A Tale of Two Brawlers
Chapter 5

Wario was nearly wetting himself stuck in the fire. "Oh-a-kay, whatever a-questions you a-have, I will answer a-them, oh-a-kay?"

Sheik grinned maliciously. "Good." Turning to Luigi, she said, "Wake up Marth and Pit."

Luigi nodded nervously. "Oh, yes madam!"

Sheik turned back to Wario. "What is wrong with you? Why are people attacking me?"

Wario squirmed. "All I a-know is that there is a man. He a-hires people to come a-after a-you, because he wants you a-captured. He a-radiates sheer power. And he has a-beard!"

Sheik paled. "This only sounds like one person."

Pit and Marth, still groggy, walked over, accompanied by Luigi. "What person?" Pit asked.

Sheik turned back to Zelda in the flash of an eye and turned to face her friends. "The evil being, creator of all evil. He is Ganondorf. He's always wanted me out of the way so he could assume control over Hyrule."

Marth straightened himself. "Well, princess, this Ganondorf fellow does not seem to be easily intimidated. He is ruthlessly sending out mercenaries against your highness. We would need to defeat this person before returning to Hyrule, to protect you."

Pit nodded. "Where would he be?"

Zelda thought for a few seconds. "Well, he obviously isn't in Hyrule. That much I can be sure of. But if he isn't there… then I am not sure where he would be." Turning back to Wario she said, "Where did he contact you?"

Wario squirmed. "Across the sea, he was in control of a small little a-town, called Smashville. He was dominating the residents a-there."

Marth nodded. "Well, then we should head out to Smashville and defeat this Ganondorf person once and for all!"

Pit smiled. "Yeah, I'd love to finish off the guy trying to kill Zelda!"

Zelda smiled. "Then let us set out! There is much preparation to be made for such a journey across the sea. We don't even have a ship yet!"

Wario laughed nervously. "Oh a-yes, before you a-go… there is something that you should a-know…"

Pit looked at him. "What is it?"

Then the whole front of the mansion blew apart. Standing in the midst of the wreckage was a robot, or at least it seemed to be one. Wario laughed again. "Uh, that would a-be Samus Aran. She is-a another a-bounty a-hunter. She a-wants to kill the-a Princess."

Zelda was furious. "Thanks for the heads up!"

Before she could yell anymore, Samus shot out a laser from the cannon on her arm that connected directly with Zelda, knocking her into the air and back several feet. She violently collided with the ground and let out a groan before passing out. "ZELDA!" Pit cried.

Marth drew his sword. "Stand alert, angel! This is a very formidable foe!"

As if answering him, Samus shot another laser, this one much stronger. Marth jumped out of the way and it collided with another wall, resulting in a huge explosion and a huge fire.

"Marth, get Zelda! I'll hold off the hunter!" Pit commanded. Without even stopping to see if his order had been heard, he drew his knives and charged the robot.

Samus launched a missile at the angel that intercepted him directly in the chest. "AH!" Pit cried as he was slammed into a wall several feet back. The fire continued to rage as Marth tried to move Zelda, Wario was panicking while trapped in the fire, Luigi was nowhere to be seen, and Pit could feel blood dripping down from his forehead. He knew that he stood no chance of defeating the bounty hunter, but he needed to stall for time. Shakily, he rose to his feet once more.

"You won't win!" he yelled as he once more charged the bounty hunter.

She shrugged and started running towards him, raising her cannon arm to attack him physically. As she swung it down, an attack that would surely finish Pit off, he raised his shield and the attack collided with the defense.

Samus recoiled and grasped her cannon arm with her other hand. Pit smiled – the tactic had obviously done some damage. But not lasting damage – Samus shot off another laser that connected directly, and Pit crumpled to the ground. Samus began walking calmly towards the fallen angel. She raised her cannon above his head and began charging.

Pit grimaced, bracing for the impact that would surely end him. Maybe Marth and Zelda will get away, he thought. He looked up to face his death…

But then his death went hurtling off to one side in a huge collision. Pit looked around. The fire was still burning greatly, now almost surrounding the entire perimeter. It was a huge blaze. Marth was supporting Zelda on her feet, looking alarmed. Where Wario had been trapped in the green fire was now a huge pile of wreckage. There was no sign of the Italian anymore. And Luigi was still nowhere to be seen.

Pit looked over at where Samus had hurtled and saw her in fierce hand-to-hand combat with a blue creature of some sort. The creature took its palm and pressed it upon Samus and she rocketed back a few feet. The creature turned to Pit and nodded.

"Who are you?" Pit asked his savior.

The savior shrugged. "I am Lucario. And you don't have much time. Escape now! You are weak, and the princess needs to get out of here!"

Pit was reluctant. "But Lucario, this bounty hunter… She is incredibly powerful. You won't last long!"

Lucario grinned. "I'll last long enough to help you escape. Now go! And the green Italian – take him with you!"

Pit was upset. He hardly knew this Lucario, but he felt a certain kinship to him. "You mean Luigi? And how do you know Zelda? Will we ever see you again?"

Lucario smiled as Samus rose to her feet. "Yes, take Luigi. I know many people, as well as Zelda. And rest assured. We will meet in the future. Now go! I don't want to risk my life for you to die as well!"

Pit nodded and rose to his feet, staggering towards Marth and Zelda. "What's happening?" Marth asked as Samus and Lucario once more fought. The fire grew with every second, encompassing the perimeter of the now-destroyed mansion, blazing and crackling greatly.

Pit shook his head."We need to leave, now."

He spoke with such a fierceness in his voice that neither the prince or the princess thought to question him. "How do we break through the fire?" Marth asked.

As if in answer, a small portion of red fire gave way to green fire. Luigi appeared next to them. "You can a-pass t-through the g-g-green f-fire safely, but no-not for-a long."

Pit nodded as Marth, supporting Zelda, safely crossed the fire and exited the perimeter of the mansion, hobbling off in the direction of the forest.

Pit turned to Luigi. "Thank you."

Luigi shook nervously. "May I accompany you, angel?"

Remembering what Lucario had said, Pit smiled. "Of course, Luigi. But we must go now. We can't wait around here for Samus."

As the group, now of four, hobbled into the forest, Lucario sighed. He had done his job.