Luigi woke up with a start. He quickly looked around, and found he was lying in a bed. As he surveyed the room, he realized he was in Peach's Castle, in the infirmary. He looked to the side again, and saw Mario lying in another bed, also seemingly coming to.
"Mama mia…." muttered the red plumber. He looked around as well, realizing the same thing Luigi realized a few moments ago.
Then, a figure walked in, saw the two brothers awake, and let out a gasp. The brothers instantly recognized Princess Peach, who ran towards them and wrapped them both in a hug.
"Mario! Luigi! I was so worried…" she let them go, tears in her eyes.
"W- What-a happened?" asked Mario, looking dazed and confused.
Peach took a step back, looking strangely at Mario. "You don't remember?"
Mario shook his head. She turned to Luigi, who also shook his head. Both of them looked completely perplexed. Peach took a deep breath.
"You both were fighting Wario and Waluigi…and they- they transformed into these creatures…" Peach choked on her words, then continued, "You both didn't stand a chance. They were killing you…. But then…"
She stopped. Mario was staring intently in wonder, as was Luigi. "You both changed. Something happened in that darkness that made you both different. You both lashed out at Wario and Waluigi, and they didn't stand a chance…"
Mario pondered that. He vaguely remembered a figure in a dark coat, but even then, he struggled to remember what exactly had happened, unable to successfully recall anything chronologically. He glanced at Luigi, who to Mario's surprise, seemed to be thinking something similar. Mario wondered for a moment if both of them had seen the same thing, but Peach continued, banishing the thought.
"You were about to finish the job, when waves of light started coming off both of you. It was blinding, and I couldn't even see what happened."
Mario and Luigi just stared, clearly not understanding.
"But…that was the end! When the light disappeared, all four of you were completely unconscious, and the fight ended. Tendo called you both the winners because before the very end, Wario and Waluigi were completely outmatched."
Mario was quiet, but then spoke to Peach, asking if Tendo had any idea what had occured.
"No, even Tendo didn't know. I'm sorry, Mario. In fact….the semifinals are now over. You and Luigi slept through the last fight." responded Peach.
Mario and Luigi both gasped and fell out of their beds in surprise. Peach actually cracked a smile, and the brothers could tell it was the first she had smiled in quite a while, as she looked exhausted from worry.
"What-a happened then! With-a Kirby?" asked Luigi.
Peach sat down. "After you and Mario, and Wario and Waluigi were transported to the healing chambers…." Peach's mind flashed back to that earlier moment, and she began to explain to the Mario Brothers what had occurred a short while ago.
Roy and Marth both leaped down into the broken and cracked arena, and Tendo looked down in slight surprise.
"Well?" asked Marth. "You want to finish? Now?" asked Tendo. His eyes narrowed.
"Of course." Roy spoke up, and he looked at the opponents before me. "Now….come on."
Suddenly, Metaknight was on the arena himself in a flash. His eyes were narrowed as well.
"You'd be wise not to underestimate me."
He unsheathed his golden blade and whipped it back in a challenging manner. Peach turned, and looked at Kirby. Kirby was looking down at the arena.
"Please be careful…" she spoke softly.
Kirby turned, and smiled a big smile. Then he dived into the arena, and landed beside Metaknight. Tendo was frowning, as if he didn't truly agree with this course of action. As Peach watched, she could clearly tell he was perturbed about the events that just occurred.
However, he sighed, and said, "Whatever. Whenever you're both ready!"
Marth immediately took off directly at the two adversaries, and slashed at Metaknight, but he disappeared in an instantaneous movement. Marth, however didn't stop moving, took another lightning step and slashed directly at Kirby, who ducked to dodge, lifted his food to dodge another, and hopped back, landing almost sideways on a slanted rock to dodge , and then bounded upwards to dodge the final strike. He opened his mouth, and inhaled some of the debris. Marth looked up, and to his surprise, a Kirby-rock was plummeting down at him, but Marth rolled out of the way.
As this happened, Metaknight appeared in front of Roy, and brutally slashed several times at his body, but Roy dodged two, and countered the third with a retaliation blow, sending Metaknight into the air. Roy bounded into the sky in pursuit, and Metaknight's cape suddenly became two large bat-like wings, and he dived back down at Roy. The red-haired swordsman slashed at Metaknight, who swerved to the side to dodge, and kicked Roy with a vicious side kick that sent him spiraling into the ground, knocking debris outward.
Metaknight landed quickly, his wings turning back into a cape, skidding across the broken terrain. He watched the debris slowly clear, and leaped back in surprise as suddenly, fire erupted outwards, and numerous waves of fire shot across the ground at Metaknight, who leaped over one, slid to dodge another, and then cut through three more… then all of the sudden, he turned, feeling a presence to his side, and saw the shape of Roy, some of his clothes burning with a powerful flame like energy, and their swords collided with unbelievable force.
Kirby dodged another swipe by Marth, and ducked under another. He then hopped up, and kicked up at Marth's arm, distorting his swordplay. Kirby smiled lightly, and Marth's eyes widened, as Kirby flipped, and grabbed swordsman's cape, turning to throw him to the side, sending him careening through the air. The puffball opened his mouth, and puffed out enough air to push him at Marth, lashing out with a kick, but Marth caught the kick in mid-air, even as he continued to fly backwards. Kirby gasped, as Marth smirked. He tossed Kirby forwards, touched the ground, and yelled, slashing the air creating a blue shockwave that hit Kirby full force, smashing him into an arena wall.
Metaknight and Roy were still locked in a standstill…then Roy's eyes glinted with intent.
"Burst…," Metaknight's eyes widened as his mind flashed back to Roy's battle with Link. "Flare!" he finished, and he whipped his blade at the ground, resulting in a colossal explosion.
There was smoke all around the stadium, and the figure of Roy stepped through.
"Hmm…. you leaped back enough to avoid a fatal blow," he spoke. He sounded slightly impressed.
The smoke dispersed, and there stood Metaknight, breathing hard, but still on his feet. He turned, and saw Marth, also on his feet, looking at a hole in the arena.
"Perhaps you'd like to concede?" Roy asked, with a smirk.
Metaknight closed his eyes. Then, a sound started emanating from him, under the mask. Roy grimaced as he realized that the sound was laughter. Metaknight reached into the side of his cape.
"I thought this would come in handy." He said. Roy's eyes widened as he realized it was another blade. He quickly reacted by raising his blade in defense. Then, Metaknight did something unexpected. The masked knight suddenly launched the blade, tip first, at Marth.
Marth turned in surprise, and dodged just in time, and the blade flew past him into the rubble and dust.
"Huh?" muttered Roy, his eyes narrowing. Then, the dust blasted back, as a rising current of wind pushed it aside. Roy and Marth's eyes widened, as there were five flashes of light and suddenly, they were hit with shockwaves of energy, three hitting Marth, two hitting Roy, and both were expelled backwards, hitting the ground on their feet, after skidding from the pressure of the blows.
"What…!" muttered Marth.
Then his eyes widened, as he remembered Metaknight throwing the blade. "You!" grimaced Roy as he, too, realized what his adversary had done. A second later, a small figure bounded out of the smog, and landed next to Metaknight. The crowd gasped, and Tendo smirked in expectance. Metaknight glanced sideways to look at the figure.
"Nice to see you up…Kirby."
There stood Kirby, though he looked slightly different. He was wearing a green and yellow "sleeping cap" on his head, and he now held a small silver sword. (its gold in the picture, but, silver)
Metaknight stood taller, and under his mask, it was almost like he was smirking.
"Ready for round two?" he asked Kirby.
Kirby smiled happily, and crouched with his sword drawn back at the ready, and Metaknight did the same. Then, in a split second, Kirby took off in a blaze of speed, far faster than before, and Marth swung at Kirby, but Kirby completely slid under the strike, and swung straight at Roy, who barely blocked in surprise and pushed back. Kirby struck five more times in rapid succession, and Roy blocked four of the blows, before finally having to dodge the final one given the quickness of the strikes. He retaliated with a fiery swing, but Kirby bounded into the air, and slowly drew his sword back, as if preparing for something. Then, with high velocity and a shout, Kirby slashed his sword, and seemingly split the air, creating a white shockwave of dynamic proportions, careening down at…Marth!
Roy looked in surprise, and he saw a dark shape to his side, as Metaknight lashed out with a vicious thrust aimed at Marth, who quickly blocked the blow as the shockwave neared. Roy recoiled in anger, and leaped after Metaknight, as Marth looked up, drew his sword back, and roared, "SHIELD BREAKER!" and thrusted the tip of his sword right at the forefront of the wave.
At the very moment the two collided, the light "shattered" outwards. It split the arena, glittering like shards of glass, and wind swirled around the entire arena. Peach had to shield herself from the recoil, as the two forces chiseled away at each other. Then, suddenly, the shockwave "cracked". Particles shattered outward, and Marth let out a final yell, as the shockwave finally exploded, particles of light flying everywhere as the energy dispersed.
Kirby fell to the ground, landing lightly on his feet. He stared at Marth, who returned the gaze. Marth took off at Kirby, and slashed twice, but Kirby dodged and blocked, retaliating with a spinning slash that Marth ducked under. Marth swung at Kirby's foot, but Kirby stepped on the sword, and used it to jump into the air, and aim a downward thrust at Marth, but he blocked, and Kirby flipped, and landed, taking off at Marth once more. Marth got into a ready stance, but suddenly Kirby turned while running, and threw his blade to the side.
Metaknight dodged a fire wave from Roy, and countered with a flurry of spinning strikes, that Roy blocked.
He ducked under and leaped upwards with his sword drawn back, and yelled, "Burst…!"
Metaknight saw something out of the corner of his eye, a flash of light, and flashed his free hand out to catch a silver blade.
Just as Roy yelled "Flare!", Metaknight rose both blades, and fire and force blasted outwards as Metaknight blocked the strike. Roy was hit with the recoil from the force, and Metaknight tossed the blade up, as Roy skidded to a halt; but then Roy heard a sound above him. He looked up, and there was Kirby, stabbing down at him.
Marth, however, suddenly appeared with his sword drawn, and swung at Kirby, but Metaknight appeared in turn, aiming at Marth. Roy, in turn, aimed at Metaknight. The four let out a shout and swung at full force, and there was a huge clash in the center, a perfect stalemate. For a moment, there was nothing, as they stood there forces repelling each other. Then they all broke apart, and disappeared. There were flashes of light all around stadium as the sound of steel hitting steel resounded indefinitely. Air blasted every which way as shapes too fast to see struck at each other again and again. Then all of the sudden, the shapes split apart, and Kirby and Metaknight skidded outward.
"Kirby!" yelled Metaknight, and Kirby nodded, and he drew back his sword as Kirby leaped on top of the steel blade. Metaknight swung forward full force, sending a shockwave of energy forward with Kirby riding on hit directly at their enemies.
Marth and Roy also skidded back. Roy smirked, and looked at Marth, and as Marth sheathed his blade and drew back, Roy hopped up. and as Roy's foot connected with the tip of the sheath, Marth yelled, "Shield Breaker!".
Roy was sent rocketing forward right at Kirby. He drew his sword back, which sparked with untold fire as Kirby drew his blade back, which seemed to glint in an unnatural light, and Kirby dived off the shockwave right at Roy, who roared, and swung his fiery blade as Kirby swung his with a yell.
The collision cut a path of destruction right through the very arena itself, blasting debris and earth around, and obscuring everyone in the arena, and a blue light erupted outwards that blinded everyone in the stands as air still throttled backwards.
A few moments passed….and the smoke slowly cleared. Peach stood up shakily, having fallen back from the blow, and looked down at the arena. She gasped, as she saw Kirby, on his stomach, clearly injured, and Metaknight was on the ground as well. She looked to the other side….. and saw Roy and Marth still stood, looking ragged, but still raring to go.
Tendo closed his eyes, and shook his head.
Roy said nothing. He looked at the two fighters for a moment, as if sizing them up. Then, he closed his eyes. He turned his back, and was about to sheath his sword, Marth as well, until a voice said.
"Wait!" Roy turned, and Tendo looked in surprise.
Metaknight was struggling to stand, trying to get to his feet. "This….isn't…over," he growled, still struggling.
Roy said nothing, neither did Marth.
Tendo said, "Well…it looks like this fight is-….!" He stopped abruptly.
Metaknight's eyes widened. Roy stopped, and slowly turned again, and his eyes widened, as he saw Kirby slowly stagger to his feet, his blade form lost from the struggle. Marth's eyes also widened, in shock. Kirby staggered a few steps, but stayed on his feet.
Roy looked at Kirby for a few moments, unmoving.
Kirby said nothing, but Roy could see in his eyes that he had no intention of simply giving up.
"Kirby….,"muttered Metaknight.
He saw how weak and disoriented his partner was, and it hit him how ragged they both were. At that moment, he could see the truth: they were in no condition to continue the fight. He clenched his gloved hands.
"Stop. We've…..lost."
Kirby looked at Metaknight with a piercing gaze that froze him, but then smiled. Kirby turned and looked back and Roy and Marth. He gave a knowing smirk with narrowed eyes, and he opened his mouth, as he began to inhale.
"What…?" said Marth quietly, not understanding.
Kirby continued to suck up air. Roy's eyes narrowed, and he smirked.
"I'm surprised you have anything left…I admire your spirit. But it's not enough. You can't beat me."
Metaknight's eyes widened, when he heard this, but he still could not get up, no matter how hard he struggled.
Roy completely turned to face his adversary, who was continuing to suck up air. He redrew his blade, and brandished it at Kirby, and the blade caught fire.
Marth seemed to grin, and he also redrew his blade. Metaknight looked into the two's eyes as they stared, and seemed to understand something; they wanted Kirby to hit them with everything he had.
The pink spud seemed to also understand this, and he slowly drew his body back, and he opened his mouth wider, and suddenly, this time he inhaled air; but this time, it was different. Blue light began to sparkle from the very atmosphere itself, flowing into Kirby's mouth, collecting.
Peach watched in fascination, as Metaknight could say nothing as he just watched as light shined around the arena, flowing into Kirby's body. Marth and Roy only could watch as the lights grew brighter, bathing them in a powerful glow. Kirby then stopped absorbing, and closed his mouth. Nothing happened for a moment. Then, Kirby bloated a bit.
Marth caught a look at Kirby's eye, and saw it completely focused. His mouth opened in disbelief and he let out a shout as Kirby opened his mouth, and with a great cry, fired a colossal beam of swirling bluish-white energy from his maw directly at the two swordsmen.
Tendo yelped in shock, as the beam lit up the stadium itself, curving the air itself to its will.
Roy and Marth could only stand in shock as the beam engulfed the area in a shining vortex. From the outside of the stadium, the beam tore right through the very construct shields, continuing into the sky, shining like a beacon. As it traveled further, the light slowly diminished, as Kirby stopped expelling the energy.
He staggered, smoke coming out of his mouth, and then fell to the ground on his face, unmoving.
Metaknight was in complete shock, still on the ground.
"He-He collected the energy from his surroundings!" he thought, trembling.
"And he fired it as a beam of unstoppable energy." finished Tendo from the stands. He looked to his side, and gazed at the large hole in the stadium shields. No spectators seemed to be harmed, as the blast had arced upwards before they could be caught in the crossfire.
Metaknight's eyes narrowed as he trembled, and he punched the ground in anger. In the arena, Roy and Marth still stood, unmoving. The beam had missed them entirely, but the damage it had wrought was unbelievable, carving up the ground around them.
Roy shook in an unknown emotion. Marth's eyes were still wide.
"If he had hit us with that…." He thought. He couldn't finish his thought. Then his eyes focused, as Metaknight finally got to his feet.
The masked knight said nothing for a moment. Then, "We concede."
He swiped his cape around him, and disappeared. Roy said nothing for a moment, but then plunged his sword into the ground. For a moment, he stood there, then he removed the sword, and sheathed it. He looked at Kirby's unconscious body, and nodded slightly, before turning around and walking away.
Marth still looked at Kirby, and then sheathed his sword, and bowed in his direction. Then he looked up at Tendo.
"Take care of him." he said, and he turned and followed Roy.
Tendo smirked, and snapped his fingers as Kirby disappeared in a flash of light. "And that ends that."
Mario and Luigi were completely silent as Peach finished recounting the events of the semi-final bout.
"That ended the semi-finals. Both of you are fighting Roy and Marth tomorrow," she finished. Mario clenched his fist, but said nothing, and Luigi just stared. Peach sighed, and stood up. Then she smiled.
"Kirby and Metaknight both fought hard, so you shouldn't feel bad. Just make sure you give it your all! The entire kingdom's behind you both, and you've never let us down! And yes, I mean you too, Luigi." , to which Luigi looked up in surprise.
"I'll let you both get some rest, you both need it," Peach finished, and she smiled, and walked to the door, opened it, and shut it behind her. Mario laid back in the bed, as did Luigi in his own.
"Luigi." Luigi turned, and said, "Yes-a?" Mario rose his hand to the sky, and then clenched it. "We're-a going to win-a." he said. Luigi smiled, and nodded.
As Peach left the room, her expression turned to one of worry. She walked down a hall to her castle, and turned to a golden door, shaped like a star. She raised her hand, which glowed in a pink energy, and touched the door, as the door unlocked itself, and she stepped through. She walked forward, and stopped at a force field in the center of a circular room.
In it, was a dark colored mushroom, coursing with a sinuous black and purple energy. Her mind flashed back to the end of the semi-finals.
Tendo had approached her, holding the mushroom, and of course she had gasped, wondering what the mushroom was and why it was emitting such a malevolent energy.
"This was in the stadium rubble," he had said. "After the brothers'…transformation, I felt traces of a similar energy coming from this thing. I ignored it during the last fight, because it seemed no one else noticed. But it looks very old. Even…ancient."
He paused, and had said, "Protect this, because it's not my place to. Keep it safe, because whatever it is, or where it came from, it's not good news." Peach mind returned to the present, as she looked at the mushroom. The dark energy continued to swirl around the mushroom. She turned around, and left the room, the door shutting behind her.
As the final battle approached…..