Confronting the Past

Autumn 2016

Master Hand floated into his office to find Luigi waiting for him. The man in green was dressed formally, in a pressed white shirt, green vest and green tie with black pants, black sensible shoes, a black suit jacket and his usual green gloves. His hair was slicked back, face was solemn, and quiet intensity was in his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked MH.

"This isn't about what I want," Luigi crisply replied. "It's about what Kirby needs. It's about those who wronged him looking him in the eye and admitting what they did."

"I agree with you that Kirby needs this," said MH, "but do you think he wants this? Now? This has been a rough year for him, after all."

And indeed, it was. Earlier in the year, Kirby had to endure the forced industrialization of Dreamland by the sinister Haltmann Corporation. After donning the Robobot armor, the Star Warrior fought and defeated the mega-corp's lackeys, some of which were his own friends, forcibly mechanized. Before facing the megalomaniacal Haltmann, Kirby twice did battle with Haltmann's daughter, Susie. The adventure culminated with the rotund and rosaceous hero teaming up with Sir Meta Knight to take on the program Haltmann had used to mechanize Dreamland, with Kirby using the Robobot armor to scan and copy Meta's ship, the Halberd! The final battle was so taxing that Kirby had actually lost consciousness following his victory, but before the blackness had overtaken him, he'd discovered that his armor had achieved some sort of sentience, shedding tears as it cast him back into Dreamland. Upon his recovery, Kirby was hailed as a hero, and everything went back to normal.

For the most part.

"I talked to him about it," said Luigi, "and he gave me the green light."

It had been fifteen years since Melee began. Fifteen years—and two tournaments. And still, Luigi couldn't forget. He couldn't forget what had been done to him, what had been done to Kirby. He couldn't forget the image of the Star Warrior on the floor, covered in self-inflicted bloody slashes. He couldn't forget the taunting, reproachful spectators. He couldn't forget Fox, Dorf and Koopa whaling on the pink puff. He couldn't forget the hopelessness he saw in Kirby's eyes during the worst of the teasing. Nor could he forget Dorf and Koopa's sickening lack of remorse driving Kirby to do what he did. Life went on, and changes arrived in Smash, but those memories stuck with Luigi—and with Kirby.

The monsters responsible for both Luigi's and Kirby's torment weren't getting a free pass!

"Very well," said MH. "I see that this is a very passionate subject for you. However, I'm counting on you not to lose your cool."

"I'll try not to, Master Hand," said Luigi.

"Don't try—do."

Luigi nodded. "Okay, then," he said. "I won't lose my cool."

The two left MH's office and walked into a conference room, where several other people were seated, professionally dressed and armed with notebooks and tape recorders. Luigi's eyes scanned these individuals before he addressed them.

"Thank you all for coming," he said. "I invited you here because fifteen years ago, a good friend of mine was put through the worst Hell imaginable. And two years before that, so was I. And I'm sick and tired of the perpetrators hiding behind the smokescreens of excuses and hollow reassurances of 'It'll never happen again'. No—my friend and I want full accountability for what's been done—with interest. We want our tormentors brought into this room and made to look at us and tell us what they did and why—if they can justify it. Sometimes, 'sorry' isn't enough. Sometimes, time doesn't heal all wounds. And I chose you to help us confront these bullies because—it's something we shouldn't do alone.

"Over the next couple of days, you will hear stories of unspeakable things and bear witness to the depravity of human nature. You will have people try to dance around the subject and offer up lame excuses instead of explanations. You will experience things that'll make you want to shake your head and leap across the table to attack those responsible. However, I must ask you all one thing—to keep a level head. After listening to these accounts, you must swallow back your opinions and ask unbiased questions. Questions that will finally bring the truth to the surface. Questions that will finally help us heal from the emotional and psychological wounds we've sustained. And afterward, you must remember—while there are still horrible people in this world, there are still just and righteous people in it, as well.

"These next few days will be the most pivotal days of your lives. Take a look at the person sitting next to you. By the end of this, you will have shared a truly and deeply unforgettable experience. Commit your task to memory, and fasten your seatbelts." Luigi gave them a nod. "This is gonna be one Hell of a ride, and I'll be with you every step of the way."

Please R&R.