Villains: Conker
Conker's castle, main bedroom, night
Conker tossed and turned in his sleep. This wasn't uncommon since he came to have the Smash Core. Even though he was restless, his mind was in a now-familiar state, in the midst of a lucid dream, in the center of a pitch-dark room, with a voice whispering out. His advisors all had wondered if this was the voice of the Smash Core itself, speaking out to him
"If you are lucid, not aligning with the Smash Core would be stupid" Gruntilda had told him one day over a strategy session.
Beyond this, it was starting to worry Berri. Something about the Smash Core, she had theorized, was altering his mood. He had felt it in the meeting with King K Rool. He had gone from white-hot anger, back to feeling as if he was almost high on some depressant, back to normal. Conker had avoided the voices in the dreams for months, afraid to go too deep. But, if it meant making Berri happy, and doing what was needed to achieve his plan, he'd do anything,
And so, there he was again. Whispered voices in a pitch-dark room. Conker cleared his throat,
"Okay ghost, let's make a deal."
"I am no ghost," said a static-filled, wispy voice
And then, the corporeal form took shape. A green silhouette of a man, its legs crossed in an almost mangled way, and cold, dead voids of nothingness for eyes and mouth
Conker could feel every ounce of warmth leave his body
"Tabuu" whispered Conker
Evil, callous laughter filled the air, "Yes. Long have I been thought dead. But, long have I watched. Long have I watched my sons try to control the core of the universe, a power meant for literally only me. Long have I watched you, King Red Squirrel, abuse my power. Bring back dead generals and your lover. Pathetic wants reserved for weak flesh creatures."
Conker gulped, causing the creature to laugh again
"And yet, the Smashers, those flesh beings I had my sons gather, continue to live. This despite enacting my ultimate plans nearly a decade ago. My strategy of using the very aura of the universe to sustain my existence, And yet, now I realize my error. I am all, I am everything"
From the darkness appeared seemingly infinite hands. Wherever Conker and Tabuu were, they were very clearly outside, as white-gloved hands appeared as far as Conker could see, up and out in every direction.
"These are the Hands, my sons, of every conceivable reality. I will use them to siphon the power I need to eliminate this Smash Brotherhood. And then I shall…"
"Not to interrupt" interrupted Conker, "But weren't ya in some Subspace gunk last time you did this?"
"Yes. My errors were twofold. My own pocket dimension, Subspace was a place I could hold my form together, but it was in anti-matter. Matter, the kind your world is made of, is what I need to sustain myself. And, when I went out into the corporeal world, I had a form that was ill-suited to use it for long periods of time. That's why I need you. I need to siphon Hands so I can come out to your world with enough power to take out the Smashers. This will take the length of the Smasher's tournament to accomplish. When the time comes I need you, King Red Squirrel, to serve as my corporeal form so I can strike the ultimate blow." Tabuu bookending his rant with a primal snarl
"Uh, what do we get outta this? Ya know, me and Berri…"
"You, your friends, and the allies you accrue to serve at my side will have a pocket universe in mine, free to live with all you can want, with nothing to harm you.
"If it makes Berri happy, deal!"
"Good Red Squirrel. Tell no one."
Back in the real world, Conker shot up, his fur matted with rapidly-accumulating cold sweat
"What's wrong babe?" asked Berri, also shooting up at Conker's outburst.
"Nothin, in fact, nothing will be wrong ever again. I made an arrangement, and everything gets movin at the end of the Smash tournament."
"Okay Conker. I trust you. I love you" Berri cooed, snuggling deep into his chest.
If this is the reception I get, I TOTALLY made the right decision Conker thought with glee as he ran his claws gently through Berri's hair.