"We are here at Peking University Gymnasium for the table tennis course" Gary announced. "Hey Reportertron, how many events are there in this course?"

"Only one" Reportertron analyzed. "Why do you ask?"

"Ah nothing. It's just that it's kind of disappointing that most of the courses have only one event. I mean, the athletics course has loads of event, so why do the others have only one or two?"

"I cannot answer that question. I was built only for reporting the Olympics, not making the rules."

"Well, whatever you say. Let's have a ball!"

-

The event is Singles. Two players will hit a ball back and forth to each other, one earning a point when the other fails to hit the ball. Players must have the bounce over the table, otherwise it's a foul. The first to get eleven points wins. The participants will be Mario and Tails.

"Good luck" said Tails.

"You-a too" said Mario.

Mario had the ball, so it was his responsibility to start the game. With a smack of his paddle, he sent the ball over to the two-tailed fox. Tails sent it back to Mario, who sent it back to Tails, who sent it back to Mario, who swung too early and missed the ball.

"Score one for Tails!" Cream announced.

The plumber threaten to his opponent in a playful manner "Mario get you next time!"

At the sidelines of Team Mario, Wario yawned in boredom.

"This event sucks" he complained. "I'm gonna help Mario so this can get finished faster."

"Wait, how are you going to help Mario?" asked Daisy in curiosity.

"Err.. You know… morale support."

"Oh, for a second there I thought you were going to cheat or something."

"Like I would ever do that!"

"Umm… why are you crossing your fingers behind your back?"

"YOU ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS!!!" Wario walked off without another word.

At Team Sonic's corner, Shadow was rather uninterested by the table tennis as well.

'Might as well do something to pass the time' Shadow thought to himself.

After walking past a few 'do not enter' signs, the ultimate life-form found himself on a catwalk high above the gym. Down below, he saw Tails and Mario continue playing, and the plumber just gained a point. This was a perfect place to do his dirty work.

Too bad someone else was here too.

"Hey, what do you think your doing up here?" demanded Wario.

Narrowing his eyes, Shadow answered "I should be asking you the same question."

"Grr, you think you're better than me just because you won that damn gymnasium event, don't you? Or are you here to prevent me from cheating?"

"Cheating? Hmm, sounds like you just said something you didn't want me to hear."

"Don't play stupid with me, rodent! That tough red friend of yours knew we were cheating as well, and now we know YOU'RE cheating as well."

For a brief moment Shadow had a look of shock on his face. 'Knuckles told them?!'

"Well I won't let you stop me! YAHHHHH!!!"

The fat guy charged at the black hedgehog, who sidestepped at the last second. Turning around for a second attempt, Wario ended up the one hurt as Shadow kicked him in the gut. The tubby one clutched his stomach as he fell to the ground.

"Still pathetic as before" muttered Shadow as he walked towards Wario. "You have no idea who you're dealing with!"

"And neither do you" Wario replied with a smirk. When Shadow went close enough, Wario grabbed one of the hedgehog's legs and pulled Shadow to the ground. Before the ultimate life-form could do anything else, pseudo Mario planted his rear end right on the furry critter's face!

"You're disgusting!" Shadow muffled under Wario's butt.

"And now that you're helpless, I can continue on with my plans!" Pulling out a pocket knife, Wario cut the rope holding a large sandbag until only a few threads were holding on. "What to have to say now that this sandbag will fall and land right on your little two-tailed friend?"

"First of all, Tails is not my friend" muffled the trapped hedgehog. "And second, Tails is over on THAT side of the table."

Wario looked back where Shadow was pointing and found that Tails was indeed positioned at the other side of the table. So if he cut the sandbag that over on the opposite of where Tails is standing, then that means…

"Crap!!!"

Lifting his anus off of Shadow, Wario went to stop what he had done. But it is was too late, as the threads couldn't take the pressure and snapped off, sending the heavy sandbag down below.

On the ground floor, Mario had got in his eleventh ball past Tails.

"Woohoo!" the one in red cheered. "Things are-a looking up!"

He regretted saying that as he saw the sandbag coming down towards the plumber. Before he became as flat as all the monsters he stomped on during his life, something pushed out of harm's way. The giant sandbag showed no hesitation as it smashed through the floor, creating a huge hole where Mario once stood.

"Wow, that was one heavy sandbag" Wario commented. "I think it's heading for America or something."

Wario soon noticed Shadow was nowhere to be found. The fat meanie decided to get off the catwalk as well before somebody caught him.

"Mama mia!" Luigi said as he ran up to his brother. "That was a close-a one! Good thing he saved-a you in the nick of time!"

Confused of what Luigi was saying, Mario looked to see standing beside him was Sonic the Hedgehog!

"I just wanted to return the favor" the hedgehog said with a smirk. Mario gave a smile back.

Gary spoke "well that was unusual that Mario was almost squashed. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Affirmative" E-08 beeped. "Since Mario has won the singles match, his team therefore wins the table tennis course."

"Stay tuned after these messages, folks" the Goomba said to the camera. "Because the next course will determine who will win the Olympic gold!"