Scene 23: Reclaiming the Halberd
The Great Fox flies away from the Halberd's vicinity, leaving behind a trail of smoke. Meanwhile, a cardboard box rests in the Halberd's brig. Beneath the box, a voice can be heard.
Snake: This is Snake. Come in…Roger, Otacon…The bridge? Isn't that where most of the enemies will be?…Really? Who are they?…Copy. Over and out.
Snake lifts the box off from over him and stands up, preparing to leave for the bridge.
Snake: It's show time.
(later)
Snake runs down a dark hallway. He hears footsteps at the far end and decides to hide behind a nearby radiator. From the far end of the hallway, Meta Knight and Lucario run in.
Meta Knight: Quickly. The bridge is this way.
Lucario senses a presence nearby and motions to Meta Knight to stop. Meta Knight is confused, but nonetheless complies.
Meta Knight: What is it?
Lucario: I sense a powerful aura nearby.
He closes his eyes, senses Snake's soul beneath a cardboard box, and lifts the box. Snake, alarmed, gets up and clenches his fists. Meta Knight readies his sword, but Lucario stands between them both.
Lucario: Stand down, both of you. We are allies.
Snake: Really? State your name.
Lucario: I am called Lucario, and this is Meta Knight, the rightful captain of this ship. We come to reclaim what belongs to him.
Snake: Well, I was sent here to stop the ship from spreading all these Shadow Bugs. If that means taking back the ship, I'm in.
Meta Knight: We don't have time for this. If we don't keep moving, we'll be spotted.
Lucario: It is too late; the Subspace Emissary is approaching as we speak.
Meta Knight and Lucario turn around and see a large number of Primids headed their way. They prepare themselves for battle while Snake hides behind the radiator.
Lucario: They know you are here as well, Solid Snake.
Snake: (in his head) How did he know my name?
(later)
Snake, Meta Knight, and Lucario head off down a dark hallway. Lucario motions for the others to stop.
Meta Knight: What is it now?
Lucario: I sense two souls beyond these doors. They are in dire need.
Meta Knight: We can worry about them after we've retaken the Halberd.
Snake: Dire need, you say? Sounds like my kind of side trip.
Lucario: And furthermore, were we not to help these two souls, we would be no better than the Subspace Emissary itself.
Meta Knight thinks about this for a moment.
Meta Knight: You're right, but that room you're about to enter is the engine room. If you damage anything inside, the entire ship could fall from the sky. You'll need someone who knows the inner workings of that room by your side.
Lucario: Understood.
Snake: Why couldn't we just destroy the engine room after we save the two people trapped inside?
Meta Knight: We're still on board the ship, and there are no fighters left on board for us to escape in.
Snake: …Good point.
The three Smashers enter the engine room to find two giant cages, each one holding a trophy inside. Shadow Bugs creep into the cages, envelop the trophies, and materialize into a False Peach and a False Zelda, prompting the three Smashers to prepare themselves for battle.
(later)
Meta Knight cuts the chains suspending the cages from the ceiling. Lucario breaks open Peach's cage while Snake breaks open Zelda's cage. They touch the bottoms of each trophy, prompting them to turn back into Peach and Zelda. Snake, Meta Knight, and Lucario step back.
Peach: We're free! Hooray!
Zelda: Thank you—all of you—for saving us.
Meta Knight simply turns around and runs off to the bridge.
Lucario: You are most welcome, Zelda of Hyrule and Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Lucario runs after Meta Knight. Snake starts to follow, but turns back to Peach and Zelda.
Snake: You two stay here. The rest of the way could be too dangerous for you.
Peach: …Uh, okay.
Snake runs after Meta Knight and Lucario while Peach and Zelda look on, then at each other.
Peach: Should we listen to him?
Zelda: I'm sorry, but we can't just stand here and do nothing. Besides, I have a plan.
The door closes.
(later)
Peach and Zelda stand beside the door of a dark room. Zelda has her ear to the door while Peach stands nearby.
Zelda: I don't hear anybody outside. I think now's the time to execute my plan.
Peach: What plan?
Zelda: A plan that involves us getting to the bridge of this ship and stopping it from going any further.
Peach: How do you plan to do that?
Zelda: Like this.
She steps back, envelops herself in a ball of light, and transforms into Sheik. Peach's jaw drops in shock.
Peach: Z-Zelda? How did you do that?
Sheik: No time to explain, Peach. We've got to hurry before more Primids show up.
Sheik opens the door, looks around, and proceeds to a nearby window. She then turns back to Peach.
Sheik: Oh, and if anyone asks, as long as I'm in this form, please address me as Sheik.
Peach: Okay, Zel—I mean "Sheik."
Peach leaves the room, smiling giddily.
Peach: Wow. Escaping on your own is way more fun than waiting for someone to rescue you.
Sheik: Yeah, it is. You should try it more often.
(later)
An Arwing flies around the Battleship Halberd, firing lasers at the Halberd's anti-aircraft guns, which keep firing at the Arwing. Suddenly, a shot from one of the anti-aircraft guns nicks the Arwing's left wing, causing it to spiral out of control momentarily. Inside the Arwing's cockpit, Fox struggles to keep the ship airborne. The Halberd's main artillery cannon opens fire just as the Arwing rights itself, but misses. Fox turns the Arwing around and spots the main artillery cannon. Peach, unaware of the situation, casually walks along the deck.
Fox: (to himself) Alright. If I can just get close enough to take out that cannon, I should be able to get to the bridge.
Fox opens fire on the deck, badly damaging the main artillery cannon and causing a huge explosion behind Peach.
Peach: (alarmed) AAAAH!
Sheik leaps into the air, vanishes in a puff of smoke, and reappears on board Fox's Arwing.
Fox: What?
Sheik draws her fist back with a set of needles in it and punches the Arwing's canopy, creating a small hole in it. Fox and Sheik jump down from the Arwing to the Halberd's deck and engage each other in hand-to-hand combat.
Fox: That was a 3,000-credit repair job you just ruined!
Sheik: And that was my friend you almost blasted!
Peach: Wait!
Fox and Sheik turn to Peach, who is suddenly holding a full tea set on a small tray.
Sheik: Huh?
Fox: What?
Peach: Is it really necessary for us to fight at a time like this? Why don't we take a break for now?
Sheik: (flustered) How could you think of…? (normally) Well, now that I think about it, all this saving the world business has made me a bit thirsty. I'll gladly have a drink.
Fox: (confused) Wait a second. Where'd you get that tea set, anyway?
Peach: Oh, you know. From my palace back at the Mushroom Kingdom.
Fox: No, I mean where'd you get the tea set just now?
Peach pauses awkwardly, then smiles and giggles.
Peach: Oh, that's a secret.
Fox: (awkwardly) Okay…
(meanwhile)
Meta Knight, Lucario, and Snake come up to the Halberd's bridge in an elevator. Snake is hiding beside the elevator wall as Meta Knight and Lucario look around to see a large group of Mr. Game and Watches operating various instrument panels in the bridge.
Meta Knight: (stunned) How dare these cretins lay their hands on my ship!
Lucario: Calm yourself, Meta Knight.
Snake: Why don't we simply rush right in there and beat those guys up?
Meta Knight: I would love nothing more right now, but we're hopelessly outnumbered and in a bad position. I suggest we draw them here one by one and cut them down as they come.
Snake thinks about this for a moment.
Snake: Nah. I like my way better.
He rushes into the bridge.
Meta Knight: Snake, wait!
Fox, Peach, and Sheik, meanwhile, are enjoying some tea on the deck below.
Fox: I still want to know where you got this tea set, Peach.
Suddenly, they hear a loud crash and look up to see the Mr. Game and Watches falling out of the bridge and onto the deck and disintegrate into Shadow Bugs. Peach hurriedly puts away the tea set as Fox and Sheik prepare themselves for battle. The Shadow Bugs materialize into Duon, who turns its blue body toward the three Smashers.
Sheik: What's that thing?
Fox: I don't know, but it sure doesn't look friendly.
Snake and Lucario land beside them and prepare themselves for battle.
Lucario: It is good to see friendly faces in the face of this new adversary.
An Arwing flies overhead and Falco drops down and lands beside the five Smashers.
Falco: Hey, don't forget me.
Duon roars menacingly as the six Smashers stand ready.
(later)
The defeated Duon disintegrates into Shadow Bugs that blow away in the wind, leaving behind a Mr. Game and Watch trophy. Fox points his blaster suspiciously at it, but Peach calmly walks over to it.
Peach: I don't think your blaster will be necessary here, Fox. Let me handle this.
She touches the base of the trophy, prompting it to turn back into Mr. Game and Watch, who looks around the deck and then at Peach.
Peach: Now, then, what do you have to say for yourself, hm?
Mr. Game and Watch: Beep. Beep.
Lucario: He apologizes for causing us such trouble and would be glad to assist us in our quest to defeat the evil Subspace Emissary.
Sheik: Subspace Emissary?
Mr. Game and Watch: Beep. Boop. Beep. Beep.
Lucario: He describes it as an organization led by a being that they say no living Smasher can defeat in battle, and that it aims to consume the universe in subspace, starting with our world.
Peach: Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I say we let this cute little guy join us. What do you say?
Mr. Game and Watch: Beep. Boop.
Peach hands Mr. Game and Watch her parasol, which Mr. Game and Watch accepts and starts dancing with. Peach looks on and laughs. On the bridge, Meta Knight walks over to the skipper's wheel and grips it tightly in his hands.
Meta Knight: Oh, at last, I get to cradle you in my arms once more, my little one.
He turns the wheel, prompting the ship to turn left.
Meta Knight: (in his head) Now, then, to the Isle of Ancients.
The Halberd begins flying towards a massive island floating above the ocean.