A/N: Last episode we had a few characters cross "The Line" (Peppy, Peach, and Marth, namely), and now it's time for "Out of Time". Perhaps because our heroes are running out of time to do things (like Mario, Marth, Diddy, and Peach), or because they're moving in and out of time (Mario and Marth again). Anyway, this chapter is 1000 words longer than the previous one, so let's get going!
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes, NBC, Super Smash Brothers, Nintendo, Sega, Konami, or anything contained herein.
(Open on Japan in the past. Anri takes a smoking pot and puts it under the nose of Marth, who is chained down to a board.)
Anri (translated): Let's see you stop time with a nose full of opium.
(We pull back to see Elincia and the swordsmith in chains in the tent as well.)
Elincia (translated): Please, let us go.
Anri (translated): (going to her) I don't think so. Medeus is giving me whatever I want for the capture of Marth. I will take half the country. And you, "my love."
Elincia (translated): (angry) I will never be yours. I love Marth.
(Anri's eyes bulge in anger. He stands up and goes to the doorway, looking back at Marth and Elincia.)
Anri (translated): I will change history!
(He walks out.
Cut to the warehouse in Fortuna in the present. Peppy takes pictures of all the paintings. As he looks at the one of Diddy with a gun, he takes out his phone and dials.)
Diddy: (through phone) Hello?
Peppy: Have they given you a gun?
Diddy: What?
Peppy: It's standard procedure. And I'm looking at a painting of you holding a smoking Company gun.
Diddy: No, they haven't given me one.
Peppy: OK. I need your help to interpret these paintings. I'm going to send them to you.
(Cut to the Company lab in the Mushroom Kingdom. Diddy looks around frantically.)
Diddy: No no! That's what I've been trying to tell you. They've given me a partner.
Peppy: (through phone) Also standard procedure.
Diddy: She's going to watch over me. They don't trust me.
Peppy: My family's in danger, Kong.
Diddy: (pausing, realizing) So that makes me expendable.
(Peppy is silent, verifying this.)
Diddy: We were supposed to take down the company together, but I don't know what your agenda is anymore.
Zelda: Diddy.
(Diddy whips around to see Zelda at the doorway.)
Zelda: Ash wants to see us.
(Diddy quickly hangs up the phone and nods.
Cut back to the warehouse. Peppy stacks up the paintings. Then he lights a match and tosses it on the pile. He watches the paintings burn.
Cut back to the Company. Diddy and Zelda walk down a hallway. Alarms are going off and people scramble around. Ash comes up to them.)
Diddy: Where's everyone going?
Ash: I'm evacuating the facility.
Diddy: Why?
Ash: I think they can explain it.
(He turns to reveal D.K. and Luigi walking up. Zelda and Diddy both get looks of recognition.)
Diddy: D.K.? What are you doing here?
D.K.: My father's been the one killing the Company founders. We found a picture of Ash, which means he's next.
Ash: We found his car ditched off the side of the road a few blocks from here. He's probably already on his way here.
D.K.: Well, we're here to do whatever we can to protect you.
(Luigi nods. Everyone looks a bit grim.
Cut to the Mushroom Kingdom in the future. Mario and Jigglypuff walk down the empty street.)
Mario: (calling out) Hello!!
Jigglypuff: There's nobody here. They've all been evacuated. Mario, what did you do?
Mario: I didn't do anything! I have no idea what's going on!
(Suddenly, an armored truck screeches to a stop next to them. A bunch of men in Hazmat suits jump out and tackle them to the ground.)
Guy: Are you experiencing any symptoms?
Mario: Symptoms? What –
Guy: Are you sick??
Mario: I, I don't –
Guy: Let's get them into custody!
(They pile Mario and Jigglypuff into the van.
Cut to the Bennet house in Pallet Town in the present. Peach is sleeping in bed when her cell phone buzzes on her nightstand. She opens it to find a text message from Doug.)
Doug: GOOD MORNING. HAD BREAKFAST YET?
(She smiles and texts back.)
Peach: JUST GOT UP.
(Then she receives another one.)
Doug: WHAT ARE YOU HAVING? SMELLS LIKE WAFFLES.
(Peach looks confused. She takes a whiff of the air and smells something. She jumps out of bed, revealing the title card on her mattress: "Chapter 7: Out Of Time."
Cut downstairs. Peach walks into the kitchen.)
Peach: Mom, did you make waffles?
Vivian: No, but Doug did.
(Peach looks in the living room to see Doug feeding a piece of waffle to Yoshi. He smiles and goes to her.)
Doug: I hope you don't mind. I wanted to make you breakfast!
Peach: (forcing a smile) Mind? Why would I mind?
(Doug goes back into the kitchen as Vivian comes out.)
Vivian: I'll go get your brother up. (whispering to Peach) He's adorable.
(She walks out, Peach immediately going to Doug.)
Peach: What are you doing here?? I told you, you shouldn't be here! My dad –
Doug: I wanted to show you something.
(They go to the living room table. Doug shows her a newspaper article. It's about Pikachu's suspension and her story about a boy who could fly and a girl who fell to her death.)
Doug: See? We're famous.
Peach: How can you think this is cool?
Doug: I thought you'd be happier about this. (He gives a hesitant smile) I just want to be a part of your life.
(Peach opens her mouth to respond. Then she sees a family picture on the mantel behind Doug. She moves forward, kissing him on the cheek while at the same time placing the picture face-down.)
Peach: Alright, you can stay. But just for waffles.
(Cut to Ash's office in the Mushroom Kingdom. Diddy, D.K., Zelda, and Luigi are all there as well.)
Diddy: This is really not a good idea, Ash.
D.K.: I should be taking you into protective custody.
Ash: No. We're going to end this. We stop Wolf here today.
Diddy: You realize that makes you the bait.
Ash: We all have our roles to play.
Luigi: (chuckling) That's the kind of thing Ganondorf or my mother would say. It's always these half-truths, no straight answers, constant manipulation. What the hell did you people do? Why is Wolf coming here to kill you?
Ash: Now is the not the time to think about the past. We need to focus on the task at hand.
D.K.: All right then. How are we going to stop him?
Ash: Doctor Kong. You and Zelda get an injection of the virus.
Luigi: (confused) Virus?
Diddy: You said we'd never use it!
Ash: Circumstances have changed, doctor.
Diddy: I told you I don't want to spread it!
Ash: If we don't take Wolf's power away, he'll turn your world inside out. Make you live your worst nightmare. All I want to do is stop him from doing that with the virus. Then you can cure him with your antibodies. Nobody dies here today!
(Diddy still doesn't like it, but nods.)
Luigi: He's probably not going to willingly offer himself for an injection.
Zelda: (dryly) I can be persuasive.
Ash: I appreciate the offer. But D.K., this is your field.
D.K.: What, me? All I can do is read minds!
Ash: That's not true. You have the same power as your father. Anything the mind controls, you control.
D.K.: No, I can't –
Ash: Make him see things, experience things –
D.K.: (bursting) I can't do any of that!
Ash: Well then you'd better learn fast. Because you're the only one who can stop your father.
(D.K. just looks scared.
Cut to Japan in the past. The guard of the tent walks outside.)
Swordsmith (translated): I never should have helped Medeus make those guns. Now he will conquer Japan. It's all my fault.
Elincia (translated): We are not defeated yet.
(She's digging around in her robe and produces a large pin. She uses it to try to open the lock on her chains.)
Elincia (translated): They always underestimate women. Their folly.
(She gets the lock open. She frees herself and runs over to Marth, pulling the opium away from him.)
Elincia (translated): Marth! You have to get us out of here!
Marth (translated): (obviously high) Why is everything so purple??
(Elincia smacks him across the face. She glances outside to see the guard coming back.)
Elincia (translated): The guard is returning! Come on, Marth!
(Marth closes his eyes and tries to teleport. He struggles with it.
Cut to outside the tent. The guard walks back in to see all three prisoners gone.
Cut to the Mushroom Kingdom in the future. Mario and Jigglypuff are being hosed down and decontaminated.
Some time later. Mario sits at a table in an office when a tall man with a mustache in a purple suit walks in.)
Man: Mario Petrelli? I'm Waluigi Lemay. And you're supposed to be dead.
Mario: What?
Waluigi: It's right here.
(He produces Mario's death certificate from a folder. Mario looks at it, confused.)
Waluigi: So you're gonna have to explain to me: how's a dead guy found walking around the Mushroom Kingdom without any sign of infection?
Mario: Infection? I don't know what you're talking about. (He pushes the certificate away) Where's Jigglypuff? I need to see her.
Waluigi: She's from Eagleland. All foreigners are deported.
Mario: No, you can't do that! What's going on here?
Waluigi: (realizing) You really don't know?
(Some time later. They walk down a hallway.)
Waluigi: On March 20th, 2007, the first case was reported. After that, the Kiddy Virus spread across the globe. Pandemic. It's killed ninety-three percent of the world's population to date. The rest of us live in quarantine praying to find a cure.
Mario: This can't be happening.
Waluigi: I wish it wasn't
(They stop in front of a large window. Mario looks out to see row upon row of dead bodies.)
Mario: All these people died from the virus?
Waluigi: (dryly) Yeah, it's been a tough week.
(We switch to the opposite view. Mario looks freaked out, looking through the window with the biohazard sticker on it.
Cut to the Company in the present. D.K. sits at Mew's bedside.)
D.K.: I know you can't hear me…I just wanted to say I was sorry. I never should have asked you to use your ability to find my dad. You were just trying to make me happy. I know, I did it when my dad left. Thought I was too…slow, too fat, too stupid. And maybe if I wasn't, he would have stayed. And now they want me...they think that I can stop him. That I have this power. And I don't. I don't.
(He reaches down and takes her hand.)
D.K.: I love you, Mew.
(A monitor beeps. D.K. looks at it. It's the brain wave reader, showing a small spike.)
D.K.: Did you just hear me? Mew?
(He looks at her, concentrating. He sends a thought out.)
D.K.: I love you, Mew.
(The monitor beeps and spikes again. D.K. lets out a laugh, tears in his eyes.
Cut to a hallway in the facility. Diddy and Zelda walk down it.)
Diddy: What's left of the virus is in the lab. Each syringe is one dose. So use it wisely.
Zelda: You don't trust Ash, do you?
Diddy: (with a look) Did he put you up to this?
Zelda: I put me up to this. I want to hear your side.
Diddy: Ash is morally gray at best. Using the virus is like toying with a death sentence.
Zelda: But you have the cure. He doesn't have to die.
Diddy: So just because we have a cure, it's OK to use it?
Zelda: Hey. (She stops him) I've killed a lot of people. They could have given me the virus to stop my powers, but they didn't. They made me right so I can have a life again.
(Diddy just swallows and nods. He turns around and goes down the next hallway.)
Voice: You're not cured.
(Zelda turns around to see Link standing there.)
Link: You're never going to have a normal life. You're a killer. And before this day is done, you're gonna kill everyone.
(Zelda's eyes go wide. She can't believe he's actually there.)
Link: (smirking) Go ahead, tell him what you're seeing. He'll only confirm that you're crazy. They'll lock you away. And then you'll never see Pit.
(Zelda looks terrified. Diddy comes back to her.)
Diddy: Zelda? Is everything alright?
(She glances back to see Link has disappeared.)
Zelda: Let's go.
(They go down the hallway. From the office next to them, the door opens. Wolf walks out of it. He looks after them forebodingly.
Cut to Ash's office. He watches security monitors. Luigi is looking at the row of files on the bookshelf. We see "Samus Petrelli" and "Wolf Parkman" on two of them.)
Luigi: I know these other families. Ganondorf, Nakamura, Pratt, Deveaux. Everyone who's been killed.
(He reaches the end of the row to see a file labeled "David Monroe.")
Luigi: But I don't know this one. Who is he? Who's David Monroe?
Ash: David is...complicated.
Luigi: So un-complicate it.
(Ash stands up and goes toward the bookshelf.)
Ash: David convinced us that we belonged together. That we could make the world a better place for our children...for you.
(He takes down another book. He opens it to the first page and hands it to Luigi. It's a newspaper clipping titled "Snowfall On Cinnabar Island.")
Luigi: I don't get it.
Ash: That could have read "Tsunami Wipes Out Southern Seaboard."
Luigi: What does this have to do with the murders?
Ash: David's the one trying to kill us.
Luigi: What? I thought Wolf was the killer.
Ash: No, Wolf is the weapon, the blunt instrument. David is the true visionary. But with these abilities, sometimes people tend to think of themselves as gods. Did you ever think that, Luigi? David did. And he began to talk about holocausts, plagues. Punishing humanity in order to save the world.
Luigi: (nodding) Sounds a lot like Ganondorf.
Ash: Ganondorf was David's disciple. David was dangerous. So we locked him up. We threw away the key. Two weeks ago, he escaped. And now he wants revenge.
Luigi: Sounds like you're reaping what you sow. (He takes the book and goes back toward the bookshelf) Why should I care?
Ash: Because of Mario.
(Luigi puts the book back on the shelf, pausing a long time before responding.)
Luigi: Listen, pal. If you want to talk about my brother, you'd better be very careful what you say next.
Ash: Mario is alive, Luigi. Your brother is alive.
(Luigi turns around slowly. His face is one of hope and amazement.
Cut to the future. Waluigi leads Mario back to the office. Samus is waiting there now.)
Waluigi: I'll leave you two alone.
(He walks out. Samus stands up, going to Mario. She hugs him as he looks confused. He pushes her back.)
Mario: Do I know you?
(Samus looks disappointed. But then she starts talking quickly.)
Samus: I'm here to help you remember who you are.
Mario: I need to find Jigglypuff.
Samus: You need to focus. You can move objects with your mind, heal yourself. You can even paint the future.
Mario: (suddenly interested) How do you know about that?
Samus: You absorb abilities from other people. You are the most powerful of us all. You're kind, caring, selfless. Always thinking of others. But now you need to think about yourself. You need to fly in the face of danger. Just like your brother.
Mario: I have a brother?
Samus: (looking sick) He died in the first outbreak. But you...you can change that.
Mario: How? I was in Cerulean City in 2007, next thing I know, I'm here!
Samus: You met a man named Marth Nakamura who could teleport and move through time. Now you can do the same. You can change history!
Mario: I can't!
Samus: You must!
Mario: I can't control these things that are happening to me!
(He punches the table in frustration. Samus comes up next to him.)
Samus: Then this virus will kill us all. (Mario shuts his eyes.) Mario…you need to remember. Focus.
(There's a buzz. Suddenly Mario sees a whole bunch of images from Samus's mind. Her smiling at him, her bringing him a birthday cake.)
Samus: You need to remember.
(Mario stands, turning to her with recognition.)
Mario: Mom?
(Samus gets tears in her eyes. She nods and they hug again.
Cut to the Bennet house in the present. Peach and Doug make out on the couch. She opens her eyes to see the slash marks on his neck.)
Peach: Do they hurt?
Doug: No, they're just kind of…there. Painless reminders of my abduction by the guy with the horn-rimmed glasses.
Peach: (looking sick) If you're gonna be dropping in, there's something I need to tell you.
(Doug pulls back and sits on the couch.)
Doug: I get it. I'm moving too fast. We don't have to go any further if you don't want to.
Peach: You know what I want? (Doug shakes his head "No") Popsicles.
(She goes off to the kitchen. Doug looks confused.)
Doug: Popsicles. Awesome.
(He goes into the kitchen with Peach. Yoshi starts barking his name and runs to the front door. Doug looks back at the door. He sees Peppy come in and go upstairs. Doug's eyes bulge out in fear. He grabs Peach and pulls her toward the back door.)
Doug: He found us!
Peach: (struggling to hold the popsicles) Who?
Doug: The man who abducted me! We gotta get outta here!
(He pulls her out the back door. She stops him on the porch.)
Peach: No, wait! That's what I've been trying to tell you! (She takes a breath) The guy in the glasses is my father.
(Doug backs away, horrified.)
Doug: What is this? Some sort of trap?
Peach: No, it's not. Let me explain –
Doug: No, just – back off. OK?
Peach: Wait, Doug –
Peppy: (calling from inside the house) Peach?
Peach: (frustrated) Grrr!
(She turns back to make sure he's not coming, then turns back to Doug. But he's gone. Peppy comes out the back door.)
Peppy: Who're you talking to?
Peach: No one.
Peppy: (pointing) You've got...two popsicles.
Peach: (smiling and handing him one) Welcome home.
(Cut to Japan in the past. Marth looks down over Medeus's camp. Elincia comes up behind him.)
Elincia (translated): There's nothing you can do. Medeus has won. We have to get out of here.
Marth (translated): No. I must stop him.
Elincia (translated): Even with your ability, what can you do?
Marth (translated): Destroy his guns. Without them, Medeus is nothing.
Elincia (translated): And what about Anri? You cannot stop him. Nothing can.
Marth (translated): He is heartbroken. Pain has made him cruel. But he is still good inside.
Elincia (translated): (a little surprised) You are willing to risk your life for your faith in him?
Marth (translated): Yes. It won't be safe for you here. Meet me under the cherry blossoms. Wait for me.
(He closes his eyes and disappears.
Cut to the Company in the present. Diddy removes a vial of the virus from the cabinet.)
Zelda: It's pretty amazing. We're going through all this trouble for just one drop of liquid.
Diddy: The virus could kill an entire species.
Zelda: Or it could stop Wolf and save our lives.
(From behind an observation window, Wolf watches them. He projects thoughts at Zelda.)
Wolf: Come on, Zelda. Show your nightmares. Show me your soul. How do I turn you into a killer?
(Suddenly, Zelda turns to see Link appear in the doorway.)
Link: You made the wrong choice, joining up with the Company. You're not making up for your mistakes, you're just repeating them. And you're dragging Pit down with you.
Zelda: No…you're wrong. They said they would help me.
Diddy: (looking at her, confused) Zelda? Who are you talking to?
Link: They're lying. Just like Ganondorf, just like Sheik. But you can still do the right thing.
(Suddenly, there's a gunshot. Link falls into the room, Zelda running to him. She sees Ash in the doorway with a smoking gun.)
Link: That's the only way you can save Pit…
Diddy: Zelda?
(He cautiously goes to her, seeing her cradling nothing. He puts a hand out slowly.)
Diddy: You're talking to yourself. I think it's Wolf. We need to tell Ash –
(Zelda turns to him. She rears back and punches him in the face. He flies across the room, crashing into the wall. Zelda quickly goes to the counter and picks up the virus. She walks out, Wolf watching her with a smile on his face.
Cut back to Japan in the past. Marth appears at the stockade tent. He runs in and sees all the barrels of gunpowder. He picks one up and spreads it around on the floor and guns. He then picks up a lantern.)
Voice: I thought you'd come here.
(Marth turns to see Anri walk in, in his full armor.)
Marth: This many guns in Japan...they will crush history. We can stop Medeus together.
Anri: We did make a good team, you and I. You showed me how to be a hero. How to love. And then...you took it all away.
(He quickly draws his sword. He strikes at Marth, who has his own sword. He blocks the blow.)
Anri: Go ahead. Stop time, cut off my head.
Marth: I won't. I still have faith in you.
(Anri just strikes again. They exchange several blows back and forth. A lantern falls to the floor, catching the sawdust on fire.)
Anri: (sneering) The honorable Marth Nakamura. He won't kill you, he'll just lie, cheat, and steal from you!
Marth: I only wanted to help you become a hero!
Anri: I never claimed to be anything more than a happy drunk!
Marth: Do not punish the world for my mistakes!
Anri: I only want to punish you, Marth! (He pauses) Elincia was right. She wasn't destined to be my princess. She's destined to die!
Marth: NO!
(He pushes Anri away and goes on the offensive. The fire flares up as they exchange a few more blows. Then Marth gets inside Anri's guard and forces him to drop his sword. Anri falls to the ground as Marth stands over him with two swords. Marth then looks around to see the fire spread throughout the tent.)
Marth: (reaching out) Take my hand. We must get out of here!
Anri: Never! As long as I have breath in me, anything you love, I will lay to waste. I swear. (He switches to Japanese) I will make you suffer.
(Marth looks back at the flames, just reaching the gunpowder. He quickly closes his eyes and teleports away. The fire hits the gunpowder and it explodes. The whole tent goes up in a huge explosion.
Cut to Ash's office in the present. He shows Luigi old footage of Mario being attended by doctors at the facility.)
Ash: This was taken three months ago.
Luigi: Is he here now?
Ash: No. He was in Eagleland…and then we lost track of him.
Luigi: You lost track of him!? How do you lost track of somebody!?
(Suddenly, there's a pounding at the door. They both turn, frightened.
Cut to outside. Zelda punches at the door. She hits it once, twice.
Cut to Mew's room. D.K. hears the pounding and he stands up. He takes out his gun.)
D.K.: Dad!
(He exits the room. Only, instead of the hallway, he ends up in the kitchen of an apartment. The door shuts behind him. D.K. glances back at it, then sees Mew at the table.)
D.K.: (confused) Mew?
Mew: D.K.!
(She runs over and hugs him.)
D.K.: What are you doing here?
Mew: This is where he keeps me. I guess we're both trapped now.
D.K.: No. No, we're not.
(He goes back and tries to open the door. But it's locked.
Cut back to Ash's office. He and Luigi watch as Zelda hits the door again. It cracks, revealing her glaring through at them. She hits it again and the door flies inward.
Cut back to the apartment.)
D.K.: (yelling) Dad!?
(Cut back to the Company. Wolf, down the hall from Zelda, hears D.K.)
Wolf: D.K.?
(He turns and walks off. Zelda holds the syringe above her head as she walks in.
Cut to the apartment. D.K. turns around to see his dad suddenly standing in the room.)
Wolf: Did you...bring me here?
D.K.: (surprised) I...I think I did.
(Cut back to Ash's office. Luigi cautiously steps forward.)
Luigi: Easy, Zelda.
Ash: Be careful. She's dangerous.
Luigi: This isn't you. You're not like this.
Zelda: (furious) He killed Link.
Ash: It was Wolf, Zelda. He's making you think this.
Zelda: Liar!
Luigi: He didn't do it, Zelda.
Ash: You need to regain your strength, like we taught you.
Luigi: (taking her shoulder) Listen to me. Think of Pit, think of your son. Your boy. Don't do this.
(Zelda pauses. She's conflicted. Then she stabs forward with the needle.
But she's stabbed it into her own arm. She slowly collapses to the floor, Luigi supporting her.)
Zelda: I couldn't get the nightmare out. (A tear goes down her face) I didn't know what else to do. I had to stop myself.
(Cut back to the apartment. Mew and D.K. stand next to the door, looking at Wolf.)
Mew: Please, get us out of here.
D.K.: I will, don't worry.
Wolf: (chuckling) You recognize this place?
D.K.: Of course. It's our old apartment. Brisket and potatoes…(he realizes) This is the night you left.
Wolf: (going to him) I never apologized for what I did to you.
D.K.: You weren't sorry. You walked out that door and never came back.
Wolf: You don't think that hurt me? Leaving you broke my heart. I love you, D.K.
D.K.: (summoning courage) Then turn yourself in.
Wolf: (taking a step back) That's...not gonna happen. There's no prison that can hold me.
D.K.: I think there is! I think I can trap you in here just like you trapped Mew.
Wolf: How're you gonna do that?
D.K.: Look around, Pop! This isn't my nightmare -- this is yours! I can walk right out that door.
Wolf: No you can't!
D.K.: (grabbing Mew) Come on, we're leaving.
(He tries the handle again, but it's still locked.)
Wolf: No you're not. You're still not strong enough. You're still that scared little boy!
D.K.: (rounding on him) No! I'm not scared of you anymore! I'm a good man! I'm a good cop! (He looks down at Mew) I'm a good father! Which is something you know nothing about! You don't know what it's like to fight for someone that you love!
(Wolf looks hurt. D.K. just points a finger at him, tears in his eyes.)
D.K.: You left. You left. All you have are your nightmares.
(Suddenly, the door handle turns. The door swings open. D.K. and Mew start to walk out.)
Wolf: No, wait –
(He goes after them, but they move through the doorway. The door slams shut.)
Wolf: Don't leave me here. Don't leave me here!
(He tries the door, but it's locked for him. He turns back into the apartment, scared.
Cut to Mew's hospital room at the Company. D.K. jerks awake, sitting in the chair next to her bed. He looks at the doorway to see Wolf slumped on the floor. D.K. goes over and checks his pulse.)
Mew: (waking up) D.K.?
D.K.: (going to her) Mew! Don't worry. He's never going to hurt you again. I promise.
(Mew sits up, smiling. She hugs him.)
D.K.: Oh, God, I love you.
Mew: I heard!
(Cut to the Mushroom Kingdom in the future. Mario and Samus walk out of the facility.)
Mario: So what happens next?
(They walk past a fenced in crowd of various characters.)
Mario: Where do all these people go?
Samus: Same place we are. Home.
Jigglypuff: Mario!
(She runs to the fence, Mario on the other side. They link hands through the fence.)
Jigglypuff: They're going to send me away.
Mario: It's OK –
Jigglypuff: Don't let them take me! Please!!
Mario: No! Jigglypuff!!
(A guard comes up and pulls her away.)
Mario: She has to stay with me! No!!
(Suddenly, there's a whoosh, and instead of the Mushroom Kingdom in the future…Mario is back in the Cerulean Cave in the present. He looks around in confusion and fear.)
Mario: Jigglypuff! No!!
(He falls to his knees, sobbing.
Cut to Japan in the past. Marth walks through the destroyed camp of Medeus. He finds Anri's helmet and sword. He smiles sadly at them and picks them up.
Cut to the cherry blossoms. Elincia is waiting as Marth appears.)
Marth (translated): The army has scattered.
Elincia (translated): Medeus is defeated. You have saved us!
Marth (translated): At what cost? Anri was my friend. And I betrayed him. I killed Takezo Anri. (He shows her the helmet)
Elincia (translated): All the things that you said Anri did, you have done. As sure as I live, you are Takezo Anri. (She pauses, thinking) Does this mean you can now live with me? As your princess?
(Marth thinks for a few seconds. Then he starts walking, Elincia following.)
Marth (translated): There is one last trial. Anri and the dragon. The dragon who taught Anri the way of the sword demands his love in turn. Anri cuts out his own heart to save her.
Elincia (translated): (shocked and sad) Is that what you must do now – cut out your heart?
(Marth takes the sword off his shoulder and hands it to her.)
Marth (translated): I almost destroyed time by staying when I should have left. Now I must return to my own time.
Elincia (translated): (tears in her eyes) As long as I have a voice, all shall know the story of noble Takezo Anri. And the boy Marth Nakamura will have tales to help him sleep.
Marth (translated): (sadly smiling) And he will dream of the princess.
(He goes to her and kisses her. The cherry blossoms fall around them. Finally, Marth breaks the kiss.)
Marth (translated): Farewell.
(He closes his eyes and disappears.
Cut to the lab in the Mushroom Kingdom in the present. Zelda sits with an IV in her arm. Diddy, now with a bandage over his nose, is attending her.)
Diddy: Once my antibodies hit the virus, you'll be OK.
Zelda: Does your nose hurt?
Diddy: (chuckling) Only when I breathe.
Zelda: I'm sorry.
Diddy: It's OK, you weren't yourself.
(Diddy's computer beeps. He goes to it, getting a worried look.)
Diddy: This can't be right.
Zelda: What's wrong?
Diddy: The antibodies aren't working. This isn't possible, not now. It's another strain of the virus. (He realizes) It's immune. My blood's no longer a cure.
Zelda: (realizing) I'm going to die?
(They both look at each other, shocked.
Cut to an office in Tokyo. Roy works at his computer. He turns to the side to pick up a file, and when he turns back, the mask of Anri is looking at him. Roy's mouth drops open in shock and surprise.)
Marth (translated): I had to get you a souvenir!
(Roy jumps up and spins around.)
Roy (translated): Marth! You're alive! (He looks at his outfit) You're a samurai!
Marth (translated): Have I been gone long?
Roy (translated): It's been months since we saved the world!
Marth (translated): You mean…we did it? No bomb? No boom?
(Roy nods. Marth raises his arms in triumph.)
Marth: Yatta! (He gathers his thoughts in Japanese) I have so much to tell you. Where is my father? I want to tell you both everything.
Roy (translated): (looking sad) Marth...your father...he is dead. Murdered.
(Marth looks at him in surprise and sadness.
Cut to Ash's office. Diddy walks in and hands him a sheet of paper.)
Diddy: This strain has no cure.
Ash: (looking at the paper sadly) Are you sure of these results? (Diddy nods) We'll keep Wolf sedated and we'll destroy every last vial. I promise.
(He hands Diddy a file off his desk.)
Diddy: What's this?
Ash: It's a chance to save Zelda. We got a police report.
(Diddy opens the file. It has a picture of Peach and the article in the newspaper about Pikachu.)
Ash: A girl walks away from a 50-foot fall without a scratch.
Diddy: Cellular regeneration?
Ash: Her name is Peach Bennet. You remember her father, Peppy? He worked for us.
(Diddy closes the file, realizing who it is. He places it back on Ash's desk.)
Diddy: Of course. He's not exactly going to let us take his daughter, is he?
(Ash silently puts a Company gun on the table. Diddy looks at it incredulously.)
Diddy: Are you saying we should kill him?
Ash: I'm saying we should be prepared. This is Falco Spector. (He hands Diddy a new file. This one has pictures of Falco's apartment, including his body) Our man in Fortuna. He was Bennet's friend, his mentor. Bennet killed him.
Diddy: When was this?
Ash: Last night.
Diddy: Are you sure it was him?
Ash: He left fingerprints. Bennet's getting sloppy. Emotional. And that means dangerous.
(Diddy thinks for a while. Then he closes the folder.)
Diddy: I have something I need to tell you. (He takes a breath) I have been working with Bennet to take down this company.
Ash: (unfazed) Why are you telling me this now?
Diddy: Because. I am unsure of who's right and who's wrong. And it's time to stop playing games.
Ash: There's a storm coming, Dr. Kong. Peach is the key. Her regenerative abilities – they could cure the virus. She could save Zelda.
Diddy: I want to do the right thing here. For Zelda. (He picks up the gun) For everyone.
(Cut to the Bennet house. Peppy goes into his office and sits down. Vivian comes in after him.)
Vivian: So did you meet him?
Peppy: Meet who?
Vivian: The boyfriend? Doug? He was here today.
(Peppy quickly turns and looks at her with a little fear.)
Peppy: Peach has a boyfriend??
Vivian: Don't worry. I checked him out, he's fine. You can't be the only man in her life forever.
Peppy: No, I suppose not.
Vivian: (giving his shoulder a squeeze) We knew this day would come.
(She walks out. Peppy opens up his computer and sees the painting of him dead.
Cut over to the living room. Peach texts Doug with "WHERE ARE YOU? PLEASE TALK TO ME." But she gets no response. Peppy comes in and tosses the newspaper in front of her.)
Peppy: Want to tell me about this?
Peach: It's nothing. (She pushes the paper away)
Peppy: Nothing? A cheerleader claims she saw a girl survive a fifty foot fall and you think it's nothing?? (He sighs angrily) I asked you to do one thing, Peach: to keep your nose clean.
Peach: (getting angry) Pikachu was drunk, nobody believes her.
Peppy: Did your boyfriend make you do this?
Peach: Are you kidding me? That's none of your business!
Peppy: Your tiny rebellions are putting this family in danger!
Peach: (losing it) Me? What about you, Dad? Do you think any of us really believe you were out at a copy conference? Where were you, out abducting people?
(Vivian comes down the steps, Slippy close behind her.)
Vivian: What is going on down here!?
Slippy: What did Peach do now?
Peach: Shut up, Slippy!
Peppy: (to everyone) It's not safe here any more. Pack your bags, we're leaving.
Peach: You can't do that.
Peppy: This is not a discussion. We're leaving.
Peach: (standing up) Then you're going without me.
(She turns and runs up the stairs. Slippy and Vivian look at Peppy, confused.
Cut to the Cerulean Cave. Mario paces, then stops. He closes his eyes, trying to teleport. But nothing happens. He goes back to mirror by the doorway, ripping the note down.)
Mario: David. David. I don't know any David.
(There's a loud noise from inside the cave. Mario spins and shoots a bolt of electricity out at it. A hand appears from behind one of the piles of stuff. The bolt hits it, burning it severely. But then the hand heals up.
The person steps out from behind the pile. It's Takezo Anri, looking exactly the same as he did in Japan. He's dressed in regular clothing now.)
Anri: Mario, what the hell was that?
Mario: (baffled) Do you know me?
Anri: (walking toward him) Of course I know you. It's me. David. Don't you remember? (He stops, smirking) You and I are going to change history.
(Mario looks at him in confusion.
Slam to black.)
New characters:
Howard Lemay – Waluigi Lemay
Jessica – Sheik (36th/38 Smashers)
Takezo Kensei/Adam Monroe – Takezo Anri/David Monroe/Snake (37/38)
A/N: So there it is! The mystery finally revealed. And I can't believe that's the first mention of Jessica/Sheik in this Volume, but there you go. R/R if you want. Next chapter is "Four Months Ago", so we can finally see what happened to Mario and Luigi (and the others) after the explosion!