A/N: Well, here's the second part of the invitations. No, I didn't introduce everyone in these two chapters, for various reasons. At any rate, after this chapter I'll be starting the actual plot.

Disclaimer: I don't own SSB, though I'd like to suggest characters for the next one!

Chapter 2 – Invitations Part 2

As the young man arrived at the entrance to Mt. Moon, he paused, looking around. The teen was dressed in jeans and a white shirt, with a red and white jacket and cap. He was on his way to Cerulean City and had to pass through the cave located nearby to get there. He had gotten the feeling that he was being watched ever since he left Veridian City, and now, the Ivysaur next to him had apparently sensed something. The young man reached for the other two balls attached to his belt, preparing for a fight as he spoke. "Who's there?"

Master Hand, in his human form, appeared from behind a rock outcropping in front of the teen. Ivysaur immediately got into a fighting stance, which caused the old man to chuckle slightly. "Relax, I'm not here to fight you."

"What do you want?" The teen was not ready to back down.

"I have an invitation for you. I thought I'd deliver it personally, since you are such a hard person to find, Red." The man's words caused Red to start in surprise as he fished out the envelope from within his robes and held it out to the trainer.

"How - how do you know my name?"

"I have my ways. Here, take it and follow the instructions on it. If you do, your other questions will be answered." Realizing that Red wouldn't take the letter directly from him, he sat it down on a rock, then walked into the cave. Red watched the man go, then picked up the envelope and read it.

"An inter-dimensional tournament, where the winner gets one wish granted from the hosts." Red's mind began to consider the possibilities as he looked down to his grassy friend. "What do you think, Ivy?"

"Saur! Ivy!"

"Yeah, let's go see what this is all about."

An off-white Pokemon with a purple stomach and a generally cat-like appearance sat deep inside a cave somewhere in Kanto. Sighing, the creature opened his eyes. "I can sense your presence, and my answer is no."

"That's a shame, Mewtwo. You were one of the better fighters last time." Master Hand commented as he appeared from the shadows next to the Pokemon. "I would think you would be eager to prove that what happened last year was a fluke."

"I lost to the eventual winner and champion, a man who is a joke. I do not have any desire or wish to humiliate myself by competing in that farce again." The creature paused before adding. "No offense, Master."

"None taken. You see yourself as superior to the others, and the competition as a waste of your time, yet you failed to prove it last year, and you refuse to try to prove it this time."

"I have nothing to prove to anyone, especially not some pitiful creatures from another dimension." The cat stood up and looked at Master Hand. "I will not compete this year, there is no benefit for me."

"You don't wish to rule the world? To destroy those who abused you in the past?"

"I do, but I wish to do it by myself, without the help of you and your prize. I have no desire to have a tainted victory on my hands."

"Very well, then. Obviously, I cannot force you to compete. However, I believe I may have another option for you." This got the Pokemon's attention, which caused the Master to smirk. "There has been something odd going on in our home dimension lately. Your talents could be useful in determining what the problem is."

"And why should I help you?"

"Because the boy who you believe will bring harmony to this world IS competing, and this will be a chance for you to see him in action, in person." Master paused gauging Mewtwo's reaction before continuing. "And because, despite your claims to the contrary, you do wish to prove your superiority to everyone, and this will give you an opportunity to do so without lowering yourself to the level of competing against them."

"I will still be able to come and go as I wish."

"Of course, everyone at the Mansion will be. You already know that."

"Very well, I will consider it." Master Hand nodded to Mewtwo and turned to exit the cave, but the psychic Pokemon stopped him. "There is another who would be able to take my place. He is in Sinnoh."

Master Hand looked back at the Pokemon for a second, considering it's words. "I assume you mean Lucario?" Mewtwo nodded his confirmation. "He was on our radar last time, before we decided to choose you instead. Since you are a fan of his, I suppose I can extend the invite to him this time around." And with that, Master stepped into the shadows and disappeared.

A small, yellow and black mouse ran through a forest. Suddenly, it stopped, alerted to the presence of someone else. "Pichu?"

"You've gotten faster since the last time I saw you, little one." Master Hand stepped out of the tall grass and into the clearing. "I had a hard time tracking you down."

"Pichu!" The mouse was excited to see the old man.

"I take it you're eager to compete once more?"

"Pichu!" The mouse began storing electricity within itself.

"Good. Then come with me." Master turned to lead the Pokemon to the portal.

"Pichu pichu pichu pichu PICHU!" The mouse unleashed the electricity it'd stored up in its excitement, and in the process, managed to electrocute itself. "Piiii chuuuuuuuuu." The Pokemon commented faintly before passing out due to it's own attack. Master Hand chuckled slightly at the creature's antics before scooping it up and taking it away.

Master walked into the heavenly citadel and immediately approached the woman sitting in a throne in the center. "Goddess Palutena. It is good to see you again." He bowed to her.

"Master Hand. You look... old." The Goddess smiled to him. "What brings you here?"

"Your charge, actually." Palutena was surprised by this admission. "I understand he has taken a great interest in my tournament. I would like to invite him to compete in this year's competition."

"His job is here, protecting Angel Land. Why should I grant your request for his participation in your tournament?"

"You don't have to, Your Holiness, I am merely asking. Though, I do understand that it has been a while since he's had the opportunity to test his combat skills. Perhaps this will give him a chance to prove his worth."

"Hmm..." Palutena considered Master's request for a few moments. "You raise a good point. Very well, I will grant him the opportunity to compete. But only if he wishes to do so."

"That is all I ask. Good day, Goddess." And before she could reconsider, Master Hand excused himself from her chambers.

A man floated in the darkness. His red hair, olive skin, blood-red cape, and gray-trimmed black armor the only things distinguishing himself from the blackness all around him. The man's eyes were closed as he floated along, he appeared to be asleep, or dead. As he sensed someone else nearby, he opened his eyes. "Hmm, and what do YOU want?"

"The same thing I wanted last time I met you here." Master hand floated into his view. Now that he wasn't in public, he kept his true form, that of a giant right hand.

"Ah, you're here to invite me to a tournament?" Ganondorf laughed at the idea. "And when I win..."

"The same prize is offered to the winner this time as it was last time." Ganondorf laughed even more now. "But remember our rules about attacking others outside the tournament." That cut the madman's laughter short.

"Then you'd better hope that the Princess and her Hero stay out of my way."

"You know as well as I do that it is inevitable that you will cross paths. All we ask is that you do not provoke each other while you are in the Manor."

Ganondorf grumbled in annoyance. "Fine, but when I win, I WILL have their screams of agony etched into my memory." The man smiled evilly.

"Ugh, Andross is beginning to become annoying." Falco sighed as he walked into the briefing room on the Great Fox. The four pilots, Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Peppy had just returned from another battle with the insane warlord.

"Yeah, at least I didn't get shot at by my own team this time." Slippy sighed as he sat down in one of the chairs.

"Gosh Slippy, if you could handle battle situations as well as you can handle a wrench, you would be the best pilot in the history of Star Fox, by far!" Peppy's talk caused the toad to smile a little.

"Thanks."

"All right, guys, good work out there. Go on and get some rest, I'll see what General Pepper needs us to do next."

"Two letters have arrived." Rob64 walked into the room, handing Fox and Falco each a letter.

"Wow, has it been that long already?" Fox opened up his letter and read it. "Looks like I'm heading to Corneria."

"Why are you even bothering, Fox? You know I'm going to win, and I need to head to..." Falco sighed as he read his. "Venom? Are you kidding me!?"

This got a chuckle out of McCloud. "Well, I'll see you at the Manor, if you make it, Falco. You two try to stay out of trouble while we're gone, all right?"

"Will do, Fox!" Slippy saluted his team leader.

"Good luck, both of you." Peppy nodded to the pair as well, before both of them left for the Arwing bay.

"So, you want me to compete in a tournament where, when I win, I'll receive any wish I want? What's the catch?" Wolf was sitting at a table speaking to Master Hand, who once again was in his human form.

"No catch, really. Just be at this location at that time in order to take the portal to the tournament's site. Oh, and if you need any motivation, Fox and Falco will both be there."

The leader of the mercenary team scoffed at the idea of needing motivation. "Those two couldn't fight their way out of a tin can, let alone withstand me in hand to hand. I'll teach them a lesson, then take over this pitiful system myself!"

"I look forward to seeing you then, Wolf." Master Hand stood up and walked away, leaving Wolf with the invitation and instructions.

"Ah, Master! I have good news!" Crazy Hand let out an insane laugh as Master Hand returned to their realm.

"What is it?" Master sounded tired, and he appeared to be moving slower than usual.

"Our creation from the last tournament wishes to participate again."

"That's good to hear. I was hoping he would."

"I also found something else in that old storage room that I think would make a great fighter, if we can get it working."

"Then get to it, you have three days." Crazy Hand laughed maniacally as he warped away, leaving Master to float and think about the coming events. "This will be the greatest tournament yet."

A/N: Yeah, more invitations, sorry. Don't worry too much though, next chapter people will start to meet, and we'll have a bit of fun with that one. So, before I go, does anyone have any ideas as to who the two the Hands mentioned are?

As always, please leave a review or comment!