Thanks a lot for the reviews! By the way, feel free to ignore this and jump to the story if you want, but Crazy Hand's manner of speech and constant shifts in tone of voice was actually inspired by Zero III, a character from a little game called Virtue's Last Reward. If you're curious and not feeling lazing at all, go check it out, it's a wonderful game and he's a really fun character.

Jeff never thought that his luck was that great. Sure, it wasn't the worst, but he has always thought that fate could be a little kinder to him every once in a while. Like, for example, he would really have appreciated if his name wasn't picked in that lottery. But at least he would have Lyn, one of his best friends as of late, by his side. But then she would suffer as well, so he didn't know if he should be extremely grateful or feel extremely sorry for her.

He let out a groan as he started to wake up. Today it was the day that he would start playing Crazy Hand's horrible murder game and, boy, did he not look forward to it. His only consolation was that he had no hopes of winning, so he was pretty sure he would be out of it in no time. Still, the idea of being being stabbed, choked or even zapped by lightning brought a chill down his spine in such a way that he didn't want to get out of his bed.

Unfortunately, the moment he realized he hasn't been sleeping in his own room made him jump out of the bed right away. He also noticed he was wearing the clothes he was wearing yesterday.

Yesterday?

Did he even go to sleep? He couldn't remember what he was doing after he left the auditorium…

"Augh, my head..." he complained, resting a hand over his forehead.

Did Crazy Hand just knock him out cold before he could leave the auditorium? That wouldn't be too absurd of an idea, considering all things. His answers were answered by the sight of a strange silver bracelet attached to his left wrist. There was also a flat disk with the Smash Bros symbol encrusted in it, but it didn't seem to be anything more than decoration. He passed a finger over the cold metal, wondering if there was any way to remove it. Unfortunately, it just didn't seem possible to remove it. For now, that is. Jeff would find a way to get rid of that blasted bracelet later.

"Okay, just keep calm," he told him self and took a deep breath. "You can get through this..."

Jeff was in no mood to go outside just yet, so he decided to take a better look of his room. He grabbed his square glasses that laid nicely on his white bed desk so he could see more clearly and began examining the place.

The first thing he noticed it was that the room had no windows at all. The only source of light came from the two lamps on the wall behind his bed. The only way the air circulated in his room was because of the big air vent that was located on the wall to his left. The room in itself was rather plain looking, with a wooden desk, a chair, a large wardrobe with double doors, a bed and the bed desk being the only furniture there. There was also a small television glued to the wall, but Jeff was pretty sure he wouldn't be using that at all (he couldn't even find the remote control anyway). The walls were painted in a light salmon pink, trying to make the place look warm and inviting, but failing miserably at that.

There were also two white doors, so Jeff assumed one of them led to the bathroom. But he didn't really have time to check it, since the TV just turned on, revealing a beaming Crazy Hand on the screen.

"Heeeey, nice to see that you're awake!" he said in a cheerful tone. "Anyway, this is a recorded message telling you to go meet your fellow Assist Trophies at the living room, where you'll receive more instructions. Okay? Okay, then, see you there!"

And just like that, the TV turned off.

Jeff let out a sigh. He'd better go to the living room and get this over with. There was a little map glued to the door that he assumed to be the exit, showing the way to the living room. Either Crazy underestimated his sense of direction or this house was as huge as a mansion. He honestly hoped it was the latter, because otherwise, he would have felt pretty insulted by the assumption.

Without any more delays, he grabbed the map and headed out for the living room, his heart racing faster with each step he took. The corridor was large and well illuminated, despite the lack of windows. Jeff wondered if he would ever get to see the light of day anytime soon, as he was starting to grow uneasy without knowing if it was day or night.

Where was this house located anyway?

From the worn out jade green wall paper, the old fashioned long rug and lamps that hung on the walls, Jeff could only assume it was an old mansion. But aside from the worn out wallpaper, he could also see everything was well conserved. He couldn't remember ever seeing an old mansion in any part of the city that he's been to, so he probably wouldn't know where it would be located anyway.

Thankfully, finding the living room wasn't all that hard and he arrived there in no time. He was surprised to see most of his fellow Assist Trophies already there, some resting on the cream colored couches, others just checking out the place. To Jeff's displeasure, the large glass doors that made up 1/3 of the walls were covered with plates of metal (titanium, probably), so there was still no way to know what was going on outside. There was a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling that provided enough light to illuminate the living room, but he truly wished to see the sunlight instead.

Everything looked old fashioned, which only made the big plasma TV screen glued to one of the walls stick out like a sore thumb.

"Hello, Jeff," greeted an all familiar voice behind him.

"Hi, Lyn," he said as he turned around to greet his friend. "Did you sleep well?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Lyn said in a bitter tone. "Wouldn't have slept this well if Crazy Hand didn't forcefully put us to sleep, though."

"So you also can't remember leaving the auditorium, uh?"

"Crazy is… well, crazy, but he is not stupid. He knows one of us would have tried to do something against this horrible plan of his," the girl sighed. "I just hope that the people who weren't chosen are currently trying to figure it out a way to stop this madness."

Jeff really didn't have the heart to tell her he didn't think there was going to be an intervention from outside.

"Is everyone here already?" he asked instead.

"Um… no, I think Phosphora has yet to arrive," she said, double checking the occupants of the room. "I also cannot spot Riki anywhe- Oh, never mind, he's right there in the middle of the cushions."

If Jeff wasn't feeling so nervous, he would have laughed at how funny the sight of Riki being confused for a fluffy cushion was, especially with Chrom trying to sit where he was, only to be berated by the Nopon for not realizing there was someone there already. He couldn't recall ever seeing the prince's face become this red before.

All in all, everyone seemed to be getting along surprisingly well, the two sole exceptions being Chrom, who decided to rest against the wall and get lost in thought, and Ashley, who sat in alone in an armchair, reading one of the books from the pile at the center glass table.

"Ah, speak of the devil, there she is," Lyn commented as she spotted the girl with the electric blue scarf entering the room.

Phosphora walked in with a completely sour expression on her face, as if the slightest contact with her would trigger a negative reaction. Something about her was definitely off. Sure, it could be because Jeff couldn't recall a moment she wasn't smiling nicely or giving a cocky smirk, so to see her in such a sour mood felt weird to him, but Jeff was sure it was something else. What could it be, though?

He snapped out of his thoughts as the large TV screen turned on the moment Phosphora slumped over the couch. Everyone's attention immediately turned towards the giggling floating hand on the screen.

One mansion. Ten Assist Trophies. One objective only: survive for a month.

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first (and hopefully not the last) edition of Happy Murder Party! Prepare your hearts as you watch your favorite Assist Trophies deceive, betray and above all MURDER each other in front of various cameras as they try to live with and tolerate each other.

My name is Crazy Hand and I will be your host. Without any further delay, let's meet our wonderful contestants:

Hailing from the mystical Twilight Realm, our first participant is none other than princess Midna. Due to a curse by the sorcerer Zant, she assumes the form of an imp who hides in the shadows of the hero Link when she's away from her realm. Incredibly sarcastic and filled with determination, Midna promises to be one tough girl to beat.

Our second participant is the beautiful commander of the Forces of Nature, Phosphora. Don't let her looks deceive you, Phosphora is one tough fighter, being able to challenge the God of Death, Thanatos, and beating him. As if having devastating electrical powers wasn't enough, she is also a brilliant scientist, coming up with various gizmos and gadgets. No wonder she's the Goddess of Nature's, Viridi, right arm. Rumors say that she could even beat Pit in a fight, but that's a controversy not worth getting into. Too bad she can't invent something that will make her sing better, though.

Coming up next, we have the Heropon, Riki. While not exactly the smartest cookie out there, Riki more than makes it up for having a big heart and being really tough to beat. Despite his childish appearance, he is actually a 40-year-old Nopon and father of eleven children. His travels through the Bionis and the Mechonis gave him enough experience on how to deal with people.

Our fourth participant is our ever so charismatic Waluigi. Unlike most Assist Trophies here, Waluigi has absolutely no heroic deeds in the past. Or villainous for that matter. In fact, all we know about this guy is that he likes money and goes on go-kart racing and other sport events. He just showed up at a tennis event one day and decided to stick around. For all we know, his life must be pretty mild and boring. But, hey, he's in Smash, so he must have done something amazing to deserve the spot, right? Right? Um… anyway…

Next up, we have our fifth participant, Lyndis, or Lyn, for the more intimate friends. Daughter of Madelyn and chief of the Lorca tribe, Lyn grew up without a care in the world. However, all of that changed when a group of bandits invaded her little village and killed almost everyone there. Lyn was then forced to fight for her life and survive her new, harsh reality. Before she new, she was thrown in a game of war and political affairs. Oh, and she discovered that she is also a princess, because we cannot get enough of these here in Smash. All in all, Lyn is a calm, kind woman that probably hates yours truly after being picked for this game. But that doesn't matter because I love her anyway.

The sixth participant is none other than Dillon. Being a ranger of the Wild West, this tough armadillo's job was to protect villages from nightly invasion from the Grocks, who, as their name suggest, are monsters made of rock. Of course, Dillon was no lone ranger and had a specialized team that helped in the defense of the villages. He's reliable and actually a good strategist, being able to give the Robins a run for their money. Ha ha, okay, no, but he's still pretty smart. And I guess that's about it for this guy.

Now, our next participant is… controversial, to say the least. We know many are not very fond of Tingle, due to his eccentric nature and greedy attitude. But you know what? At least he sold maps to Link in his journey and even helped decipher ancient scriptures. He was pretty useful and (arguably) charming sometimes, unlike certain people who I'm not gonna name, because I'm a nice hand. He's… okay. Tingle, the seventh participant.

Coming up next, our eight participant, is the dashing, gallant prince Chrom, from the Halidom of Ylisse. How can I even begin to explain this perfect specimen of a lord? Chrom is the leader of a militia known as Shepherds and is also a direct descendant from the Hero-King Marth, which can explain how he and his daughter from the future, Lucina, are so handsome. While not exactly an Assist Trophy, Chrom participates in Robin's Final Smash, always ready to lend a hand to his best friends on their fighting. He's brave and ready to fight for what it's right, but above all, he believes that it is the bonds we forge that makes us strong. Ain't that sweet?

The ninth participant is our little boy genius, Jeff Andonuts. Hailing from Winters, Jeff was one of Earth's four chosen children, along with Ness, Paula and Poo, to fight off Giygas, the very embodiment of evil. Unlike his friends, however, he does not possess any PSI powers. He may be timid and kind of awkward, but he also owns tons of explosives and served as the main firepower for his group. Not that he would be able to use his explosives here, but that only serves to show that he's not afraid to get his hands dirty every now and then.

Who's the girl next door, living in a haunted mansion? You better learn her name, 'cause she's Ashley, our tenth and last participant. Ashley is a young teenage witch who serves as Wario's employee, but don't let yourself be fooled by her innocent demeanor, because she is as creepy as she can get. When she's not creating mini-games for her boss, Ashley's coming up with the darkest spells and brewing the meanest potions. She can rule the world and still finish all her homework, she can even turn her teacher into a spoon. Just remember this when you see her on the street, Ashley's is the cruelest girl you'll ever meet.

Who will rise victorious? Who will win that sweet cash? Just what does fate has in store for these Assist Trophies? Find out here in Happy Murder Party!

"Hello, my dear contestants! How are you doing?" Crazy Hand exclaimed. "Slept well?"

"Riki sleep as well as babypon!" Riki said.

"That's good to hear, Riki!" the hand said.

Lyn gestured for both she and Jeff to sit down on the couch. Knowing they would stay there for a while, he nodded and both took a seat by Dillon's side.

"Crazy, I have a question," Phosphora said, her voice showing irritation.

"Not now, Phosphora," Crazy snapped his fingers. "Alright, here are the rules. The ten of you are going to be forced to live in this mansion for this whole month. During this this time, you will have to find a way to murder each and every one of your housemates. In the end, the last Assist Trophy standing will be the winner."

"How do you expect this to take the whole month?" Dillon asked. "With only the ten of us, we could finish this off in an afternoon."

"I wasn't finished!" he coughed. "As I was saying, you will murder each other. But, BUT you cannot go on a killing spree like your pants are on fire. That would be waaaay too boring with the number of participants we have. Instead, here's how you're gonna do!

Every three days, each one of you will get a designated victim that you must kill. He or she will be the only person you can lay your fingers on and no one else. During these three days, you must find who your victim is through a clue I'm gonna give to each of you, form a strategy plan and finish him or her off before these three days end or someone else kills first. Once these three days are over, you will be given a new victim and the cycle repeats until there's only one Assist Trophy left."

"What would Waluigi gain if Waluigi killed someone first?" Waluigi asked, twirling his thin mustache.

"Immunity for the next cycle of three days. This means you'll have a big advantage! No one would be able to harm you, but you can still murder someone. Unfortunately, if you kill twice in a roll, you'll not get the immunity again. Gotta keep it balanced, you know?"

"So what motivation would we have to kill again anyway?"

"Because if you kill someone again, no one will get the immunity!" Crazy waved his index finger. "So you may not be protected, but nobody else will be either. Killing is always the best answer, since it protects you and also screws with your enemy's potential protection."

"Crazy..." Phosphora said.

"Oh, and if you so happen to kill someone on the same day you got your clue, there isn't going to be a rotation of victims right away, you still have to wait three days until you can get your new victim!"

"Cra-"

"Oh, and more thing! Killing someone when being attacked is valid, as long as it is in self-defense. But you won't get the immunity for that. You don't get cookie points for not doing more than your obligation of staying alive."

"I guess..." Dillon mumbled.

"CRAZY HAND!" Phosphora shrieked, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Just WHAT did you do to my powers?!"

"Your… powers?" Lyn asked.

"He he he!"

"Just yesterday I could fly just fine!" the girl barked, suddenly jumping up from the couch. "And now I can barely take my feet off the ground!"

Jeff's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what he found so odd about Phosphora before. She had been walking the entire time, instead of floating like she usually did. While he was not exactly close to her, the boy couldn't remember one instance where Phosphora had her feet on the ground. So to see her walking like that felt incredibly odd.

"I also can't shoot any electricity," Phosphora gritted her teeth. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Oh, great, I thought I was the only one who woke up without any powers today," Midna sighed.

"Oh, Phosphora, if I let you have your powers, you would be pretty dang OP," Crazy Hand explained in between giggles. "I need to make this fair for everyone here! That's why you can't fly, or why Ashley can't cast a curse on anyone. The only exception I made to an extend was with Midna's hair grabbing, because just look at her tiny, flimsy little arms! She needs some strength to carry a knife or choke someone!"

Ashley just humphed and turned her head the other way. Midna, meanwhile, was just silently grateful that Crazy Hand decided to spare her magical hair powers.

"Here it's not about brawn, it's about brains," the hand waved his index finger. "Gotta be smart and kill with style."

"If we want to keep it balanced, shouldn't we nerf Jeff's brain too?" Waluigi snickered.

Jeff could feel a chill down his spine at that. Lyn simply glared the mustached man.

"Any more questions?"

"What happens if no one is in the mood to kill?" Chrom asked, crossing his arms.

"Oh, it's a surprise! But if you wanna an advice, I reaaaaally don't recommend doing that."

"You're going to sacrifice one of us, aren't you?" the prince groaned.

"Oh, come on! I said it was a surprise!" he whined. "You're no fun Chrom! You're just lucky that you're so handsome!"

"What does this..."

"Anyway, this also reminds me of another important thing," he pointed at the group. "You guys see those bracelets? Of course you do, you have them on you after all. Well, basically they are what will make you guys stay in line. If you kill the wrong person or if nobody kills anyone and somebody needs to be sacrificed in the end, this bracelet will activate and give you a very flashy death as punishment for your incompetence."

"How?" Ashley tilted her head to the side, grazing her fingers over the device.

"Oh, I just implemented a bomb in your stomachs while you slept. The bracelet with serve as a detonator."

"WHAT?!"

There was an uproar between them, all crying out how horrible Crazy was and how he had no right to violate their bodies like that. Crazy had to wave his hand frantically, trying his best to hush down the commotion.

"Geez, guys, it was a joke!" the hand exclaimed. "You don't have bombs on your stomach, I was just kidding! When the bracelet activates, needles will pop out and inject poison in your veins. You're not going out with a bang, don't worry."

"That doesn't make things any better!" Phosphora shrieked. "As if forcing us to kill each other isn't enough!"

However, there was another thing worrying Jeff...

"Crazy?" he timidly asked.

"What is it, Jeff?"

"Will there be a system that will numb any physical pain?"

"You mean if it'll hurt if you're attacked?"

He nodded his head. Crazy Hand just laughed that mad laugh of his.

"Of course it will hurt! Where would be the fun without it? Where would be the incentive?" he twitched his fingers in excitement. "Jeff, my boy, life is made of suffering and pain. May this be a lesson to you and everyone here."

"I'd rather not learn this lesson," he bitterly thought. "Not again, anyway..."

"Any more questions? No? Okay then, I shall give you about two hours to just bum around, get acquainted with the mansion, before leaving your respective clues in your room," Crazy Hand waved at them. "I'll see you guys later. Take care!"

The screen faded to black and a heavy silence fell upon the ten Assist Trophies. What had Crazy Hand gotten themselves into? It seemed like an eternity until one of them (Ashley, to be more precise) decided to get up and go explore the mansion. As if getting out of a trance, one by one the Assist Trophies got up from their respective seats and scattered around to take a look at what the mansion had to offer, until only Jeff and Lyn were left.

They still had two hours until this demented game started, so it was just as Crazy had said… better get acquainted with the place.

"Well, that could have gone better," Lyn said as she stretched her back and got up. "We better get to know this place since we don't have much of a choice."

"Let's go..."

The screen turned on again, bringing their attention back to the excited hand calling for them.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Crazy said, pointing at the chromatic door near the TV, right at his left. "There's this really cool confession room over there. If you are in the mood to vent out your frustrations to a single camera, you can always go there. But try to keep confession time to only once per day, okay?"

The TV turned off again.

Lyn and Jeff just stared at each other curiously. Confession room, uh?

Lyn, fifth participant:

The girl sat on the lone white couch the room had to offer, passing her fingers over her emerald green bangs before looking deadpan at the camera in front of her.

"I shouldn't even be surprised that all of this is happening," Lyn said. "After all, this game was created by the same person who thought it would be hilarious to include an invincible enemy on Smash Run and scare the Smashers – Pit especially—to death. To be honest, I'm just surprised Master Hand agreed with all of this."

She looked both sides and gave a withdrawn sigh.

"I know none of us will die for real, but..." she paused for a moment. "Crazy really did go too far this time. And the worst part? I'm angrier at Master Hand more than anything. So, Master Hand, if you're watching… I can only hope you see the error of your ways."

And possibly hurt yourself with a prick while you're at it. No, maybe that wouldn't be the smartest thing to say to him.

Lyn got up from the seat and left the room.

And all bets are off at this point. Who do you think will get killed first? I'm actually curious.