of blood.

"Let's go, Nana," Popo ordered. The two young Smashers sprinted towards their aggressor's feet and used a strange form of chilling magic to freeze them solid. It was no good, as the ice was immediately defeated by the monster's brute strength. Another claw swipe came flying towards them, but this attack failed to cut through flesh or clothing. Ness hoisted several rounds of PK Fire and roasted his opponent for a few seconds, with noticeable burns to boot. This image gave the psychic an idea.

"Maybe that thing's weak to fire," he muttered. "I've gotta tell the others about this." Before he could, however, the wounds began to heal at a slow pace. Maybe a stronger variant of Återuppliva was being used by this creature, he believed. But was it as powerful as what Lars's?

WHOOSH!

Ness had not the time to further focus on the question, for within the next blink of an eye, a clawed hand rushed towards like a furious assortment of short blades. Barely sidestepping in time, he felt a horizontal cut being painfully etched into his skin and suit. An urge to scream filled his mind, and his willpower was the only thing preventing said urge from overtaking him. Preparing his PK Thunder for battle, he suddenly received a quick dose of assistance from Peppy, who had just drawn a blaster from one of his pockets. The elderly general's aim was shaky, in part due to declining motor skills, but it did not stop him from landing a single blow to one of the monster's eyes. The creature growled slightly as it clenched the affected area in pain, leaving itself vulnerable to Game & Watch's Judgment attack. The sign in the flat man's hands revealed the number six, which left behind several burns on his opponent's skin. Both Ice Climbers launched small icicles with their hammers to freeze up their enemy, but a single stomp cut the attack short.

"Uh-oh…" Nana gasped, just seconds before a monstrous fist sent her flying backwards. As she soared throughout the hall, she noticed Falco getting brutally slammed into the floor by Lars.

"You will not get the piece before I do," the captain hissed. As he spoke, he had the ace pilot in a chokehold tight enough to cause strangulation. From his point of view, Falco was turning a hundred shades of blue as his death came closer to fruition. With his claymore in the other hand, he prepared to set up an execution-style killing, but failed to account for a laser shot aimed straight for the eyes. In seconds, he was partially blinded and left at the mercy of a Falco Phantasm aimed right at him. His form stumbled backwards onto the floor, but was quick enough to recover before further punishment could be delivered. Lucario attempted to utilize its Force Palm, but it was interrupted when the captain slashed it across the right arm.

SLASH!

"Ugh…!" the Pokémon grunted. Blood started to soak a part of its suit as it began to speak. "You may be stronger than before, but our team will still triumph over you and your pet. Now, witness the mighty power of Aura."

"The power of Aura, you say?" Lars responded, smirking with confidence. "Show me."

"I will." Determined to prove its claim, Lucario delivered a long burst of punches and kicks, all fueled by the mystical power. The elderly man did not flinch throughout the assault, though dents in his armor were beginning to take shape. He soon started to laugh at the Pokémon's attempt to topple him over; maybe the power of Aura was not so powerful after all, he pondered. Not wasting any more time, he swept Lucario off its feet with a low kick, one that was powerful enough to break bones, before following it up with a punch that caused instant dizziness. With the world temporarily spinning out of control from its point of view, Lucario could not keep its Aura Sphere straight, resulting in the projectile missing Lars by several centimeters. The Aura master was then struck with a horizontal sword swing aimed at its legs.

SLICE!

"Your Aura is laughable," Lars grunted, preparing for another swing.

"Damn, my standard PK Fire isn't cutting it," Ness puffed, noticing that the monster was not visibly affected by his previous move. "I'll need to try something different." Conjuring an altered bolt in his hands, Ness unleashed a recently-learned variant of his fiery attack known as PK Bonfire. In comparison to the original version, the flames were more intense and covered a larger area, although Ness had to take a risky, closer-ranged approach to hit with the move. The monster roared as this hotter fire scorched its normally-resilient skin, with visible burns expanding at a surprisingly fast rate. Adding to this inferno was Mister Game & Watch, whose frying pan was filled with sausages dipped in flaming oil. While the projectiles were not effective in striking their intended target, they did serve as makeshift landmines, burning the creature's feet whenever possible.

"Beep-beep," he chirped. Sailing upwards with his parachute, he proceeded to dump the oil onto the creature's eyes. The result was a partially-fried face, a moment of blindness, and a sudden roar that nearly shattered the sound barrier. To prevent the loss of all hearing, most of the Smashers and Peppy had to cover their ears; only Lucario, who was about to launch Lars, failed to do so.

"What the fuck…" Falco growled as the horrible noise echoed across the hall.

"Now I gotcha," Peppy quipped. Taking a steady aim with his blaster, he fired straight at his adversary's eyes, which only served to worsen the bout of blindness. With aggression levels rising, the monster began swinging one of its arms right in front of it, slapping away both fleeing Ice Climbers and the less-than-agile general. The latter was sent rolling into the doorway that the group used to enter this holy place; the subsequent impact was, without a doubt, very painful. His back was suddenly pierced by a swarm of imaginary needles while his head was plagued by a massive, long-lasting ache that threatened to incapacitate him.

"I think I'm gonna be sick…" he moaned. It was already obvious to him that he would not be able to withstand as much punishment as the more resilient Smashers, but this… This pain was beyond excruciating. In fact, it somewhat reminded him of the injuries he had sustained when former ally Pigma Dengar betrayed him and James McCloud to Andross; those wounds were still fresh in his mind despite the many years that had passed, and they would still bring him discomfort even now. It also did not help that the monster was closing in for another blow, even with the blindness. Fear shot up his spine as stared upwards. If this kept up, he would be dead in a matter of seconds.

But then again, there was a Landmaster outside, ready to be utilized. Maybe it would powerful enough to fend off the abomination from the netherworld, and it would certain protect him from any further injury. So, why was he staying in here? There could be many explanations for this, but it all led up to the most plausible one; he feared that if he exited this temple right now, he would certainly be condemning his allies, especially Falco, to death. Right now, however, there was no other option available. The powerful vehicle was his best bet in killing his deadly attacker.

"I'd better head back," he muttered before limping out of the room.

"Geez," Falco groaned, "You just had to make this fight so damn difficult, didn't you?" The space ace, along with Lucario, was not making progress with defeating Lars. No matter what was being thrown at him, he just could not be permanently put down thanks to his armor. The Fire Bird maneuver was scorching, but it lacked the amount of heat required to cause any sort of melting. The various blaster settings did almost nothing, even with the strongest of such zapping cold steel. Meanwhile, Lucario's fighting skills inflicted several more dents, but they, just like Falco's attacks, were too weak. This was strange to the jackal-like Pokémon, as it was widespread fact in its native world that Fighting-type creatures were very effective against steel. This metal had to be enhanced in some way; otherwise, it would have given out a long time ago. Lars, on the other hand, had already inflicted a significant beating upon both Smashers, for his brutal melee attacks and long-reaching sword swings were more than enough to result in noticeable blood loss and beaten bodies.

"Do not expect any mercy from me," Lars grunted. He prepared to skewer the space ace with a thrusting motion, but the attack was avoided by a backflip into the air.

"I don't expect you to be gentle on us," Falco spat. "If retrieving the piece and killing you means busting my ass, then I'll freaking do it." Following his statement, he tossed his reflector again, this time with boosted hitting power and a shade of violet replacing the usual light blue, and it successfully staggered the captain. Lucario, capitalizing on a moment of weakness, launched an Aura Sphere right at the suit's helmet. As expected, this new projectile was boosted by its user's injuries and inflicted a larger dent that nearly touched Lars's face inside. The gap on the front was distorted into a misshapen curve that was marked by sloppy borders and burnt coloring, with both features contrasting with the rest of the armor's appearance. Lars, undeterred by the attack, unleashed a chilling spell that coated a large part of the floor in ice. With their boots failing to provide any traction, Falco and Lucario were clumsy ice skaters for a meager amount of time before falling flat on their backs. Getting back up was a serious pain, as their hands began slipping all over the place during the instance where they placed their weight against the ground.

"Dear Arceus…" Lucario grunted as it struggled to stand back up. Falco immediately engaged his Fire Bird to thaw out the ice and attack Lars simultaneously, but while the former purpose was achieved, the latter was forced out of reach when Lars conjured a force field for his own protection. A painful sensation tore the pilot's body when his head was nearly busted from the heavy impact, leaving the unfortunate Smasher vulnerable to a palm strike fueled by the clouded essence of darkness.

"Damn!" he cursed, clutching his head as he attempted to recover. Meanwhile, Lucario regained its composure, but not without having a shining blade flying straight towards its neck. At the last possible moment, the Pokémon triggered its Double Team and pummeled the aggressive man from behind, forcing a large portion of armor to cave in. It then performed a disarming kick that sent the sword flying a good distance away from its user, right towards the group dealing with the monster.

Outside the temple…

"Better get the thing started up, and fast," Peppy puffed. Without thinking twice, he opened the Landmaster's primary hatch and leaped right into the interior, where the McClouds, Slippy, Sonic, and Lucas were waiting. Right away, their interpretation of Peppy's frantic expression screamed to them the face that something was terribly wrong.

"What's going on, General Peppy?" Marcus asked.

"The others are in serious trouble," the general gasped. "That Lars fellow is inside the temple and he's got a huge monster with him. That ugly thing's shrugging off almost everything that we've been throwing at it, and we're gonna lose a huge chunk of our group if we don't get this damn thing inside. Hang on tight; it's gonna be a rough ride."

"It's true," Slippy stammered. He was still trying to recover from his bout of shock. "There is one inside!"

"And just when I thought that Slippy was making things up…" Sonic muttered. "How big is it?"

"Big enough to slaughter an entire army." The general, having started the ignition sequence, proceeded to guide the ground-oriented vehicle of Star Fox towards the temple. Near the entryway, he engaged the underbody's jets to enter the gap created by the enemy, which was located several hundred meters above.

"Let's give it to 'em," Peppy grunted, preparing the main cannon for combat.

"How tough is this thing?!" Ness gasped. It was now clear to him that his attacks, coupled with attacks from the Smashers not dealing with Lars, were insufficient in dealing any serious damage to the white monster. Even the burning essence of fire, which was one of Återuppliva's supposed weaknesses, was not powerful enough. On the other hand, the monster was pummeling the fighters with little effort on its part. It had already delivered a massive pummeling to Mister Game & Watch, which ended in him being crushed into the center of the floor, and it was now about to rip apart the Ice Climbers. Popo appeared to be moderately beaten, for his body was decorated with bruises, obscured only by the suit, and cuts, with blood staining his suit in certain areas. This situation was already beginning to look utterly bleak, with no hope in plain sight.

"No, you won't," Nana interjected as she narrowly avoided a kick. She proceeded to freeze one of the creature's hands before aiming her hammer at one of the razor-tipped fingers. Much to her surprise, the finger was instantly dismembered into frozen chunks of gore that painted parts of the floor with a faint blackness, while the monster growled painfully as it began to bleed slowly. Another attack was made on another finger, but Nana was slapped down before she was even close to swinging her hammer. Meanwhile, Popo suddenly noticed that Lars's sword was sitting in the middle of the room, with no one in possession of it. The sight of it gave the young Eskimo an idea.

If I can get the sword, then maybe I can use it to defeat the monster, he wondered. Spiriting very quickly to avoid detection by Lars, he lifted the heavy blade and rushed back to where his group was, only to jump and plunge his new weapon deep into his adversary's back. As the tip emerged from the abdomen, a vicious roar echoed throughout the hall once again, but this occasion was far more intense to the point where the mere sound of it would likely cause the temple to implode. As most of the Smashers were busy, they could not shield their ears in time to avoid a stabbing pain. Continuing his assault, Popo yanked the blade out and guided it towards the previously-frozen hand, which only led up to even more pieces of chilled flesh striking the stone-forged ground like tiny pieces of hail. Blood was now gushing out at a violently quick rate, with some of the drops even falling upon a few of the Smashers, much to their disgust.

"Yuck," Nana groaned, desperately attempting to wipe the mess off her suit. Such an action, however, left her open to a far-reaching slap which launched her right into where the now-revived Mister Game & Watch was at. As she slowly stood back up, she noticed a large object emerging from the hole in the far wall; it was initially hard for her to discern due to the earlier slap inflicting a dizzy spell, but as she took a closer approach, this new thing was in the shape of a tank. It possessed a blue coloring on several areas and was branded with a winged fox on both sides.

By a stroke of luck, it was a Landmaster. Furthermore, it was the very same one that Peppy previously parked outside of the building. All belligerents temporarily stopped their fighting as they also noticed the war machine entering sacred grounds.

"Looks like I've hit the jackpot today," Falco chirped. Almost undeniably, he now believed that this battle was going to be in his favor from here on out. There was no way that Lars and his precious pet would survive the full wrath of the Landmaster.

"A desperate move at a desperate time," Lars snarled. "But your vehicle will still not save you from the power of the Orm's Lords. The staff piece will not fall into your wretched hands."

"Save it, big guy. I'll personally make sure that you and your oh-so-obedient creature get blasted back to the darkness from whence you came." Hopping into the vehicle, Falco proceeded to take command and aimed the cannon straight at Lars himself.

BOOM!

A massive, energy-based shot was fired, and a large explosion rocked the place like it was made from something weaker than ancient stone. Lars was instantly thrown out of the building, creating another hole on the temple's normally-durable walls. As he soared through the air, he felt a significant amount of pain spreading through his body like a disease. This was especially true of the chest area, where his armor had completely caved in. The broken metal was now a sharpened, makeshift guillotine that was aimed for his upper torso, as opposed to the more traditional type that decapitated those who fell to its terror. The blood loss was serious enough, but it was partially defeated by the metal, which prevented the captain's vessels from ejecting the life-sustaining substance at a faster rate. Plus, he had powerful magic to help him with the healing process; this injury would not kill him.

THUD!

The sudden impact with the ground caused a loud bang that rattled the captain's ears, though it was not necessarily harsh enough to cause hearing loss. The earlier chest injury inflicted slightly more pain as the metal jerked upwards, partially exposing a few internal organs.

"So, that machine can tear through my armor…" he sighed, albeit with a shaky tone of voice. As he recovered, three more shots rang through the quiet world of Venom. This time, it was his monster that took the punishing blows, causing it to suffer the same fate as its master, albeit not as badly due to being sent a shorter distance. Once it struck the barren ground with a loud thud, Lars noticed that there was a massive burn on its chest, the area itself marked by numerous shades of red and black. It was something that would have disturbed any normal person, especially with its grotesque nature considered, but Lars was no stranger to watching bodily injury. In fact, he was used to it because of his experiences of slaughtering people. A low growl was heard as the injured monster slowly stood back up. As it did so, a faint whoosh was heard from the distance.

"So, this is how it's going to be," Lars whispered, staring at the approaching Landmaster. By now, all the Smashers were inside, having made their entry after the monstrosity was launched by the high-velocity blasts. Dead set on obtaining the staff piece, Falco once again aimed the cannon. This time, it was set to kill both members of the dark duo.

"This is already too easy for me," he spat. "Once I'm done with these two, I'll get the piece in no time at all." With the press of a button, a third shot soared across the poisonous air…

BOOM!

…and devastated the area where the hostiles were glued to. With smoke and dirt in the air, it was difficult to tell whether the targets were still standing or not. Hopefully, Falco thought, they were good as dead. Seconds passed, but no movement was present in Falco's eyes. Tension and patience clashed with each other as the others joined him in the sightseeing process, unsure of the shot's success.

"Did you get them?" Sonic asked.

"I hope so," Falco grunted. But at that moment, an electrical orb sprang from the dust and came so close to striking the futuristic vehicle, only to miss by a few centimeters. By a stroke of misfortune, both enemies had survived the very damaging blow, with Lars utilizing a shield to protect himself and the monster merely shrugging the damage off despite its skin appeared more charred than ever. Reactions to this were filled with confusion and anger, with an especially severe one coming from Falco.

"How the fuck is that monster still standing?!" he yelled. By this point, he was slamming his fists against the dashboard. The spirit of frustration was now taking root in his mind, as the others were quick to observe. "What will it take to freaking put it down?!"

"I don't know," Peppy grumbled, "But we'd better find a way to put it and its master down before they get to the Landmaster and destroy us all."

"Wait a minute," Popo chirped, "The sword is beginning to vanish."

"What?" Before the general could say anything else, he noticed the Esmiko's temporary weapon fading into thin air. All observers stared in confusion as they tried to figure out what was causing this strange event to unravel. It had to be reacting to something, but what? Was it Lars? No one figured out the answer right away, for the sword had completely disappeared within the next minute.

"Where did it go?" Popo mumbled. "Aw, now I won't be able to take that monster down in case this Landmaster goes into flames."

"You got me," Sonic answered. Nothing else was said for the next seconds because everyone inside was wrapped in the mist of confusion, but this moment did not last for long. Lucario gasped as it suddenly noticed a change in the front monitor's image. As the others gathered around the Pokémon, they also came to witness what was occurring outside. A glow was appearing in front of Lars's hands, as if he were summoning an item from another dimension. Within the brightness was an object that held an initially vague shape; the bright light initially made it difficult for the adventurers to tell just what the captain was trying to retrieve, but after waiting for a moment, the appearing item began to resemble a silvery blade with a large handle better suited for two-handed strikes. It was at that point that the object was soon recognized.

"That's the sword," Peppy gasped. "How did he do that?"

"Maybe he has a special connection with the sword," Krystal remarked. "I believe it has to do with some form of telekinesis, where he can manipulate his weapon using his mind."

"Beep?" Game & Watch questioned.

"I am a psychic, so I know how mental connections work."

"Okay, enough talk," Falco interrupted. "Let's just finish this fight and go back to the Smash Mansion. The sooner we take out Lars, the better." The avian engaged the Landmaster's long treads to approach his enemies and attempted to mow down Lars, but a quick teleportation maneuver made the attack useless. After doing a quick barrel roll to avoid a powerful counterattack, Falco attempted another ram maneuver, this time aiming for the pale-skinned creature. It was almost successful, but at the last possible moment, the vehicle was halted by the abomination's raw strength. Both sides, with their opposing forces of motion, were now locked in a stalemate that had no end in clear sight. The Landmaster's treads were grinding against the cold, dead ground to launch a million pieces of dirt into the deadly air, while the monster's feet were receiving minor scrapes that were easily healed by Återuppliva.

"We got it now," the pilot chirped. He was ready to fire the main cannon, but as his finger approached the button, the tank was suddenly struck with an energy wave that caused all equipment to temporarily shut down.

"What's happening?" Lucas croaked. As the vehicle was suddenly hoisted into the air, he clutched his hands onto one of the seats, but his weakened state meant that performing this task was more difficult. Most of the other adventurers were forced into the ground without a window for reaction, save for Falco, whose feathered hands were tightly grasping the dashboard. He repeatedly mashed the firing button, hoping that the cannon would eventually obliterate the monster's face, but it was already too late to stop the tank from being tossed like a baseball. While in the air, a shot was fired when all the electrical equipment was restored, but it was far too off-target to land a straight hit, instead striking the nearby temple. With a loud slam, the Landmaster rolled around several times, tossing all its occupants around in a viciously erratic manner. Slippy screamed hysterically as the possibility of death shattered whatever sanity was left in his mind. Falco and Peppy released a barrage of curses each time they bruised themselves against the walls and ceiling. Lucas, with little strength left in him, succumbed to extreme forces and was left at the very mercy of his earlier injuries, which were threatening to be even worse than ever before. Marcus whimpered loudly and desperately attached himself to his mother to receiver her protection. Sonic utilized his fast speed to keep with the vehicle's rotation, and he was doing moderately well…

WHAM!

…until he accidentally collided into Lucario. Mister Game & Watch plunged his key into one of the seats, but the severity of the rotation ensured that his grip would not last for long, especially when his two-dimensional body was weaker than what most other Smashers could provide.

BLAM!

The Landmaster was once again in the air. This time, it was launched by Lars, as Falco noticed on the front monitor for a fraction of a second. It was here that an assumption hit the pilot's mind; the vehicle malfunctioning was likely the captain's work, as there were no existing mechanical problems prior to being deployed. In fact, maybe he had used a weapon reminiscent of the one that disabled the Great Fox, but there was no time to think this over due to the imminent danger. With fast reflexes, Falco engaged the thrusters to prevent the descent from being seriously damaging. In the meantime, he fired one shot right into the monster's eyes before turning his attention to Lars.

"Say goodnight, buddy," the pilot spat. Four shots were fired in rapid succession and all struck the area ahead. A magical shield blocked out the first shot with no problem, but it was badly weakened by the second and third. On the fourth, it completely collapsed and allowed Lars to get blown away. By this point, the elderly man's armor was on the verge of completely breaking down, with some of the pieces either missing or severely weakened to the point where they could no longer offer adequate protection. His now-discolored sword was also beaten, as its straight length had been bent sideways by extreme forces. Unable to see anything through the bent slit, Lars disposed of his helmet. Meanwhile, the monster's blindness was now permanent due to its eyes being vaporized by the earlier cannon shot. Thus, it began to swing its arms back and forth in a desperate attempt to slice something up, albeit with a more aggressive approach than last time.

"Peppy, I need you to take control of the Landmaster," Falco ordered, abandoning his position as driver. "Fry that damn monster to a crisp while I go take care of Lars."

"Are you sure about this?" Peppy asked. "I hope you're not underestimating that wretched man. If you can't beat him on your own, then-"

"I know what I'm doing, sir. Besides, that fool's armor looks like it's about to break down. Granted, I can't kill him because of that regenerative spell, but if I can at least put him down, it should make getting the piece easier."

Not willing to argue anymore, the general accepted the pilot's decision to attack the captain on his own. "Okay, but be careful. I'd hate to drag your dead body back to the Smash Mansion."

"Gotcha." Falco leaped out of the Landmaster and prepared to confront the captain in a duel to the death. Setting his blaster to maximum power, he took one slow breath before the bloodshed was to start.

"Are you ready to die, bird?" Lars taunted. "Are you asking to be consumed by the full wrath of the Lords?"

"Sorry, pal," Falco responded, "But it will be a million years before you even get the chance to kick my ass." Rushing forward with his Phantasm, Falco hammered Lars in the head before proceeding to shoot a part of his armor off. Lars attempted to conjure another shield, but he was instantly stopped by a reflector aimed for his face. His luck would, however, receive a short breather when he delivered an earth-shattering punch that launched the pilot into the air, followed by a water-based attack that tossed him as if he were nothing more than a mere ragdoll.

"What was that about "a million years" again?" Lars whispered. As he pummeled his opponent with final wave, he tapped into his raw strength to straighten out his sword for the damning blow that was to be inflicted. With victory in sight, he prepared to stab the avian to let the blood drain from his body, slowly and painfully.

"I don't think so," Falco snarled, knocking his assailant upwards with a flipping kick. He then fired off several shots from his blaster, with most of them striking weakened metal and beaten clothing. Lars was decorated with bloody holes in his body by the time he collided into the lifeless earth of Venom, but Återuppliva was still the sole barrier between him and a gruesome death. Cells and organs regenerated like mad, and before Falco could reach closer ranges again, the captain was on his feet, as if nothing ever happened. However, his armor was now reduced to a shoddy assortment of steel pieces that could not provide protection anymore; taking its place was a greenish suit that consisted of a long-sleeved shirt with buttons running down the middle, complete with a darker, no-button layer underneath, long trousers that reached down to the wearer's feet, leather boots, and a belt that was decorated with the color of coal. The captain attempted a stabbing attack that nearly pierced Falco's suit, but this was countered by a slam-chop motion that knocked the sword out of his hands.

"Get some!" Peppy interjected, firing shot after shot of blistering pain. He also utilized barrel rolls to trip the white monster, mainly to ensure that it did not get the upper hand.

"Hey, you know what I just noticed?" Ness muttered to Sonic, adjusting his cap by a slight amount.

"What is it about?" the blue hedgehog responded.

"How can Lars survive the atmosphere of Venom without any protective equipment? I mean, you must have noticed that he's not suffering from any ill effects whatsoever, right?"

"Yeah. Come to think of it, the monster isn't getting poisoned either. I wonder if they're using any sort of magic to protect them from the sickening atmosphere. Do you think Återuppliva has something to do this? I mean, I'm not entirely sure about this, but maybe it can give the user a resistance to hazardous gases."

"That might be true, but we'll just have to wait until-"

BLAM!

The horned monster, relying only on its hearing, kicked the Landmaster hard enough to launch it backwards a good distance. Many of the occupants were not prepared for this sudden force, thus causing them to be thrown against the vehicle's interior. Lucas, with his injuries considered, felt massive pain penetrating his frail body, as if someone or something was attempting to completely fry his nerves. Krystal suffered a minor head injury while protecting her only child from real harm.

"This is gonna suck for us," Slippy whined while shivering with fear.

"Geez, will you just shut your mouth for once?" Peppy groaned. As he spoke, he fired off several more shots, this time heading for the handless right arm. Eventually, the explosions took their toll upon the affected area and completely severed the limb. Though not very audible due to the Landmaster's isolated interior, a single roar of pain tore through the soundless landscape as if it was some sort of fast-spreading epidemic of noise. The Smashers did not cover their ears this time due to their lack of direct exposure.

"Score of the day: one point for the Landmaster, zero for the monster," the general chuckled. He proceeded to continue his fierce assault, but, without any warning, the creature grasped the main cannon and severely bent it sideways. Quick to adapt, Peppy proceeded to mow down his attacker and partially succeeded in this endeavor. What he failed to count on, however, was a pair of horns ripping through the vehicle's underside, preventing any sort of movement and almost impaling Sonic and Nana.

"Damn, that nearly turned me into a skewered hedgehog," Sonic gasped. He repeatedly struck one horn on the side with his Homing Attack, but this failed to stop the creature from lifting the tank up with its head. He then attempted to use his blaster, but a sudden jolt caused him to lose his grip on it. Lucario swept in with Close Combat, as did Mister Game & Watch with his Judgment, but even though they managed to crack the bony extensions by a slight amount, they could not prevent the inevitable fate of being slammed into the ground for perhaps the hundredth time. To make matters even worse, the monster swiftly punched massive holes straight into the normally-durable armor, exposing all occupants inside.

"This is bad…" Peppy gulped. It was now clear to him that he and the others were teetering at the very edge of death. "Hopefully, Falco is doing better than us…"

Indeed, the pilot was performing better in his fight against Lars, but not by a very large margin. He was fast and evasive enough to avoid fatal or otherwise crippling blows, but the captain's strong endurance and powerful magic prevented him from getting an easy victory in the long run.

"Geez, this battle is taking almost forever," he moaned. "Why can't I just be done with this battle and go home?"

"I should concur," Lars hissed. "This boredom truly is beginning to set in. It would have been easier for me if you'd just surrendered without a fight, but it seems that it is already too late for that." His sword reached out to tear through flesh, but it barely made a scratch against the suit when Falco crouched down and retaliated with a rising uppercut. The counterattack was not very powerful, but it did provide enough time for the pheasant to deliver a flying kick to the head. Both combatants tumbled to the dark ground, the lifeless earth that Venom was composed of, and entered a grappling battle to see who was superior in strength. Such an event did not last long. Being on the top, Falco was in a better position to blow apart a certain cranium with his blaster, which he proceeded to do once he pushed his opponent's arms down.

ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

Shots cracked throughout the dead atmosphere like a whip brutalizing a slave. The visor on Falco's suit grew blacker and blacker as blood splashed upwards. The pilot's teeth were gritted together to form a fierce snarl of aggression, fueled by a desire to win so badly and a temper that was flaring out of control. Bright blue flashes repeated continuously, perhaps to the point where they could cause seizures to certain people.

ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

Falco slowly aimed his blaster downwards to further mutilate Lars's body. Holes were being formed in virtually every spot in flesh and clothing, and with the removal of the arms, the captain could not defend himself properly. As a last resort, he electrified his body, but this did not help the situation because Falco leaped off just in time to avoid having a million volts roast his skin.

"Had enough already, you fuckin' bastard?" the pilot growled. "I can keep this going all day if I have to." But no verbal answer was presented, for the head had been reduced to a mere puddle. Lars did, however, rise back into a standing position and allowed Återuppliva to repair his ravaged body. Falco attempted to fire his blaster again, but a concentrated electromagnetic pulse from the captain caused the weapon to become useless. This event forced a slight amount of worry into the pilot's mind; with one of his methods of destroying the Lords out of commission, his primary advantage over the cultists was now smaller. Rather unfortunately, his only other effective of method, excluding vehicles and assistance from others, was his Fire Bird. It was destructive enough to tear through a crowd if given the chance, but its sluggish startup and cooldown could leave him open to punishment, especially if the opponent was agile enough to avoid getting incinerated. Nevertheless, it was his only way incapacitating his foe… for now.

"Burn, sucker!" he bellowed. He charged the move much faster than normal and rushed forward with increased speed, but a magical water wave easily defeated the flames and sent him flying sideways.

"Your arrogance continues to blind you to our true power," Lars whispered. "Must I kill you in such a way that involves the complete destruction of your very flesh?"

Falco dusted off the sleeves of his suit before responding to the question. "I would much rather take that fate than bow down to your unholy swarm of cultists."

"It is such a shame to see you resist like this. You and your allies would have made a fine addition to our glorious organization." Once again, the captain thrusted his sword in front of him, and this time, it struck Falco's suit right at the visor. After pulling away, the avian was in absolute shock as he examined what Lars had done; there was now a guaranteed passageway for deadly gases to seep in, and even though it was not too large, it would still prove to be fatal if it went unrectified. Up until this point in the battle, he was filled with the belief that nothing would or even could go seriously wrong; in fact, he had almost forgotten that he and Lars were fighting in a poisonous environment that could render all flora and fauna dead in seconds. He also had not counted on the captain pulling off such a move like his most recent one, perhaps due to a cocky disposition.

But now, he truly was finished… unless he could retreat to his Arwing in time.

"Shit…!" he yelled. "Gotta move fast…!"

"There will be no escape for you," Lars puffed, noticing Falco's vulnerability. As the avian fighter used Falco Phantasm to make a quick getaway, Lars plunged his free hand into the hand to force a portion of Venom's ground to explode suddenly and violently. Chunks of varying sizes and shapes rocketed into the air, leaving behind a sunken area where the captain initiated the attack. A rocky rain was now falling upon the dark battlefield, striking the nearly-destroyed Landmaster and reaching as far as the temple's closest wall. Multiple uses of the Phantasm allowed the pilot to remain relatively safe, but just when he was about to reach the temple, the nearby monster delivered a hard slap that overloaded his nerves with agony. Flying at massive speeds, his body was reeling out of control, causing the world around him to become a dark, unrecognizable canvas that swirled continuously. The urge to yell was strangling his mind, and resistance only caused his body to hurt even more.

THUD!

Falco was back inside the temple's upper floor, now semi-isolated from teammate and foe alike. As he attempted to stand back up, he realized that his body was beginning to shake, not out of pain, but out of weakness. It was as if his body suddenly could not support his weight as effectively. Another thing worth noting was the decline of his sharp vision; all objects in the vicinity began to slowly darken and wobble, and clarity was falling away from him like a distant memory. This could only mean one thing.

"These gases are making me ill…" he coughed. Covering the open hole again, he slowly limped towards the hole created by the monster, but stopped in his tracks when he noticed a strange, weak glow emerging from the center of the floor, right where Mister Game & Watch had previously been crushed.

"Wait, that wasn't there before. I'd like to see what's causing it." As he approached the golden light, his vision seemed to regain some bit of clarity due to the intense brightness, with the glow acting as some sort of temporary cure for his condition. Pulling away at stone bricks with one hand, he tore through a few layers before he encountered what appeared to be glass shielding a magical object. The item in question was a platinum rod about two meters in length, with an emblem identical to the temple's printed on one side. Its clean appearance, combined with its natural glow, allowed for a shine that would be bright enough to illuminate a small room, such as a stairway. There were four holes present—one at each end and two near the top—likely for installation of certain objects. After several seconds of staring, Falco was reminded of what Lillian had revealed to the Smashers back at the mansion.

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 second piece, the mid-section, is located on a planet in the Lylat System…"

"This has gotta be the staff's middle part," he gasped. Punching through the glass, he stretched his free arm as far as possible before his fingers gently contacted the staff piece. As soon as he yanked it from its resting place, the glow slowly faded into nothing, leaving the ground's hidden area dark for the first time in millennia.

"Well, better keep moving now," he sighed. He was about to continue his sprint when his eyes were suddenly locked onto the ceiling above.

"Huh, I wonder why I haven't noticed that before…" Above him was a stained-glass painting of what appeared to be a woman clothed in white. The figure was recognizable by her light blonde hair as well a distinct glow of gold around her body, characteristics that were potential indicators of divine beauty. She was surrounded by what appeared to be the pieces of the Staff of Björn, which were arranged in a perfect circle. The background was filled with the colors of a rainbow, ranging from the brightest of reds to the deepest of purples. This painting obviously looked important, but for what reason…

"Who is that lady?" the pilot whispered to himself. "Ah, I'll just ask Lillian later…"

Leaping out of the gap ahead, Falco tightened his grip on the gap to prevent gases from rushing into his nostrils. Just seconds before striking the ground, he engaged his Phantasm to break his fall and land safely next to his personal vehicle. Unlocking the hatch, he leaped into the cockpit and prepared for launch, all while venting foreign air from the system.

"Get ready for an ass-kicking you'll never forget, Lars," he spat.

With the rock storm and the rampaging monster ripping through solid steel, the Landmaster was now a ticking time bomb that was ready to blow. This was an undeniably grim situation, as Peppy so believed. Since Falco was currently unavailable, and with the vehicle itself on the verge of destruction, any easy extermination of the two hostiles was now out of reach.

"We must get out!" he yelled. All occupants obeyed his order without question while avoiding vicious attacks from the white-skinned abomination and its distant master. As they scrambled to safely, a massive explosion from behind shattered the sound barrier and created an angry inferno that not only discolored the sickening air, but left horrible burns on the monster's skin. Approaching a steep incline, the adventurers were about start their ascent when Lars created an electrical blast that left behind the effects of bodily paralysis; even Sonic, renowned for his speed, could not outpace the attack.

"Damn it…" Peppy grunted. As the pain faded away, he could feel just how rigid his muscles had become.

"It's over," Lars sneered. A purplish orb began to grow in his hands, with numerous electrical currents closely surrounding it. "Nothing will be able to save you now."

ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

But before he could launch his attack, a plethora of blue lasers suddenly rained upon the captain and his monster. Twisting his head at rapid speeds, he caught a glimpse of his new threat: an Arwing piloted by the one person who posed the greatest threat to his plan.

"Oh, another trick up your sleeve, Falco?" he grunted. His projectile was redirected towards the Arwing, but it was easily avoided by a fast rolling maneuver. In response, the avian pilot launched his final Smart Bomb, with extremely explosive results. The large sphere of fire overpowered the captain's magical shield and subsequently forced upon him a continuous wave of burns that would have been fatal without the help of his regenerative abilities. There was also a large amount of knockback that swept him off his feet, which would unquestionably leave him susceptible to follow-ups. As he regained his composure, he felt something wet pouring down his left leg; for all he knew, there was no stab wound around the affected area, so it was close to impossible that the liquid was his own blood. Tension filled his mind as he bent his neck downwards, which transformed into shock as he realized just what was occurring.

"No…" he gasped. A clear substance was streaming out of a small glass vial fixated to his belt. The vial's bottom was shattered into tiny pieces, leaving behind a jaded boundary to mark where the two halves used to be connected. The dull top was still intact, but it was obviously ineffective at keeping the liquid inside. Worry immobilized his mind as he flashed back to a certain conversation with his leader…

"So, this is what will help us during our expedition on Venom…" Lars remarked.

"Yes, it will negate the atmosphere's negative effects," the leader replied. "Each dose will last for twelve hours, however, so make sure that you and your subordinates take this at least twice a day. While Återuppliva will stop you from getting killed, the gases can severely weaken your body."

Lars clutched his assigned vial before turning to face his commander. "Yes, I will keep this mind."

Now he was truly worried. With no protection against the dangerous atmosphere of Venom, he was going to be forced through a world of hellish agony; it also did not help that his last usage of the substance was around midnight, nearly twelve hours ago. But even so, he still had the ability to wreak havoc in the short amount of time remaining.

"Go get 'em, Falco!" Peppy cheered, realizing who his savior was.

Redirecting his attention to the monster, Falco unleashed a storm of lasers that created hideous burns and bloody openings in the flesh. There was no way for the demonic entity to retaliate because the Arwing was too far up to be attacked, and its master did not fare any better despite having long-ranged magic by his side. The pilot was literally laughing with satisfaction as he watched his opponents struggle against him; this was perhaps a well-deserved moment of retaliation after all the hell they had forced him through, especially after destroying the Great Fox.

Now this is going to be easy for me, he said to himself. After a few overcharged lasers shattered the creature's sharp teeth, he boldly leaped from his Arwing to enter the digestive tract via a meters-long dive. However, as the dive was unraveling, Lars noticed something very important sticking out of the pilot's suit.

"The staff piece…!" he yelped. In desperation, he fired off an explosive sphere with homing properties, but Falco, with his sharp eyes and quick reflexes, tossed his reflector to protect himself.

"What is that crazy bird doing?" Slippy muttered, noticing Falco's descent into the mouth of the beast.

"That's… a very good question," Peppy answered. As soon as he stopped speaking, Falco had already entered his mutilated foe in a heartbeat.

Inside the esophagus of the beast, Falco was sliding down a saliva-drenched path, utilizing his feet and one hand to stabilize himself; his other hand was still pressed against the helmet's gap. While he could not smell it due to the suit, there was an extreme stench in the area, and it was so strong that it would likely provoke a vomiting reaction if inhaled. The gases of Venom's atmosphere only exacerbated this due to their heavily detrimental effects.

"Better find some place to attack," he muttered. Utilizing his blaster to tear through a muscle wall, he entered the chest cavity, which was as massive as the being it belonged to. Because of the various organs and the erratic movements outside, it was cramped and somewhat difficult to navigate, even for someone as maneuverable as the ace pilot. To avoid falling off, he had to cling onto the ribs using the full strength of his muscles. The area was also very dark, as there was no strong source of light... except for one. But that source turned out to be… the heart?

"What is up with that heart?" he whispered to himself. The pulsating organ was functioning normally, but its appearance was marked by a strangle glow filled by the murky essence of purple; normal hearts were pinkish in color and lacked any sort of light, as Falco was quick to remember. The muscles were not the usual opaque, but instead possessed a translucent layering that appeared to expose the black blood filling the chambers beneath. The pulsating motions were quicker and more frequent, likely due to the monster's crazed state.

"Well, you've managed to survive our attacks so far," the pilot spat, pulling out his reflector. "But you won't survive this one."

Lars was beyond frustrated now. His mission of obtaining the staff piece was stuck in a massive downward spiral, and there was almost nothing that he could do to prevent things from getting any worse. His only protection against the gases was gone. His monster was about to meet the inevitable fate of being destroyed from the inside. His army was devastated, as was the base at Macbeth. There was no doubt in his mind that failure was inevitable.

But… he could still perform one more action to cripple Falco's mission…

"If I cannot have the staff piece, then no one will," he growled. Conjuring a few low-power explosives in his hands, he proceeded to attack the recovering group of fighters. There was no time to avoid or counter the attack, and thus, each suit's visor was reduced to a mess of glass shards. Marcus and Slippy whimpered as gases began to flow into their suits, while Lucario only gave a harsh stare at the captain.

"Damn it…" Peppy puffed, covering up his mouth and nose. "Cover your mouths…"

"Beep…" Game & Watch beeped, shielding his airways.

"Just hold your breath," Lucario ordered. While its typing prevented it from suffering as much as the others, the gas still placed a stranglehold on its body.

On the other side of the field, the monster suddenly began to writhe in massive pain. Something was damaging it from the inside, and whatever this force was, it was virulent and fast-acting. A loud roar echoed continuously as nerves were overloaded and muscles began to tighten, with the creature sinking to its knees. Clutching the skin was not at all effective, instead only worsening its pain.

"…?" a confused Popo puffed, mouth still closed. Even as his eyes began to water, he paid very close attention to the entire event, recognizing every single detail. The tension in his weakening body spiked when he noticed a faint orange glow emerging from the creature's chest area, which grew brighter with each passing second. Then, before he could even imagine what was to happen next…

BOOM!

"FIRE!" Falco bellowed, tearing a hole through his enemy's chest with the heat-filled Fire Bird. His suit was wet with dark blood as he soared with valor, leaving behind a random pattern of white, red, and black. Behind him, the hellish abomination finally succumbed to its injuries, collapsing to the ground with a large thud.

"You will pay dearly…" Lars growled as Venom's gases began to weaken him severely. His vision began to blur into a swirl of dark colors, while his strength declined at an exponential rate.

"Okay, show's over," Falco snorted. With a single twirl of his reflector, he unleashed a final attack with increased power to reduce the captain's head into a pile of chunks. A smirk of satisfaction stretched across his face; now that Lars was no longer a major threat, the rest of his journey would progress smoothly, with no more threats to be encountered. He continued to enjoy his victory for a while, but soon encountered horror upon seeing his group members fighting for survival.

"What the…!" he gasped. "Oh, damn. I'd better get Master Hand to create a portal soon." He quickly proceeded to establish a telepathic link with Lillian, who immediately responded to the urgent call.

"Falco, what is your situation?" the maiden asked.

"Hey, I need to Master Hand to get a portal ready now. My teammates are about to suffocate from Venom's gases. Their helmets have been breached by Lars."

"I see that the vital signs of each teammate are beginning to go red, so I'll let Master Hand know right away. It will, however, take a while for him to identify your location."

Without another word, Falco closed off communications with Lillian. As he waited for the portal to open, his teammates, against their own will, took a single breath and allowed Venom's toxins to enter their lungs. Their faces became a light blue as time dragged on like molasses, and their eyes were filled with tears, likely due to irritation. Some of the smaller ones, like Marcus and Nana, made strange sounds with their voices, but this was not very noticeable due to their closed mouths. Falco, rapidly losing patience, began to stomp around aggressively; with Lillian being unclear about the time it would take to form a portal, it could already be too late for the group as far as survival went.

"…the fuck's taking him so long?" he snarled. About a minute or two into the wait, a portal embedded with the Smash Mansion's picture appeared several meters away, with Master Hand emerging from it.

"I'll escort the others," the commentator spoke. With one swift motion, he lifted the semi-conscious adventurers off their feet and carried them to safety, whereas Falco trailed behind in his Arwing, which he had parked on a nearby hill. The erratic nature of the portal's interior allowed for massive shaking to rock the bodies of all, especially for those exposed to Venom's gases; even Falco could not keep his Arwing straight because of this. This was not to last, however, for the transition suddenly ended and forced the group back into the safer World of Trophies.

"Is everyone okay?" Master Hand asked.

"I… may need to lie down now," Peppy coughed, weakened by the toxins.

"I have to… concur," Lucario groaned. The white hand soon led the group members, excluding Falco, into the medical area of the mansion. Meanwhile, Falco parked his Arwing inside the garage, locking the hatch to prevent theft, before traveling into the main foyer to speak with Lillian.

"Hey, Lillian," the pilot called, "I've got the staff's mid-section for you."

"You did?" the maiden replied. She then noticed Falco holding his staff piece in front of her. "Excellent work, Falco. Now, we just need to wait for the other four groups to get back."

The pilot was about to leave for his room, but froze when he remembered a few things that he encountered during his trip to Venom…

The dark ships…

Lars's monster…

The stained-glass portrait…

The captain suddenly becoming weaker during the final fight...

Maybe the maiden was holding the answers to all these strange mysteries…

"Lillian? I have a few questions to ask, and I hope you have some insight on them."

"Okay, then. I will answer your questions to the best of my ability."

Back at Venom, a weakened Lars proceeded to summon his vehicle with a pale green beacon that matched up with the dense gases surrounding it. Within seconds, a ship from several kilometers away approached his position before opening its access hatch. Using his magic, Lars conjured a portal back to the base of the Orm's Lords.

"This isn't over, Falco…" he whispered before he stepped into his machine. Seconds later, he was no longer in the hazardous world…

Geez... I do NOT want to go back to Venom again... That place nearly suffocated me to death...

-Lucas

And that's two theatres finished. Three more!

Now, in case some of you haven't noticed, the first part of the overall story will go back and forth in time (with one reason being that the groups finish up at different times), so things may seem a little confusing initially. The next chapter will be an intermission that will provide more insight as to what's going on at the Smash Mansion during the earlier part of the theatres.