Gamer4 in. Nothing to say here. Let's get right to it.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, okay!

Chapter 9

Ike and Marth

"So, where have they been?" Luigi asked.

"They've seen the weight room, but then the brawl started, and we didn't have time to show them anything else," Mario replied.

"Did you see Ganondorf there?"

"Yeah, you saw him too?"

"Yeah, I went there to use the dumbbells, but when Ganondorf saw me, he called me a scrawny, useless plumber, and told me to beat it. I wasn't scared, but I didn't want to fight, so I left him to it."

"Yeah, he was calling these two worthless too. Anyways, I was thinking of showing them the training room next."

"When do we show them the race track?"

"I don't know, but you know about them and the Thunderpath. We don't need to give them a heart attack just yet. In fact, it would be nice if they didn't get a heart attack at all."

"Where to next?" Firestar asked, jerking the two back to reality.

"We're going to the training room next," Mario answered.

"You train there?"

Mario remembered the mentor-apprentice system in the clans and wondered if they were thinking of that. "Yes. We make ourselves stronger in the weight room, but we improve our skill in the training room. We fight each other, but not like in brawls. It's just to improve skill. Kind of like sparring between mentors and apprentices, except we don't have that system."

"Do you think anyone will be in there?" Graystripe asked, apparently thinking about Ganondorf.

"Probably," Zelda said, pushing open the door, allowing them inside.

There were three smashers in there when they went in. Ike and Marth were on the floor, in the first phase of the Castle Siege stage. Meta Knight was off to the side, watching the two brawl. The two were swinging their swords at each other, trying to knock the other down.

"What stage is this?" Firestar asked.

"Castle Siege," Mario answered. "It's one of the stages that changes over time. Like now," he added as the entire scene changed; it turned gray, there was a rushing noise, and when they could see again, the stage was inside. It was dark, with arches and statues. The two continued to fight. Finally, Marth managed to get past Ike's sword and knock him off the platform they were standing on. Ike landed on the ground, and Marth jumped down, putting his sword on Ike's chest.

"Good game," Ike said, pushing the sword aside. The whole place went black, and when light entered again, they were in a purely white room. Meta Knight was leaning against the wall. Marth removed his sword.

"Nice one, Marth," Mario said, walking to them, with the other four behind. "You too, Ike."

"Thanks," Ike said, pushing himself up and brushing himself off. "Just don't get too smug, Marth, I beat you last time."

"Right," Marth said, smiling slightly.

"So, I'm going against you, am I?" Meta Knight asked, walking up to the swordsmen. Seeing the five arrivals, he said, "Ah, it's you two."

"Hello, Meta Knight," Firestar said.

"You came to learn from the master, didn't you?"

"No, we're just showing them around," Zelda said. "We wanted to show them this place."

"Okay," Meta Knight said. "Few weeks in here, they might be a match for me."

"We'll take you on any time, Meta Knight," Graystripe said defiantly.

"Good," Meta Knight said, "though I'd recommend leaving the noob stage before you fight me. Get some training in. I wouldn't want to beat you too easily."

"Come on, Meta Knight," Marth said. "Let's go. What stage?"

"How about we take this fight to Spear Pillar?" Meta Knight suggested. The room went black again, and when light returned, they were there, a stone mass with broken pillars. As the two began to spar, Ike turned to the two warriors.

"Are you two sword fighters too?" he asked.

"Um," Firestar said, looking confused, but Luigi jumped to their defence.

"Not sure yet, Ike. They just got here, you know?"

"Fair enough," Ike said. "But when you're choosing your weapons," he continued, looking at Firestar and Graystripe, "swords are the way to go."

"Not necessarily," Mario said. "Not all of us fight with swords."

"Whatever," Ike said, turning to watch the sparring continue.

"Come on," Mario said. "There's nothing left to see here." So the five left the room and continued back down the hall.

That's it for now. Sorry if some of the chapters are a bit short. Anyways, please R&R, no flames, though. Flames are bad. Gamer4 out.