A/N: As one reviewer astutely pointed out, last chapter marked the second time in two Volumes that Sonic has been killed by Mewtwo. He doesn't have terribly good luck, does he? In other news, keep in mind that this Volume of Heroes was cut short because of the writers' strike, which is why it's kind of a hasty wrap-up. And now:
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes, NBC, Super Smash Brothers, Nintendo, Sega, Konami, or anything contained herein.
(Open on the outside of Diddy's apartment. Diddy, still with the bandage on his nose, walks up to the door and pauses. He opens the box with the needle and Peach's blood. He looks at them sadly. Then he puts them away and opens the door.
Cut to inside the apartment. Diddy comes in the door. At his desk, the chair swivels around to reveal Mewtwo sitting at it.)
Mewtwo: Welcome home, doctor. (He looks over Diddy) What happened to your nose?
Diddy: Where's Mew?
Mewtwo: Still sleeping. Keep your voice down.
Diddy: What is it you want?
(Mewtwo stands up. Diddy cowers away in fear.)
Mewtwo: Breakfast? (He gestures towards the kitchen) Amy wanted to cook for you.
Amy: (coming over to them) It's a pleasure to meet you, doctor.
Mewtwo: Amy came all the way from Segaworld to see you.
Amy: I read your father's book. I have…so many questions.
(Diddy and Mewtwo sit at the table. Amy brings them plates of waffles.)
Diddy: Why are you helping him!?
Amy: I thought it was fate when we met Gabriel. He helped me to find you.
Diddy: Gabriel? Don't you mean Mewtwo? He's a murderer!
Amy: (looking ashamed) Yes, I know. I, too, am a killer. I have this sickness inside of me. I need your help.
Mewtwo: We both need your help. I've been reading all about your lab work on your laptop. About the Kiddy virus. Does it really take away someone's abilities?
Diddy: It also has the unfortunate side effect of killing the character.
Amy: Is that why your powers are gone? Because you think you have this virus?
(Mewtwo looks furious as Diddy looks back and forth between the too, confused. Then he jumps to his feet, picking up the kitchen knife next to him.
Unfortunately, Mewtwo also gets to his feet. He pulls a gun out of his jacket, pointing it right at Diddy. Diddy just opens his hand and lets the knife fall.)
Amy: What are you doing??
Mewtwo: Just stay calm, Amy. Your blood is the cure for my problems, doctor.
Diddy: Not always. It could be a new mutation –
Mewtwo: But I read about your research into that too. Blood from a certain princess. When mixed with yours, it can beat the mutated virus.
Amy: (realizing) You lied to me!?
Diddy: (not taking his eyes off the gun) Mewtwo is not my friend. He's a monster.
(Amy's eyes go black. Diddy gasps and he drops to his knees. Mewtwo's eyes begin to go black as well.)
Amy: My brother was right not to trust you.
Mewtwo: (tightly) Do you really want to kill him, Amy? The one man who can help you?
(There's a scream from the other room. Mew staggers in, her eyes also going black.)
Diddy: Mew!
(He stumbles forward, trying to reach her. They fumble and finally find each other.)
Mewtwo: And what about her? An innocent little girl?
(Amy finally pulls back and her eyes slowly return to normal. Diddy hugs Mew.)
Diddy: All right. I'll help you. But we have to go to my lab.
Mewtwo: (with a smile) Lead the way...doctor.
(Cut to Mario's apartment. Across the mirror is the title card: "Chapter 11: Powerless."
We see Luigi looking at another copy of the picture of him and Mario from his wedding. D.K. stands behind him as Samus comes into the room.)
Samus: I suppose I have you to thank for my early release from jail.
Luigi: You didn't kill anyone. No sense in keeping you there.
D.K.: She didn't, but David Monroe did. I just got back from Cerulean City. Olimar's dead. David killed him. (He shows Samus the picture of Olimar with the circular symbol over him.)
Luigi: How long we gonna suffer for your sins? For your generation's deeds?
Samus: David just wanted revenge on his betrayers. It's done now. Let it go, Luigi.
Luigi: (with a look) I can't. Mario's alive...Mom.
(Samus looks alarmed at this.)
D.K.: So is David. He was with Mario. Both of their fingerprints were all over that house.
(Samus takes a breath and goes to Luigi. But he turns away from her. She walks off, thinking.)
Samus: It all went so wrong. We came together, thinking we could save the world. But then David told us all about our characters' history. It was a compelling viewpoint, and we believed in him. I did, Ganondorf, your father...
Luigi: Ash said you were the ones who locked him up.
Samus: Not at first. In the beginning, I helped him.
Luigi: You what?! (He looks at D.K. in disbelief)
Samus: And in the end, David decided that the world just wasn't worth fixing and that it needed to be wiped clean with an unstoppable virus. And...just before it was too late, I came to realize how wrong it was.
Luigi: Did you? You and Ganondorf wanted to blow up the Mushroom Kingdom in order to save the world. Doesn't sound to me like you've changed much at all, Ma.
Samus: (turning back) Only someone with Mario's abilities could get to where the virus is stored. That must be why David has him helping him.
D.K.: Where is the virus now?
Samus: Compositech Paper in Corneria.
(Luigi and D.K. look at each other, nodding in unison. Then Luigi goes to his mother. He's about to say something, but then turns and walks away. Samus stops him.)
Samus: David will never stop. A bullet through the head is the only thing that can stop him.
(Luigi walks out. D.K. goes to follow when he hears Samus' thoughts.)
Samus: If you can't stop Mario, you'll have to kill him, too. Right through the head.
(D.K. turns back, looking back at Samus in disbelief.
Cut to Compositech Paper in Corneria. Mario and David walk in.)
Mario: This doesn't look like the kind of place they'd store a virus that could destroy the world.
David: The paper company's just a front. The good stuff's three floors down. Laboratories, jail cells –
(He suddenly stops. Mario looks around to see time is frozen. Everyone in the place is stopped, except him. He walks around, confused.
Then, coming in from the back door, he sees Marth.)
Mario: Marth?
Marth: (surprised) Mario Petrelli?
Mario: What're you doing here?
Marth: David Monroe killed my father. And for that he must pay.
Mario: I can't let you do that.
Marth: Then you have chosen the wrong side.
(He pulls the sword out of its sheath.)
Mario: No! (He raises a hand at Marth and gathers blue lightning in it) I can't let you do that.
(Marth pauses. Then, he runs forward with a battle cry.)
Marth: Hyaaaaah!
(He raises the sword over his head as he charges. We see the circular symbol on the hilt.
Mario shoots the lightning bolt at Marth, but the man disappears before it hits. Mario spins around to see Marth on the other side of the room, near David.)
Marth: David used to be my friend too. Then he betrayed me.
(He runs forward with the sword raised at the frozen David. But Mario points at him with his hand. Marth is stopped from slicing David, unable to move the sword.)
Mario: He saved my brother's life.
Marth: He murdered my father!
Mario: Your father did have him locked up for thirty years.
(Marth closes his eyes and disappears again. Mario walks around looking for him.
Then, suddenly, Marth comes up behind Mario. He puts the sword to Mario's throat.)
Mario: (calmly) Marth. I went into the future. There's a virus. It kills almost everyone. And it starts here, today. David and I are gonna stop it.
(Marth looks confused. Then Mario suddenly reaches up and grabs the sword. He channels electricity into it.
Marth falls, unconscious, dropping the sword. Time resumes normally. David walks up, looking surprised.)
David: Marth?
Mario: He said he knew you.
David: We were friends. A long time ago.
Mario: He tried to kill you. Said I shouldn't trust you.
David: And what did you think about that?
Mario: Let's go destroy the virus.
(He turns and walks off. David smiles a tiny bit.)
David: Right.
(He bends down and picks up the fallen sword.)
David: I believe this is mine, carp.
(He looks up and walks off too.
Cut to the Bennet house in Pallet Town. Peach is going through boxes in her father's study. Vivian stands behind her, arms crossed.)
Vivian: I can't believe you're actually going to go through with this.
Peach: (with a small glance at her) If they killed dad, they'll never leave us alone. I have to do something.
Vivian: Your father couldn't take down this company, Peach, what makes you think YOU can?
Peach: You don't understand, mom. They only target people like me. People with abilities.
Vivian: (with tears in her eyes) But you're still my daughter. I still have hopes for you. Going to college. Getting married. What if they take you from me, use you in some lab experiment?
Peach: (sighing, hugging her mother) I love you mom. But I can't live in fear of some big "what if?"
(She turns back, resuming her work digging in the boxes.
Cut to Ash's office at The Company. Pichu stands before him, ashamed.)
Ash: The ONE thing I ask you to do!
Pichu: I couldn't help it. She was just so...weepy...and earnest...and who knew she'd turn whistle-blower?!
Ash: It was unprofessional, not to mention stupid. You and I both know Peach is nowhere NEAR your league!
Pichu: Well she's not working with a gunshot wound.
Ash: That's not the point. You're performing far beneath your usual level. You're benched. No more field assignments.
Pichu: But…what if I said I was really sorry?
Ash: (with a sigh) When I think about all the hard work I've put into raising you... (He turns away)
Pichu: Daddy...
(Ash ignores her. Pichu sighs and leaves the room.
Cut to a cell at The Company. Peppy sits on his bed, bouncing a rubber ball off the floor, off the wall, and back to his hand. Pichu watches him for a while, then comes in.)
Pichu: Tell me what my dad did to me.
(Peppy just glances at her, then resumes bouncing the ball.)
Peppy: I'm stuck in this hellhole, my family thinks I'm dead, there's not a lot of incentive to...share.
Pichu: (gathering lightning in her hand) I could make you.
Peppy: (with a look) You could try.
(Pichu holds the lightning for a few seconds, then lets it fade. Tears appear in her eyes.)
Pichu: Please. I don't have anyone else I can talk to.
Peppy: (with a sigh) They wanted to see how much wattage you could discharge. Enough to power a flash light? Street lamp? An entire city block? During testing, you'd pass out from the strain. We'd all want to call it a day, but daddy said "No, my girl's tougher than that." You were seven.
(Pichu's lip trembles and she begins to cry.)
Peppy: The hardest thing a parent ever has to see is their child in pain. (He thinks) Well, most parents…
Ash: (appearing in the doorway) Pichu? What are you doing here?
Pichu: Nothing. Just leaving.
(She storms out past her father. Ash walks into the room.)
Ash: Peppy, we have a problem.
Peppy: (resuming bouncing the ball) I'm not part of your "we", remember?
Ash: This is about Peach. She's becoming difficult.
(Peppy smiles, pride on his face.)
Peppy: Is she?
Ash: I need to know if she has any hard evidence that could leave this company exposed.
(Peppy smiles again, continuing to bounce the ball.)
Ash: That's unfortunate. Because now we're going to have to take measures to keep your daughter quiet.
(He turns and walks out.
Cut to the house in Dreamland in the morning. Zelda paces in the kitchen. Pit runs in.)
Zelda: Pit! Where have you been!?
Pit: Out, mom. We have to go. We have to help Kirby! He wanted to help me get dad's medal back, but this gang grabbed him.
Zelda: I'm calling the police.
Pit: (grabbing the phone from her) We have to rescue Kirby ourselves! With your super strength –
Zelda: Pit, I don't have my strength anymore. It's part of the virus, it takes away my powers. But Doctor Kong is on his way here with a cure.
Pit: (with a smile) That's great, mom. But right now, I have to go save Kirby. So I just need you to drive.
(Cut to a basement hallway at Compositech Paper. A guard comes flying down the hall and hits the hall, dropping to the ground. Another guard flies down the hallway and hits too.
Mario and David come around the corner and keep walking. Two more guards run up to them. Mario waves his hand and one flips over. David uses the sword to slash the other. They keep walking down the hallway as an alarm blares.)
David: I believe it's up to the left.
(Mario gives him a look.)
David: Oh, please. It's been thirty years!
(They turn around another corner. They see a control box for the alarm as they walk down the hallway.)
David: Take care of that, would you?
(Mario shoots a lightning bolt at the box. It explodes in a shower of sparks as the alarm stops. The two round one last corner to arrive at a huge safe door.)
Mario: So what now?
David: Guess you'll just have to pry it open with that brain of yours.
Mario: I don't know if I have that kind of power.
David: Well, there's not much at stake here. Just the fate of the entire character race.
Mario: Did you kill Marth's father?
David: I did. He saw to it that the virus be safely kept here. If he didn't plan to use it, why not destroy it?
Mario: Why don't you make me believe you, David? Marth said not to trust you.
David: (getting in his face) The woman you love is trapped in some horrific future where nearly everyone's dead. But you can change that. She needs you, Mario. We all need you to open that door.
(David backs up. Mario takes a breath and raises his hand. He starts to pull at the door. It begins to shake and groan.
Cut to outside Diddy's lab. Diddy, Mewtwo, Amy, and Mew all walk up to the front doorway.)
Amy: You're nothing like you said you were.
Mewtwo: (grabbing her) You want to get rid of your power so badly? Once I get mine back, I'll gladly take it off your hands.
(Diddy unlocks the door and they all walk inside. As the door shuts, we see a small keypad next to the door glow red.
Cut to inside the lab. Mewtwo pushes Mew at Amy and takes Diddy by the arm.)
Mewtwo: Let's go.
(They walk toward a lab bench, Mewtwo chuckling.)
Mewtwo: This is Douglas Mendez's old loft, isn't it? I killed that artist right here on this spot.
(Mew and Amy watch in fear. Diddy begins to rummage through some supplies.)
Diddy: I'll need a sample of your blood.
Mewtwo: My blood? Just give me the cure.
Diddy: You could have any number of strains of the virus. Who knows if my blood will work? I need to do some tests.
(He snaps a rubber tourniquet, giving Mewtwo a challenging look. Mewtwo sighs and puts the gun down on the table.)
Mewtwo: You two, over there.
(Amy and Mew quickly walk over to the bed in the corner. Mewtwo removes his jacket and rolls up his sleeve.)
Mewtwo: Isn't this poetic? (Diddy prepares his arm) Your father helped me find my ability. Now here you are, helping me to restore it. Life has its symmetry, doesn't it?
Diddy: And you killed my father.
Mewtwo: It was necessary. He betrayed me. Don't make the same mistake, doctor.
(Diddy just sticks the needle into Mewtwo's arm. Mewtwo watches it begin to fill with blood. Diddy looks up at a device on his wall. It has a blinking red light on it. Diddy watches it with a worried expression.
Cut to Ash's office. There's a soft knock and the door cracks open. Pichu peeks in, looking to see if anyone's there. There isn't, so she enters.
She goes to the shelf of files and finds one labeled "Bishop, Pichu." She manages to get it down with her one good arm. But then she notices something. She opens it to reveal it's empty. She sighs and puts it back.
Then Pichu goes over to Ash's computer. It's locked with a password prompt. Pichu types in "Midas" and the computer unlocks. There's surveillance footage on screen, including Diddy's lab.)
Pichu: (to herself) Oooh, does Doctor Kong know you're spying on him?
(A security alert pops up on the screen. Pichu clicks to get a better view of Diddy's lab. She watches as he talks to somebody. The character turns around to reveal Mewtwo.)
Pichu: (gasping) Mewtwo.
(She locks the computer back up and stands up.)
Pichu: Oh, Daddy. You're gonna be SO proud of me!
(Cut to a room in Dreamland. Kirby is tied up to a pole, hands behind his back. One of the gang members walks through with a few big cans of gasoline.)
Kirby: Please, let me go! I won't tell anyone I saw you –
Thug: It doesn't matter. You thought you were gonna be a hero? You know what happens to heroes in the real world? They end up dead. Just like you.
(He starts to spread gasoline around. Kirby slowly reaches back, trying to get his phone out of his back pocket.
Cut to a car. Pit sits in the passenger seat as Zelda drives. He's looking at his phone, which displays a blinking dot and an arrow pointing out a route to it.)
Zelda: Explain to me how that works.
Pit: Kirby's phone has a unique signal. So I'm tracking it.
Zelda: You're tracking his phone?
Pit: I basically asked your phone to find his phone and tell me how to get there.
(Zelda sits back, amazed. She starts to slow as she approaches a red light.)
Pit: Don't slow down. The light will change.
(Sure enough, it does. Zelda resumes driving, giving her son a look.)
Zelda: Let me guess. You asked it to change?
(Pit nods and smiles.
Cut to the parking lot outside Compositech Paper. We don't see anyone around.)
D.K.: Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! Slow down! Slow down!!
(From the sky, he drops onto the pavement. Someone lands next to him too. The person straightens up to reveal Luigi. He cracks his back in pain.)
D.K.: (turning to him) Okay...we don't talk about THAT ever again!
Luigi: Agreed.
(He starts to walk inside. D.K. stops him.)
D.K.: Hey. Is Mario still as dangerous as he was that night at the Royal Plaza? You know, still…? (He gestures an explosion)
Luigi: I haven't seen him since that night. But I'd trust him with my life.
D.K.: Your mother. Your mother told me that if I had to, that I should kill Mario.
Luigi: (with a look) Listening to my mother has never led to anything good. If Mario becomes a problem, I'll handle him.
(Suddenly, Marth runs out the back door. He raises his arms in triumph.)
Marth: Flying Man!
(The two turn and see the Japanese man there.)
D.K.: Who's THIS guy supposed to be?
(Cut to the Bennet house. Peach is going through boxes in the living room when Doug walks in.)
Doug: Peach? I'm here to stop you from making a mistake.
Peach: A mistake? How could beating the company that killed my dad be a mistake?
Doug: But I like my secrets. If you expose us, no one will be able to hide.
Peach: It's the only way.
Doug: Look, going after them isn't going to bring your father back. I'm sorry.
(Peach gives him a look. Then she opens a box and takes out Doug's file, roughly handing it to him.)
Peach: There. Now there's no "us" to worry about.
Doug: Don't do this, Peach.
(She just turns away angrily. Doug sighs and walks outside. He looks at her sadly as he floats up and away.
Yoshi runs into the room, barking his name. Peach looks at him.)
Peach: You'll never leave me, will you, Yoshi?
(He turns and runs to the front door. Peach rolls her eyes and goes back to digging in the boxes. The front door swings open. Peach turns to see Peppy standing there.)
Peppy: Hello, Peachy.
(Peach drops the box on the floor.
Cut to Diddy's lab. Mew and Amy sit on the bed, scared.)
Amy: I wish my brother was here. He could help.
Mew: Well, I can find him for you. No matter where he is. Then you'll know he's safe. I just need a picture or something.
(Amy goes to her back pocket and finds a picture of the two of them. She hands it to Mew, who looks at it and concentrates. She goes for a few seconds, but then opens her eyes with fear.)
Mew: I couldn't find him.
Amy: Find him?
Mew: He's not anywhere.
(They look at each other, realizing what this means. Amy looks back at Mewtwo, getting to her feet.
Cut to down at the lab bench. Diddy's looking at the virus in his microscope. He pulls back in surprise.)
Diddy: I don't believe this. You have the same strain of the virus that Zelda does. The Company injected you as well.
Mewtwo: They injected me!?
Amy: (appearing behind him) You killed him?! You killed my brother!!
(Mewtwo rolls his eyes, exasperated. He turns and shoots her right in the chest.)
Mewtwo: Now look what you made me do!
(Amy gasps and slowly drops to the floor. She lands right on the painting of the explosion. Mewtwo turns back, pointing the gun at Diddy.)
Mewtwo: All right. Where's the heal anything blood?
(Diddy goes to his bag and takes out the case.)
Mewtwo: You had it with you the whole time? (shaking his head) You and I have trust issues, doctor.
(Diddy readies the needle.)
Mewtwo: Tell you what. Give it to Amy first. If it works on her, you can save me.
(Cut to the Bennet house. Vivian and Slippy stand with Peach. They all look amazed.)
Vivian: You lied to us about your death!?
Peppy: It wasn't a lie. None of this was my decision.
Peach: I saw you get shot!
Peppy: I was. But your blood saved me.
Vivian: Her blood?
Peach: Did you plan this!?
Peppy: No! I only came for one thing. Peach, what you're doing, you have to stop. You can't expose the Company.
Peach: But if we take them out, we can get our lives back.
Peppy: If you push this, they will take preventative measures.
Vivian: (alarmed) Preventative measures?
Peppy: Don't worry. I've made a deal that will keep you all safe. (He takes in a breath) I've agreed to go back to the Company.
Vivian: What!?
Peach: Dad! You can't!
Peppy: I have to. You were right, Peach. It is all about me. I never meant to hurt you.
(He takes Vivian's hand for a second.)
Peppy: I'm sorry.
(He turns and walks out the front door. We follow him to see Ash waiting outside.)
Peppy: (with sadness) It's done.
(He walks off.
Cut to the safe at Compositech Paper. Mario grimaces, still trying to get the door open. Finally, after a long time, there's a loud screech and the door creaks open slightly. A drip of blood comes from Mario's nose. He wipes it away and turns to David.)
Mario: You go ahead and get the virus.
(David starts to walk toward the safe. Suddenly, Marth shows up right in front of him.)
Marth: I must stop you.
(David looks annoyed and pulls out the sword. Marth lunges at him, but Mario waves his hand. He throws Marth against the wall, knocking him to the floor.)
David: He's going to keep trying to kill me. Unless you do something about it.
(He walks into the safe. Mario looks at Marth angrily. He lifts Marth up onto the wall, squeezing his hand. Marth begins to choke.
Suddenly, behind Mario, D.K. starts coming down the hall. He projects thoughts at Mario.)
D.K.: Mario, let Marth go. Go after David. He's just using you.
(Mario turns, dropping Marth to the floor. Then he narrows his eyes and begins to walk toward D.K.)
Mario: I don't think so. He wants to help save the world.
D.K.: He's trying to release the virus!
(Mario just angrily waves his hand. D.K. goes flying down the hallway away from him.)
Mario: You're on the wrong side, D.K.!
Luigi: What about me?
(He enters the hallway, between D.K. and Mario.)
Luigi: Am I on the wrong side too?
Mario: (his hand dropping, amazed) Luigi??
(Behind him, we see Marth shake his head. Then he looks around and closes his eyes. He disappears.
Cut to inside the safe. David has one case open and is reaching up for a golden key in another one.)
Marth: You were my friend, once.
David: (turning to face him) You were more than a friend to me. You were my inspiration. I was just a rudderless drunk until you came along. You taught me to be a hero.
Marth: Only to have you become a villain.
(David draws the sword with his right hand, pointing it at Marth.)
David: I learned that from you.
(We pan down to see that he has a vial clutched in his left hand, behind his back.
Cut back to the hallway. Luigi looks at Mario earnestly.)
Luigi: I've been at the Company, Mar. I found out all about David. What he wanted. Mar…he tried to release the virus.
Mario: He's the reason you got healed. You should be grateful!
Luigi: (shaking his head) He used me.
(Cut back to inside the safe. Marth and David stare each other down.)
David: War. Famine. After 400 years, nothing much has changed. When God wasn't happy with what he created, he made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights. He just washed it all away. And he had the right idea. Because when this virus is released, those of us who are left will be granted a second chance. And I'll be their hero.
(Cut back to the hallway. Luigi pleads with his brother.)
Luigi: He used me to get to you. Don't you see? How he manipulated you?
(Mario takes a step back, confused.)
Luigi: That night, in the Royal Plaza. I carried you away because I believe in you. You're my brother, Mar. I love you.
(Mario gulps.
Cut back to inside the safe. Marth gives David a disdainful look.)
Marth: You are not a god.
David: Really? I've lived for over 400 years – who's to say I'm not going to live for 400 more?
Marth: I should have killed you long ago. And I should kill you now. For my father.
(David just puts the tip of the sword to Marth's throat.
Cut back to the hallway. Luigi gives his brother a look.)
Luigi: Can you really trust David?
(Mario suddenly gasps. He turns and starts running toward the safe. Luigi starts after him. D.K. gets up and starts after the two of them.
Cut to inside the safe. Marth lunges forward and takes David's shoulder. David unclenches his left hand and the vial drops. He and Marth disappear. The vial heads right for the floor.
Suddenly, Mario slips in through the door. He spots the vial and grabs it via telekinesis. It floats in the air as Mario gasps. He slowly walks forward and grabs it. Luigi and D.K. run in to the safe behind him.)
D.K.: Where did they go?
Mario: Who knows?
D.K.: (looking around) What is all this stuff?
Mario: I saw the devastation that this virus wreaked. And I was almost responsible for it getting out.
Luigi: Hey. You're not responsible for something that might have happened. You came here to destroy the virus, now finish the job.
Mario: (nodding) Stand back.
(D.K. and Luigi back away. Mario holds the virus between his two hands. He concentrates and his hands glow with radioactivity. Light shines out and there's a tiny explosion in his hands. Mario opens them to just reveal dust. It's laid out in the circular symbol, but then Mario dumps it away.)
D.K.: What the hell is going on? Your mother, my father – God knows what else they've done. How much longer are we gonna have to clean up their mess?
Luigi: You're right, Parkman. We've been used by these people, manipulated. But it's over. It stops here. No more secrets.
Mario: What are we supposed to do?
Luigi: Take it all public. Expose the Company for what they are.
(We pan around to see, in the air vent behind Luigi, a blinking red light.)
Luigi: I want to have a press conference. D.K., I'll need your help. Make sure they'll listen to me.
(D.K. nods and looks at Mario. They all look grim.
Cut to Diddy's lab. He injects the blood into Amy. The bullet pops out of her chest and the wound heals over. Diddy picks up the bullet, amazed.)
Mewtwo: I'm sure Amy will understand why I'm not here when she wakes up.
(He grabs the other vial and starts for the back door.
Suddenly, Pichu strides in the front door.)
Pichu: Mewtwo!
(Mewtwo spins and shoots at her. He misses, shattering the window next to her.
He turns to run as Pichu fires a lightning bolt at him. It misses. Mewtwo gets to the door when another bolt hits him. He flails and falls through the glass door, shattering it.
Pichu runs through the loft. Diddy looks back at his bag, noticing the other vial is gone.)
Diddy: (sadly) Zelda.
(Cut to Dreamland. Zelda and Pit drive frantically.)
Pit: We're getting close.
(Cut to inside the building. Kirby almost has his phone out, but it drops to the floor. The thug sees it and runs over.)
Thug: What are you doing!? Who'd you call!?
Kirby: Nobody! Please! Just let me go!
Thug: Time to get out of here.
(He holds up a lighter to one of Pit's comics. It catches fire. The thug walks around, setting portions of the room on fire.)
Kirby: No! Stop!!
(Cut back to Zelda's car. Pit sees they've arrived at the dot.)
Pit: Stop here!
(Zelda stops and the two look around. They see, down the alley next to them, a van parked.)
Pit: There! That's the van!
(They see the thug walk out of a building.)
Pit: And that's the guy who took Kirby!
Zelda: Hold on.
(She guns it and drives down the alley. The van is coming toward them. Zelda pulls sideways to block the van in. She jumps out of her car and starts toward it.)
Thug: (getting out of the van) You crazy bitch! What's wrong with you?
(Zelda just kicks him in the groin. He drops to the ground as Zelda picks up his dropped gun.)
Zelda: Where's Kirby?
Thug: Go to hell.
(Zelda smacks him across the face with her gun.)
Pit: Mom! The building!
(They look up to see smoke begin to rise from the building.)
Zelda: Stay in the car. Call 911.
(She smacks the thug with the butt of the gun, knocking him out.
Cut to inside the building. Zelda makes her way in, coughing.)
Zelda: Kirby??
Kirby: Over here!
(Zelda runs over and unties him.)
Kirby: How'd you find me?
Zelda: Pit.
Kirby: Oh, I love that kid!
(They turn to run. The building begins to collapse around them. As they arrive at the door, one pillar drops down, wedging the door closed.)
Zelda: Okay, when I lift that beam, you pull the door open!
(Kirby nods. Zelda grabs a towel and wraps it around her hand. She pulls the beam up slowly. Kirby manages to get the door open enough to slip out.)
Zelda: Go, I'm right behind you!
(Kirby gets through the door. Zelda cries in pain and drops the beam. She looks around for another way out, but doesn't see any.
Cut to outside. Kirby runs up to the car as Pit jumps out. They quickly hug.)
Pit: Where's my mom?
Kirby: She was right behind me!
(Pit starts to run toward the building, but Kirby pulls him back.)
Kirby: Don't!
(Suddenly, the whole building explodes. The windows all shatter outward and the fireball rises to the sky.)
Pit: (distraught) MOM!!!
(Cut to an office in Tokyo. Roy walks through, reading a magazine. He stops and goes back to one cubicle. He finds Marth at work at his old desk, the sword on the desk next to him.)
Roy (translated): Marth! What are you doing here??
Marth (translated): I went to face my father's killer.
Roy (translated): Well? Did you kill him?
Marth (translated): He can never hurt anyone ever again.
(Cut to a shot of David lying on his back, pounding his fists on something.)
David: (screaming) Carp! Let me out!! CARP!!
(We pull back to see he's lying in a buried coffin. Then we zoom up see the coffin buried in the same Japanese graveyard as Ike.
Cut to Diddy's lab. Amy takes in a breath and sits up.)
Amy: I thought...I was dead!
Diddy: You very nearly were.
(Pichu comes back in the back door.)
Pichu: Mewtwo's gone. (She hits the doorframe angrily) My dad's gonna kill me!
Diddy: I don't think so. If you hadn't arrived, Mewtwo would have slaughtered us all. We owe you our lives.
Pichu: Really? (She smiles) Cool.
Cut to a police station in Corneria. Cameras are everywhere. D.K., Luigi, and Mario walk toward the podium.)
Mario: If I hadn't listened to David…
Luigi: (taking his shoulder, stopping him) Hey, if I hadn't listened to Ganondorf... (He looks into Mario's eyes) Look, you tried to do the right thing. You always do. You trusted that people are as good as you are. But if you see yourself as a monster, Mar, this guilt is just gonna eat you up inside. Believe me, I know.
(Mario gives him a smile.)
Luigi: What?
Mario: I just really missed you.
Luigi: I missed you too.
(D.K. comes back in. He nods at Luigi.)
D.K.: OK, I did it. They'll hear what you have to say.
(Some time later. Luigi stands at the podium, Mario on his left and D.K. on his right. Cameras flash as Luigi begins his speech.)
Luigi: Good afternoon. Most of you have no idea who I am. My name is Luigi Petrelli. I was recently elected to Congress as a Senator from the Mushroom Kingdom. But that seems like a long time ago now. I lost my position.
(Cut to Mario on his knees fighting the radiation in the Royal Plaza.)
I lost my brother.
(Cut to Luigi wrestling the picture of Mario away from Samus.)
I lost my family.
(Cut to Luigi showing up outside the pub in Eagleland in the pouring rain.)
I'm sad to say that I lost my way. But while I was gone, I had the chance to see the world through newly-humbled eyes.
(Cut to Mew running into Diddy's arms as D.K. watches.)
I witnessed amazing things.
(Cut to Link running out of the burning building with the little girl.)
Seen ordinary people among us...
(Cut to D.K. breaking into the apartment at his training exercise.)
...trying their best each day...
(Cut to Peach jumping off the roof of the Pokemon Stadium.)
...to be heroes.
(Cut to Amy and Sonic running through Segaland.)
These ordinary people, like you, like me, are capable of extraordinary things. (Luigi smirks) You have no idea...how extraordinary.
(Cut to quick shots of Ash and Bowser.)
But there are other people, organizations who don't want you to know the truth. I myself kept secrets.
(Cut to Luigi punching the mirror after he sees his burnt reflection.)
But then last year, something incredible happened to me.
(Cut to Luigi falling through the sky after the explosion. Mario flies in and catches him, and then he flies off.)
And it changed my life.
(Cut back to the press conference. Luigi takes a breath and continues.)
Luigi: At first, I was afraid. But I, I'm not afraid anymore. I'm here to tell you the truth. (He glances at Mario and takes a deep breath.) I have the ability –
(BANG BANG! Two gunshots ring out and bullet holes appear in Luigi's chest. He staggers backwards as the press scatters, screams erupting.
D.K. and Mario try to grab Luigi. There are people running everywhere. Luigi slumps toward the ground, Mario supporting him. Mario yells out his brother's name, but we don't hear anything. He yells again. Luigi, his eyes distant, mouths Mario's name.
D.K. looks up from the brothers. He sees a man walking away. He appears to be wearing a dark jacket and a baseball hat. D.K. can't tell who it is.
Cut to an apartment in the Mushroom Kingdom. Samus watches the news, hearing about an "assassination attempt on former Senator Petrelli." Her phone rings. She answers it as she turns off the TV.)
Samus: I know. It was unavoidable. (pause) You do know that now you've opened Pandora's Box?
(She hangs up the phone and looks down at the floor. She sighs sadly.
Fade out.)
(Fade in on a window above an alley. It reads "Volume Three: Villains."
We pan down to see Mewtwo slumped in the alley. He's severely cut up and burned. He pulls a needle out of his arm and waits.
Then, his cuts heal over and his skin regenerates. Mewtwo puts his hands to his face, amazed. Then he looks across the alley and sees an empty can of spinach.
He extends a hand toward it. The can twitches. Mewtwo concentrates and the can slides a little bit. Then, finally, it flies up into the air and into Mewtwo's hand. He grins.)
Mewtwo: I'm back.
(Slam to black.)
A/N: And there it is! I'm pretty glad I finished it that quickly. Now to catch up on my TV – the World Series slightly interrupted it :). And there's more tonight! Oh well. There will probably be an epilogue in the near future, when I know my plans for when I'm starting Volume 3. Until then...