Ramen Bowl arena, ARMS dimension
It seemed all like a dream. Felt like one, too.
First was the light. There was always the light. She was standing right here, having a friendly sparring match with Ribbon Girl, when it happened. The brightness had washed over her body, bathing her in its luminescence and whisking her far away.
Then she was… trapped. Forced to pull the strings of a sword-wielding girl who could transform into a dragon. And even after that body was broken, she was still trapped. Trapped within her own soul. She felt weightless…
And then came that humongous battle unlike anything seen in the Grand Prix. That ghost girl had told her and others what was at stake. She remembered fighting unfamiliar figures with all her accumulated skill, assisting people and creatures she did not recognize. All confusion as to where she was, who and what they all were, and what that commotion was in the sky was all replaced by a natural instinct. An instinct for battle. An instinct to fight. An instinct to best as many enemies as she could or to lend a hand- in this case, an extendable one- to mysterious allies. She was quite fond of that kung-fu kicker with the arm bracers; it was a shame she never learned her name…
And once the dust had settled and the day was won, she and the others were sent back home… except something was horribly wrong.
Min Min was the only one to return.
She was alone. Her family would be disappointed that there would be no customers to serve. The fans would be upset about no return of the Grand Prix. But mostly, Min Min was saddened about the many friends she'd gathered during the famous tournament.
What had happened to them? Where did they go?
Min Min needed answers… and she had a feeling the many beings she saw before regaining her body would be the perfect place to start. But how could she reach them?
She stood right outside the Mintendo Noodle House, in the center of the bowl-shaped ring used in the Grand Prix. Min Min felt as if she was surrounded by ghosts; ghosts that jumped this way and that while lashing out with extendable arms. For a moment, Min Min could hear the cheers of the fans as a fighter was knocked down, ending the current round… and just as quickly as they came, they faded into silence.
Min Min sighed; an attempt to fill the void with sound. She knew no answers would arrive if she just wished for them. If those beings she fought alongside then were the answer to finding her friends, she needed a way to reach them. But she had immediately hit a roadblock: she had no way. But she knew she had to find some way, and she wouldn't stop until she did. She had to find out what happened to her friends.
But, again, how she would get there returned to her mind. It was like her brain was trapped in a loop: thinking about friends, thinking about the strange people and creatures they could be with, failing to come up with a way to reach them, and repeating.
Min Min couldn't keep thinking like this. She needed to reach her friends, one way or another. For once, she suppressed the sudden thought of how she would do it. All that mattered now was that she would do it, and she wouldn't give up until she did.
Min Min turned on her heel and climbed her way out of the bowl-shaped ring in front of the restaurant. Now, aside from the painfully obvious, what was her first plan of-?
She stopped in her tracks. Was something… glowing in the corner of her eye? Min Min turned her head to look; there was a bright glint in a nearby alleyway. Something that just screamed for investigation. Just as she laid her eyes on it, a hunch began to form in Min Min's mind. Maybe, just maybe, she had found the answer she was looking for. The girl turned and proceeded down the alley.
The azure light that brightened the dark shadows of the alley came into focus at the very end of the path. It appeared to be some kind of pedestal with a key of some sort already inserted into a slot in the centerpiece. Naturally, Min Min became curious as to what the function could be… but she needed to know instead of speculating. She took the key in between her fingers and twisted it to the side. Immediately, the pedestal lit up with blue colors.
The aforementioned glow Min Min's eyes had rested upon began to increase in luminescence until the light stretched upward and expanded into a circular shape large enough for transport. A swirling hole of blue and white colors stood above the pedestal, breaching the fabric of the air surrounding it. A sense of awe filled the girl's heart as she observed, the light reflecting in her jade eyes. She didn't know exactly what this thing was… a gateway, maybe? If so, where did it lead?
Again, she had no time to guess. Without even thinking, Min Min sprinted forward and launched herself into the air until the flashes and swirls of light surrounded her being. She felt like she was weightless during her fall (or flight?) through the void. Gravity seemed to defy itself here, in this bright tunnel. Min Min caught sight of another light at the opposite end, which grew brighter as she approached until it enveloped her eyes…
When the light faded, Min Min found herself in a large city of sorts… and she was falling rapidly towards the street below. Instinct took over for Min Min, clouding the sense of panic threatening to flood her body. A hand placed an orange mask over her face, immediately transforming her arms into coiled, extendable tools of battle. With a shout, Min Min shot out her right ARM, now resembling an eastern dragon with its jaws wide open. The limb attached itself to the edge of a skyscraper roof, instantly reeling Min Min towards it like a fish on a line. Using her current momentum, Min Min launched herself into the air and overshot the roof with a grunt of effort, twirled into an upright position, and landed perfectly on her feet, her sneakers kicking up dust on impact.
Min Min let out a steady exhale. That was too close for comfort. Now, she needed to know if she was on the right track. Were they here? Or was this just-
Something from street level caught her attention: something that sounded like… shouting? A voice cried out down below. "An ambush! Brace yourselves!"
Min Min rushed to the edge of the roof and peered down. From what she could see, a skirmish had broken out on the street… and the combatants were none other than faces she recognized from that fateful day! Someone on a motorbike was driving all over the place while another figure fired twin handguns at it. A barefoot man in white with a headband was beating back another brawler that looked suspiciously like Spring Man, knocking it away with a kick before charging up energy between his palms.
"HADOKEN!" The orb slammed into the stunned stranger before he could react, knocking him down. Closeby, another one that looked like Ribbon Girl unsuccessfully swung at some green dinosaur, who ducked, sidestepped, and swatted its attacker in the face with its tail. And finally, two kids with paint guns and a robot were taking cover by some parked cars, trading paint and laser shots with another human-like robot and a metallic dog with a duck on its back. The latter appeared unfazed as ink blotches covered the silver surface and lasers fizzled out on contact.
What the heck were those things? As soon as the question made its way into her mind, Min Min shook it away. She needed to have a talk with the people down there, and she couldn't do that if they were in the middle of a fight. Right now, she needed to offer a helping hand.
In this case, a really stretchy helping hand.
Min Min jumped off the roof of the building, equipping a Ramram on her left ARM. Latching onto a flag post with the other, she swung herself around and shot for the attacker shooting at the motorcycle, which was now driving in circles. As she flew towards her target, Min Min extended a leg and cried out, drawing the attacker's attention. She turned, only for it to be too late to react. The girl's outstretched foot smacked it directly in the face, nearly knocking the glasses off.
"Wha?! Hey!" cried the driver. "I had her right where I wanted her!"
Min Min made no move to reply, letting the orange ring on her left ARM fly out. The circular projectile sailed through the air in a neat curve, its trail embedded with flames. The attacker resembling Ribbon Girl failed to see the projectile coming in time, which knocked it across the head. Spotting the dog making a rush for her, Min Min spun on her heel and smacked it away with her sole, making the dog yelp on impact and tumble to the road. Without breaking a sweat, she caught the returning ring and extended her dragon ARM at the robot accompanying the canine. While her target hopped away from the strike, it did not expect a laser to come blasting out of the mouth and knocking it into a car.
"Whoa," gasped the kid with the blue paint gun. "Who is that?"
"I dunno, but… doesn't she look kinda familiar?" replied the other one.
"Commencing identity analysis," beeped their robot ally. "Please stand by."
The one who resembled Spring Man rolled away from another throw of Min Min's Ramram and somersaulted to avoid the dragon ARM's beam. It sprinted towards her to close the gap and jumped high, throwing down a fist. Min Min raised her ARMs, easily blocking the attack. Switching her Ramram for a more strong and heavy-hitting Megawatt, she smashed it into her attacker's form and sent it sailing into a building. Through a shower of broken glass, a blast of light flooded the lowest floor.
The one resembling Ribbon Girl moved in next, attacking at close range. Min Min swept out its legs and slammed the Megawatt on top of it, obliterating it into the ground. There was another flash of light, faint under the studded yellow sphere… and an orb of light flew out. Min Min only caught it for a brief moment, but she swore something- or rather, someone inside.
"Shénme?" (What?) she whispered under her breath, partially believing her eyes were deceiving her. She turned her head to follow. Was that really-?
Something hard landed against her face, making her grunt in pain. The woman in black, having just kicked her in her distracted moment, was already sprinting towards her. Min Min cartwheeled to the side and swapped the Megawatt for another dragon, lashing them both at her assailant. All the while, she heard the robot beep out more words.
"Identity confirmed. Min Min, age eighteen. Height: five foot five. Weight: unspecified. One of the contenders in the renowned ARMS Grand Prix, with the ability to weaponize her limbs."
Min Min blasted the woman away with another laser, causing her to slide towards the man on the motorcycle. Patting his elbow, he dove off the vehicle and landed an elbow drop on the torso. "Eh?" he asked. "You mean like those-" He didn't get the chance to finish, as shots from the attacking robot forced him to flee. "GAH! Hey!"
The woman moved to stand, only for the man in white to rush in and throw her to the ground. He struck a finishing blow, the woman erupting in light and causing Min Min to flinch.
The kids and the robot continued to lay down fire on the other robot and the dog, which slowly backed away while the former fired back. Its face tightened up in dismay as its eyes surveyed the group, eventually snagging the dog in its other hand and beaming upwards in a flash of blue light.
"Ah, squid!" huffed the kid in blue. "They got away!"
An orb of light rose from where the woman once stood, levitating between Min Min and the other man. A form came into view… yet another the Ramen Bomber recognized: the famed movie star Twintelle, notable for using her hair in battle rather than her arms.
"Friend of yours?" the man in white asked, noticing her current expression.
"Twintelle…" Min Min muttered. "Nǐ zěnmeliǎo?" (What happened to you?)
"Huh?" the girl in orange tilted her head. "What is she…?"
"Min Min commonly speaks in the Mandarin Chinese language," answered the robot. "Fortunately, I am equipped with a translator system to improve communications. And I believe Ryu is just as fluent, is that correct?"
The man nodded. "That's right. I learned a little from Chun-Li. Now, let's see what she's here for." He stepped forward. "Xièxiè nín de bāngzhù, Min Min." (Thank you for your assistance, Min Min.)
The girl turned to look the man in the eye, now recognizing the tongue he spoke. "Bié kèqì," (You're welcome.) came her unsure reply. "But who…?"
While the fat man and the kids continued to speak in a language foreign to her in the distance, the robot moved alongside the man as he raised a hand in greeting. "My name is Ryu," he spoke in Min Min's tongue. "You may not know me yet, but I am an ally."
"I know."
The man looked partly surprised and intrigued. "So you do. How, exactly?"
Min Min sighed. "It started when the light came. When it washed over me, I felt as light as a feather. For a long time, I remember being… captive. In a body that was not my own, forced to pull the strings of a puppet by a force I did not understand. Then, you came. You released me… and yet I still felt imprisoned."
"A natural feeling when one's soul is separated from their physical body," replied the robot. "I am a Robotic Operating Buddy, but you can call me R.O.B. for short. And while I possess no such soul, the feeling of helplessness and fear is a relatable emotion."
"Yes, it was," Min Min continued. "But then, someone told me I didn't have to be afraid anymore. I was given a reminder as to who I once was… and I used it well. I remember fighting alongside people I don't recognize and probably never will. People who fought valiantly and courageously. I remember never giving in, my spirit unwilling to stop against the endless tides of assailants… and then, it all stopped."
"Just as we helped you," Ryu explained. "You helped us, Min Min. It's a long story, but we brought you back home… and back in your body."
Min Min's heart couldn't help but drop. "Yes, you did… and when I returned, I was all alone."
"Come again?"
"My friends…" Min Min whispered sadly. "All of my friends from the Grand Prix were gone. Without any trace. I wanted to find them and to do that, I had to find you. To know what happened to them."
From the sidewalk, Min Min watched as the fat man and the kids stared at… Spring Man? The man had an expression of shock and was babbling something to the kids, who nodded in agreement. R.O.B. was the first to explain. "Our allies say that they have encountered and rescued this person before. It is possible that our enemies have recaptured them for further use against us."
"We have battled and freed three individuals from your world," Ryu continued. "Yourself included. The remainder of your friends must have eluded capture… until now. You must have been the only one to successfully escape the intervention."
"But who could have done such a thing?" Min Min asked in shock.
"Not too long ago, my friends and I ended a war that has raged for longer than you can imagine," Ryu explained. "Unfortunately, the soldiers of that war seek to finish what their leaders started. They want to destroy us for good, and they have recaptured released souls to do so. Unless we stop them all, the flames of that old war can never die out."
"And since you wish to rescue your friends, I assume you wish to join us in liberating them?" R.O.B. asked. "Your talents could be useful to us."
Min Min fiercely narrowed her eyes and nodded. "I'll do it. I'll help you free my friends and stop the ones who did this to them!" The spirit of Ribbon Girl hovered close to her as she finished speaking, appearing to appreciate her way of thinking. And without further ado, it flew right into Min Min's chest like a ghost!
"Ah! What the-?!" She staggered back in shock, a strange sense of power coursing through her veins. "What just happened? I feel… stronger."
"Even if your friends can't offer assistance physically," Ryu explained. "They can help by lending you their strength. With their help, you can become stronger, faster, or more resourceful than before."
Min Min smiled and readied her ARMs. "Then they're gonna get what's coming to them!"
Ryu nodded with a smirk. "The soldiers your friends have been forced into will show themselves eventually. For now, we will regroup with others like us and keep a lookout for them. Would you care to join?"
Min Min nodded again. "You bet! Let's get going!"
…
Later, in the Eastern Town
"You're sure you saw some activity over here?" asked Little Mac. "Doesn't seem like much is going on…" Ken just laid a hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, when one of us reports something fishy, you better believe it."
"I'm definitely picking up hostile signals in this area," Mega Man added, pointing his Mega Buster at distant alleys with the Inklings flanking him. "Rookie, I'd stay alert if I were you."
Min Min made no reply. Even if she could understand the robot's words, it wouldn't have been necessary. Her emerald eyes danced from the streets to the rooftops and to the alleys, watching for any sign of movement for the bodies her friends were forced to control. She'd rescued three of them so far, but that wouldn't do.
Up ahead, Lucario raised a hand. "Halt. Something draws near…"
Everyone went silent, taking battle stances and raising weapons. Min Min swapped out her Ramram for a heavy-hitting Megawatt, the weapon dangling by her side. The Inklings advanced while Mega Man hung back, keeping his eyes on the rooftops… when his attention should have been behind him.
With a destructive crash and a primal roar, a white-furred clone of Donkey Kong smashed through the front of a nearby building. The Blue Bomber spun around, but a giant hand snatched the robot and shook him like a ragdoll, smashing him into the street and anything else within range.
"ARGH! Could use! A little! Help here!"
Min Min spun with wide eyes before throwing out her Megawatt ARM. "Fàng kāi tā, hóuzi!" (Let go of him, monkey!) she cried, sending the bludgeon straight into the ape's chest. The puppet jolted back as the weapon slammed into its torso, and a rush of air escaped its mouth. Mega Man dropped to the floor, taking the chance to launch a Crash Bomb into the puppet's mouth as it roared in anger.
The robot ran to Min Min's side as the explosive detonated, furtherly agitating the puppet. "Phew! Thanks for the help!" A missile streaked its way past them, exploding against another building. Mega Man spun to the fray, where a clone of Dark Samus had its cannon trained on him.
"Uh, can you take care of him, please?" Min Min was already off, sprinting towards the lumbering Donkey Kong puppet. Mega Man shrugged before dashing towards the others. "I guess that's a yes!"
Min Min swung the Megawatt at the puppet again, the bludgeon smacking it against the head as it tried to raise an arm in defense. She cartwheeled away from a muscular arm smashing into the ground in retaliation, flipped over the following sweep, and blasted the puppet in the head with her dragon ARM. A spinning slam with the Megawatt sent it tumbling to the ground.
Min Min struck a pose. "Tóuxiáng!" (Surrender!)
The puppet's reply was an angry pound and a roar as it charged back towards her. It jumped and smashed both fists into the ground, obliterating the pathway as Min Min somersaulted away. Landing perfectly on her feet, she quickly equipped her Ramram and launched a disc at the puppet's head to stun it. Once her opponent was disoriented, she equipped two dragon ARMS and extended them towards the puppet's own. Once they had bit down, the enemy roared and struggled to break free.
Min Min jerked one of her arms, causing it to smack a muscular fist into its face. Min Min repeated this process with both arms, beating the opponent up with its own limbs. With a final jerk, Min Min puppeteered an arm to punch the puppet in the chin, knocking its lights out. It collapsed to the ground with a solid thud, kicking up dust. Then came a blast of light, followed by the soul of the Grim Creeper, aka Master Mummy. Another of her friends was relieved from the shackles of imprisonment.
Min Min turned to the distant commotion down the street. In the town square, Lucario was facing off against a clone of Greninja while Little Mac held off against a Mii Brawler who looked like the swift striker Ninjara. Mega Man traded fire with the clone of Dark Samus, the Inklings barraged a giant clone of Wendy with paint shots, and Ken battled a copy of King K. Rool.
Min Min stretched her ARMS, latching onto two lampposts and pulling herself back as a human slingshot. Setting her sights on a target, she hopped off the ground and was instantly propelled forward at top speed. Releasing the lampposts after passing them, she flew towards the Greninja puppet with a cry.
She slammed her feet into its surprised face, sending it rocketing back and crashing a wall. The surprise attack was so great that the puppet could not find the strength to recover. Min Min then ducked underneath a thrown boomerang, extending her arms towards the Mii puppet and drawing it close to her. Once the struggling foe was within reach, she bombarded it with a flurry of kicks before punching it away, right towards Little Mac. With a yell, the boxer pounded the puppet into the sky with a K.O. Uppercut and watched it sail high into the atmosphere. All that fell back down was the soul of Ninjara.
The two martial artists shared a fist bump- in Min Min's case, a stretchy fist bump- before turning to their next target. "Hey, Noodle Arms!" cried the orange Inkling, rolling away from an exploding cannonball. "Care to lend a hand?!"
The reply came in the form of a large yellow ball that smacked the flying puppet out of the sky. The fake Wendy, a little dazed, attempted to restart the Rocket Belt but failed to see Min Min build up strength and send the wrecking ball of a weapon slamming down with a loud crash. In that strong strike, the puppet was pulverized and the spirit of Mechanica floated into the sky.
"Remind me again why we never invited any of the stretchy-arm guys to our team?" the blue Inkling asked, awed at the display. The orange one gave him a look. "That spring guy's on the assist team, you know."
"Okay, but still…"
Min Min sprinted for Mega Man and the Dark Samus puppet next, the robot jumping about with the puppet rolling after him. The Blue Bomber threw a Metal Blade at the puppet, who shot out a Grapple Beam to intercept. With a spin, it redirected the projectile back to the robot, who gasped and raised his arms with clenched eyes.
A Ramram flew in and swatted the razor disc away before Min Min jumped over and planted her feet on the puppet's head. The puppet staggered from the attack, collapsing to a knee. Still not breaking a sweat, she raised her left ARM and brought it down in front of her. "Qǐchuáng!" (Get up!)
The puppet pointed its cannon and fired off a missile, giving the Ramen Bomber barely enough time to block. The blast pushed her back a few meters until she felt a pair of arms halt her. "Whew!" breathed Ken. "Close one…"
A large boxing glove pounded him aside, followed by a deafening bellow of laughter. Min Min spun to face the King K. Rool puppet, which rose a scaly foot to crush her flat. She rolled to the right just before impact, recoiling a Megawatt…
"HADOKEN!" A blue fireball struck the puppet in the back of the head in a bright explosion, staggering it. "Don't worry about me!" Ken called, rushing towards the puppet and pointing at Mega Man. "Help the blue boy!" Another missile struck the robot in question, knocking him onto his back. Min Min immediately sprinted for his attacker, firing another laser that hit the Dark Samus puppet like an arrow striking a bullseye. Mega Man took his chance and fired a high-powered Charge Shot at the clone, engulfing it in the ensuing blast.
The robot sighed in relief when another spirit emerged from the smoke: one Min Min recognized to be that science experiment called Helix. "Phew… scratch one." Closeby, Lucario and Little Mac jumped in to assist Ken with the K. Rool puppet, bombarding it from multiple angles at once. A dashing lunge from the boxer and an overhead Aura blast from the Pokémon stunned the enemy long enough for Ken to rush in, drop low, and…
"SHORYUKEN!"
A rising uppercut emblazoned with flame dealt the final blow to the puppet, making it land flat on its back with a thud. It exploded with light not long after, releasing the soul of Max Brass, the previous champion of the ARMS Grand Prix. Min Min could only imagine he was difficult to free just as he was to defeat. The orange Inkling did a final sweep of the area, checking for anything unusual. "Is that all of-"
BOO-WIP! A beam of light signaled an incoming teleportation, prompting everyone to turn. "Aw, man!" the blue Inkling groaned when he recognized the foe. "This guy again?!" The Mega Man puppet immediately opened fire while the metallic Duck Hunt sprinted forward, barking madly.
"Well, he's not gonna get away this time!" the orange one cried, lobbing a Splat Bomb in the robot's direction. Detecting the projectile, the enemy spun to face it and fired a quick shot, blasting it in a shower of orange colors before it could hit. Min Min locked the opponent in her sights, equipping a Ramram on her left arm. "Zhǔnbèi hǎojǐ miǎo zhōng?" (Ready for seconds?) she asked, breaking into a run.
But the Ramen Bomber didn't even get ten steps in before a large drill spiraled directly in front of her, forcing her to dig her heels into the ground. An orange-colored disc flew over her head and circled back towards her, prompting Min Min to corkscrew over it when it passed. She looked towards the disc's flight path, intending to get eyes on her assailant.
What Min Min saw instead was her own face catching the Ramram and staring at her blankly. As Min Min's mouth dropped open in shock, the mirror image waved its long arms around and struck a pose, the dragon's mouth open. The imposter was decked out in pink colors, briefly reminding Min Min of what a superfan of Ribbon Girl would resemble.
Min Min remembered hearing about the events following her own capture and how souls were forced to command otherwise lifeless bodies. Could the enemy have been experimenting with bodies the souls had previously owned? She forced the thought from her head. This could be dealt with later.
Min Min narrowed her eyes at the look-alike and beckoned it closer. "Nà lái ba." (Come on, then.) The two dashed towards each other at full speed, arms trailing behind them. Min Min jumped and thrust out a foot, only for her double to slide underneath and grab her by the midsection with its dragon ARM. Min Min only had time to let out a gasp before she was flung into the sky. Instinctively righting herself in midair, Min Min transitioned into a downward flying kick aimed at her double. Her counterpart flipped to the side, making her foot smack the pavement hard.
Min Min immediately somersaulted away from a series of long-range punches, throwing out her own along the way. As the two traded blows, the Inklings and Mega Man engaged the puppet duo of Duck Hunt and Mega Man. The orange Inkling knocked the metal dog away with a Splat Roller, leaving it open to a Crash Bomber attaching onto its head. The canine was oblivious to the beeping projectile until it noticed the bright flashing… and was consumed by the explosion.
Mega Man landed an uppercut on his counterpart, sending it skyward. The blue Inkling readied a Splat Bomb while the Blue Bomber charged up his Mega Buster. Sharing a quick nod to each other, they let their projectiles fly just as the copy took aim while airborne. The orange Inkling saw its face light up in alarm before her sight was clouded by blue paint and a sapphire flash.
The robot dropped into the fountain, causing sparks to fly from within until a final flash of light ceased everything. From the water, the spirit of a robot and its mechanical dog companion arose: the clockwork cops Byte and Barq. The Inklings let out a unified sigh. "How's that for round two?"
Min Min's double slammed her to the street in a suplex, making her head ring in agony. She rolled away just as the double swept out a leg, gaining some distance necessary for her to stand back up. Sprinting towards her copy again and dodging a thrown Ramram along the way, Min Min nailed the double in the head with a roundhouse kick and a side kick, alternating her legs as she went. The copy swung a Megawatt at her, prompting Min Min to drop in a split and sweep out the double's legs. Equipping her own Megawatt, Min Min moved to slam it down only for the couple to grab a distant lamppost and propel itself away. Min Min scowled and began to give chase.
She rolled underneath a dragon blast and, using her arms to propel herself, slammed both feet into the copy's chin and launched it. Before it could right itself, Min Min shot out her dragon ARM and snatched it by the leg, yanking it back down to the street with a crash. Dashing up to it, Min Min performed a butterfly kick, a right-legged wheel kick, and a left-legged roundhouse kick that knocked it further back. Equipping both ARMS with dragons, Min Min thrust them both at her enemy, who could only light up its eyes in shock…
...before a double laser blast blew it into oblivion. Min Min drew her arms back with a final exhale. "Shānzhài." (Copycat.) she breathed. Through the smoke, the soul of the last of her friends made itself known: Kid Cobra. After receiving a warm smile from the Ramen Bomber, it flew off and away from the town.
An impressed Ken whistled, drawing Min Min's attention. "Nice moves, new girl. Y'know, I know a gal who's just as good with her legs as you are. We gotta get you introduced."
Even though the words failed to reach Min Min's understanding, she knew well to know that the warrior approved of her. She brought her hands together and respectfully bowed… before a rumbling noise reached her ears.
"Ugh…" the blue Inkling placed a hand on his stomach. "I don't know about the rest of you guys, but all this fighting has made me hungry. Who's up for lunch?"
For Min Min, the feeling was mutual. But thankfully, as everyone started to leave the village and head back to base, she knew just the place for a good meal.
…
Later, at the Mintendo Noodle House
Min Min couldn't remember the last time the restaurant was this packed. And she couldn't think of a better way for her new friends to have a well-deserved break. Several of them were taking the bowls of ramen well, as she saw Yoshi and Wario slurp down bowlfuls with King Dedede and Pac-Man trying to catch up. Near the wall, Sonic- wearing a red headband with a yellow phoenix symbol- and Pit were fighting over a dumpling with chopsticks, the angel trying and failing to trick the hedgehog with a "look over there" gesture. Mario and Luigi had smiles on their faces, the green plumber waving for another bowl.
Kirby inhaled a bowl in front of him, spitting it back onto the counter with a satisfying burp. And next to him, Captain Falcon devoured as much ramen as he could. Ryu and Ken weren't in much of a rush as the racer, however, even as the bounty hunter caught Ken's eye every now and then.
Min Min smiled joyfully. Her friends were back, she'd gotten some new ones in the process, and everything had returned to normal. Well, maybe not as normal as before, but still…
"Hi there, ladies and gents! Your trusty commentator Biff here, ready to deliver some coiled-up-and-ready-to-strike ARMS action!" A voice from a nearby TV rang out, prompting some of the fighters to pause eating and turn to the commotion. Yoshi looked up from his bowl, a noodle hanging off his nose. Sonic and Pit froze, the dumpling hanging right between their chopsticks until the hedgehog snatched it away with a victorious "HA!"
The angel snapped out of it with a gasp. "Huh?! Hey! No fair!"
"You snooze, you lose, pal!"
"I'm coming to ya live from Spring Stadium," Biff continued. "Where our next match is spring-loaded with excitement! And for those of you late to the party, we're currently in the final round between the world-famous Spring Man and bot-cops Byte and Barq! If he wants to win this, the bouncer's gotta keep his eyes on both of them! Can he knock their blocks off or will the beach bots knock out the pretty boy? Let's find out!"
The cameras inside the stadium picked up the roaring cheers of the fans and the swift, far-punching movements of the two combatants in the ring. The fighters dodged each of the extended attacks, throwing out their own in retaliation. Byte winded himself up, his robotic dog rolling to his side…
"POW!" A spring-loaded fist rammed the robot in the head, flinging him across the ring and making him land on his back with a loud metallic crash. Sparks flew from Byte's body as a voice cried out the end of the match. "K.O.!"
"YEAH!" Spring Man shouted, raising his fists to the cheering crowd. "Who's the man?! Who's the man?! Me, that's who! Woo-hoo!"
"Spring Man wins!" called Biff. "Chalk down another victory for the- huh? Hey, what's that?"
Spring Man caught something out of the corner of his eye: something made of paper and floating in the wind. He turned to get a closer look… and his eyes widened in excitement.
"Oh my… Is that a…" He seemed too awestruck to speak as he took in the sight of an envelope sealed with a familiar symbol. "They… they want me?" Spring Man broke out into ecstatic laughter and snatched the envelope from afar. "HA HA HA! THEY WANT ME!" he cried triumphantly, holding the envelope in the air with a bright smile on his face. As he did so, the crowd roared louder, the sound echoing through the stadium. "YEAH, BABY! I'M IN SMA-"
KRAPOW! A fist plowed across Spring Man's face, cutting off his words and sending him rolling across the stadium floor. The envelope sailed into the air just as another voice called out. "Sorry, Springy! But this girl's popularity is gonna skyrocket with this!"
Ribbon Girl leaped towards the envelope… but something snatched it from the air before she could grab it, leading to her botching her landing. "Huh?!"
"I think not," spoke a third voice, revealing himself in a puff of smoke. "This invitation deserves someone who is truly skilled in battle." Before Ribbon Girl could retort, Ninjara dashed away, only to run into a fist that sent him sprawling to the ground.
Striding into the stadium, a woman with long locks of hair held out an arm for the envelope to land on with a chuckle. "Truer words have never been spoken," announced Twintelle.
"RAAAAAH!" Two more fighters charged into the fray, bounding for the envelope and forcing Twintelle to leap away from a Megawatt. "MASTER MUMMY WANTS TO SMASH!"
"Oh no, you don't!" cried Mechanica, punching the mummy away and boosting into the air. "Haha! Yes!" Before she could grab it, a snake-like hand snatched it from her reach. "No!"
"I'll take that, thank you!" called Kid Cobra, immediately breaking into a sprint. The other fighters quickly chased after him as the crowd once again let out a delighted cheer. "Whoa!" cried Biff. "Whatever's in that letter must be really something! Folks, looks like we've got ourselves a free-for-all on our hands! You know what this means: Last one standing gets the ULTIMATE prize!"
Ninjara appeared out of nowhere and kicked Kid Cobra aside, grabbing the envelope and taking to the air. As everyone lashed out their arms at him, the ninja nimbly evaded each of the limbs with the envelope clenched between his teeth. One of Master Mummy's Megawatts looped in from the side, smashing into Ninjara's face before he could see it coming. Ninjara cried out and fell to the floor, the envelope floating towards the floor and free for the taking.
"Looks like things are really heating up over there," Ken spoke as everyone's eyes were glued to the TV. "Everyone must be really desperate to join us."
"And why's the springy guy so excited about it?" Pit asked. "He's already helping us out as an Assist Trophy! Shouldn't that be enough?"
"You tell that to Waluigi," Wario said as he finished off his bowl. "The guy's been whining and whining and whining to get in every single day! And I keep telling him he's in because he's an Assist Trophy, but he just doesn't listen! I mean I like the guy and all, but he doesn't know when to quit! It's driving me crazy! Where's that- HEY, WAITRESS LADY! Gimme another bowl!"
The only response he got was silence.
"WAITRESS!" Wario banged his fist on the table and looked around the restaurant. He and several of the fighters noticed something was off as they, too, surveyed the restaurant.
"Uh…" A confused Pit broke the silence. "Where'd she go?"
"Ahhhh…."
Everyone now looked to Captain Falcon, who put his bowl down with a smile on his face. "Sorry," the bounty hunter said after a satisfied sigh. "It's just that this is the best ramen I've had my whole life!" He quickly caught on to what was missing. "Hey, where'd our waitress go?" He looked at Kirby, who just shrugged while Yoshi licked the noodle off his nose.
Back at Spring Stadium, most of the contenders lay defeated and unconscious on the floor, leaving only two remaining. Kid Cobra lashed an ARM at Twintelle, who jumped over the attack and extended a coiled lock of hair at him. The pro snakeboarder ducked and leaped over the following attacks, the envelope flying free between them. While the two continued to battle it out, a hand snatched the envelope between her fingers.
Bringing the envelope to her face, Min Min smiled. "Yīgè héshì de jiǎnglì…" (A fitting reward…) she spoke as she examined it, recalling her assistance to the Smashers in rescuing the ARMS fighters that lay- literally- before her. It didn't take too long for the two still standing to notice where the envelope had gotten.
"What the- hey!" Kid Cobra cried. "Give that back!"
Donning her mask, the Ramen Bomber discarded her waitress attire, armed herself, and struck a pose facing the speed demon and the silver screen queen. "Wǒ jiēshòu!" (I accept!)
Twintelle went wide-eyed in recognition. "Min Min? What makes you think you can-"
"Who cares?! Rush her!" Kid Cobra cried, dashing towards the girl. Twintelle followed his lead, both of them launching into the air and punching downward. Min Min jumped away from the blows, sliding back as they touched down. With a cry, the Ramen bomber extended both ARMS and smashed them into both opponents at once. As they flew airborne, Min Min unleashed her Dragon ARM and flung it after them. The head opened its mouth and fired a spiral-shaped laser, blasting Kid Cobra and Twintelle out of the ring.
"What a shocking turn of events, folks!" Biff shouted from the speakers. "I'm not sure what just happened, but as long as there's a good fight, I don't mind! The winner of today's match: MIN MIN! How about we give our new Smasher a round of applause?"
The crowd cheered one more time, the sound music to Min Min's ears as she struck a victory pose with her leg stretching outward. "Wǒ ài lāmiàn!" (I love ramen!)
At the restaurant, the Smashers watched the TV with surprised faces. "Her? Really?" Pit asked in wonder. "I mean, I know she lent a hand and all…"
"It seems fitting," Ryu answered. "When more puppet fighters come, we could use her help again."
"Plus, the folks here got some sweet entertainment!" Dedede added. "Dropping an invitation in an arena and the last one standing gets it! Who's the genius who thought that up?"
Mario only gave a silent smile and a knowing look to his brother, who patted him on the shoulder just as the door to the restaurant swung open. A beaming Min Min entered and bowed before her new friends. "Wǒ huì hěn róngxìng." (I'd be honored.) she spoke calmly.
"Wǒmen hěn róngxìng tīng dào zhège xiāoxī," (And we are honored to hear that.) answered a satisfied Ryu. Min Min smiled at the street fighter's words before noticing someone standing by the wall. Captain Falcon, dressed as a waiter, gave her a sheepish wave that made her chuckle.
"Don't ask," Wario said. "And don't take too long next time."
As Min Min helped herself to a bowl of ramen, she looked out at the gathered Smashers, all with welcoming looks and smiles on their faces. Maybe one day, she'd ask the other ARMS combatants to help out when times get tough. But for now, she'd make sure they didn't regret their choice to add her to their ranks.
Also, she was starving! Taking a pair of chopsticks, Min Min held them high with another smile. "Gèwèi wā kēng!" (Dig in, everyone!) Thankfully, no one needed a translator to know what that meant.
(A/N: Nobody said having a writing career while taking college classes and a real job, all while having a habit of procrastination, was easy. There were times when I just wasn't motivated enough to work on this chapter, and patience is rare when it comes to the Internet. But, nonetheless, I got this done.
A big obstacle for me was Min Min's dialogue. Since she only speaks Chinese, I needed to find a way to work it into this chapter. Plus, I'm pretty sure the readers wouldn't want to look up the translations themselves, so I decided to put them right next to the words.
Next up is Mr. Blockhead. Since I'm actually looking forward to that fighter and the one after all, maybe I'll be better motivated. And maybe I can make some progress during winter break.)