Prologue (Part 1) - The Tournament
In the cozy confines of their house, Mario and Luigi lounged about, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. The familiar sounds of the Mushroom Kingdom drifted through the open windows, birds chirping and Toads bustling about their daily tasks.
"Mamma mia, Luigi, it's-a been a while since we've had a chance to sit back and relax like-a this," Mario remarked, leaning back in his chair.
Luigi nodded in agreement, a contented smile gracing his features as he flipped through a magazine. However, the peace was soon interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Who could that-a be?" Mario wondered aloud as Luigi rose to answer the door. It was Parakarry, who was holding a letter in his hands.
"Hey, Luigi!" Parakarry greeted cheerfully. "I've got a special delivery for Mario!"
Luigi's curiosity piqued, he accepted the letter and thanked Parakarry before closing the door. With a glance at the address, Luigi handed the letter to Mario, who eagerly tore it open. His eyes widened as he scanned its contents.
Dear Mario,
You are cordially invited to participate in the renowned Smash Tournament, hosted by Master Hand and Crazy Hand. Your presence is requested at the arena to test your skills against the greatest fighters from across the multiverse.
Sincerely, Master Hand.
"Hey-a, Luigi! It's an invitation!" Mario exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
Luigi leaned in to read over Mario's shoulder, his interest piqued. The invitation was to compete in the prestigious Smash Tournament, organized by Master Hand and Crazy Hand.
"Whoa, that sounds amazing!" Luigi exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face.
Mario's expression lit up with a mixture of surprise and anticipation. "The Smash Tournament? That's amazing! And hey, why don't we-a bring along our friends to watch us?"
Mario gathered his closest allies – Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Yoshi, and Rosalina – to accompany him to the tournament.
"It's always refreshing to step away from the Comet Observatory and have fun with you guys," Rosalina gushed.
"You're damn right Rosalina," Daisy said, "Who doesn't want to see some good ol' violence?"
"Yoshi… (Not me…)" Yoshi exclaimed.
"I agree Yoshi," Peach said, "I'm just happy we all get to watch you compete Mario."
"Aw, you guys are the best," Mario exclaimed.
...
A sense of awe washed over them as they arrived at the grand arena. Towering pillars of light surrounded by swirling energy marked the entrance, where Master Hand and Crazy Hand awaited.
"Welcome one and all to the Smash Tournament!" Master Hand bellowed.
"We have gathered some of the multiverse's greatest fighters for this tournament!" Crazy Hand said.
As the competitors assembled, a palpable tension hung in the air. Mario sized up his opponents, recognizing the likes of Kirby, Sonic the Hedgehog, Cloud Strife, Pit, Link, Captain Falcon, and Pikachu.
"Before we start," Master Hand said, "We need to figure out the opponents."
On the giant screen hovering above the stage, the order was selected. Mario was the 1st seed, Sonic was the 2nd seed, Link was the 3rd seed, Pikachu was the 4th seed, Kirby was the 5th seed, Cloud was the 6th seed, Captain Falcon was the 7th seed, and Pit was the 8th seed.
The tournament started with each match drawing thunderous applause from the spectators. The quarterfinals began with matchups that promised thrilling battles: Mario vs. Pit, Captain Falcon vs. Sonic, Cloud vs. Link, and Kirby vs. Pikachu.
Quarterfinal #1 - Mario vs. Pit
"FOR THE FIRST QUARTERFINAL MATCH, WE HAVE MARIO VS. PIT!" Master Hand bellowed.
"Wait, Mario? Is that you?" Pit asked.
"Yeah, it is…" Mario replied, confused.
"I remember when we fought together in the Subspace Emissary!" Pit exclaimed, clearly fanboying over Mario.
The arena crackled with energy as Mario and Pit faced off, their eyes locked in fierce determination. With a nod of mutual respect, they charged toward each other, fists clenched and ready for battle.
"Let's see if you've improved since-a then!" he exclaimed, launching into a flurry of punches and kicks.
Pit readied his bow, wings poised for flight. "Prepare yourself, Mario! I won't hold back!"
Pit skillfully evaded Mario's attacks, retaliating with a barrage of arrows from his trusty Palutena Bow. Mario ducked and weaved through the onslaught, clashing a punch with Pit.
Their battle raged on, each combatant refusing to back down. In a stunning display of skill, Mario unleashed a devastating combo, sending Pit crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. Suddenly, a weird floating orb appeared on the stage.
"Look at that Master Hand," Crazy Hand commented, "A Smash Ball!"
"Now this is where things get interesting folks," Master Hand exclaimed, "If you touch a Smash Ball, you gain enough power to launch a devastating attack that deals tons of damage to your opponent!"
Mario jumped up to the floating Smash Ball and punched it, shattering it. He gained an aura and power, unlike anything he'd experienced before. Mario then charged up a devastating fire attack in his hands.
"Game over, Pit! Victory is-a mine!" Mario declared triumphantly. "OH YEAH!" Mario yelled as he launched two swirling fireballs at Pit. As Pit got up, he tried blocking them, only for them to knock him off of the stage.
"Mario is your winner!" Master Hand bellowed.
Quarterfinal #2 - Sonic vs. Captain Falcon
"FOR THE SECOND QUARTERFINAL MATCH, WE HAVE SONIC VS. CAPTAIN FALCON!" Crazy Hand bellowed.
"These two are some of the fastest in their universe, but which is faster? Find out now!" Master Hand added.
"Show me your moves, Sonic!" Captain Falcon shouted as he cracked his knuckles.
"You bet," Sonic said cockily, "You may be a fast racer, but can you keep up with me?"
Sonic darted toward Captain Falcon with a burst of speed, delivering a flurry of lightning-fast punches and kicks. Captain Falcon countered with powerful kicks, each strike resonating with explosive force.
Sonic grinned cockily, his signature smirk never leaving his face. "You're too slow, Falcon! Let's kick it into high gear!" At that point, Sonic seemed to be gaining the upper hand, landing blow after blow on Captain Falcon, finishing the combo with a Homing Shot.
"Come on, Cap," Sonic teased, "I know you have more in you than that!"
Sonic then noticed a Smash Ball flying toward the center of the stage. Captain Falcon looked at it and clenched his fist. They both looked at each other before racing to grab it. They both punched it, and the clash knocked Captain Falcon to the edge of the stage.
"Look who's got the pow-" Sonic said before pausing, "Wait, WHAT?!"
He noticed Captain Falcon with a strong rainbow aura as Captain Falcon stood on his feet and smiled. "Come on! BLUE FALCON!" In a flash, Sonic was blindsided as the Blue falcon rammed into him. Captain Falcon hopped in the Blue Falcon, ramming into Sonic, nearly knocking him off the stage. Sonic performed a Homing Attack on the Blue Falcon, while Captain Falcon jumped out as it exploded.
Their battle reached a fever pitch, the arena vibrating with the intensity of their clash. Sonic winded up a punch as Captain Falcon prepared a Falcon Punch. Their punches clashed, sending a shockwave throughout the arena. After that, Sonic dashed in with a kick to Captain Falcon's head, sending him flying off the stage.
"With an epic finale to the match, Sonic moves on!" Crazy Hand bellowed.
"That was a lot tougher than I thought it would be," Sonic said, breathing heavily, "But I'm still the number one in strength and speed."
Quarterfinal #3 - Link vs. Cloud
"FOR THE THIRD QUARTERFINAL MATCH, WE HAVE LINK VS. CLOUD!" Master Hand bellowed.
Cloud and Link squared off on another platform in a clash of swords and sorcery. Their weapons gleamed in the sunlight as they circled each other, each waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Let's see what you're made of!" Cloud taunted, brandishing his iconic Buster Sword.
Link remained silent, his gaze steady as he anxiously raised his Hylian Shield. With a fierce battle cry, he charged toward Cloud, his Master Sword gleaming with divine light.
Their swords clashed with a resounding clang, sending sparks flying in all directions. Cloud unleashed a barrage of devastating sword strikes, Link negating all of them with his shield.
But Link was not to be outdone, his mastery of swordplay was unmatched in precision and skill. Link shot five arrows at Cloud, but Cloud deflected them with his blade. It was all just a distraction, and with a mighty swing of his blade, he delivered a decisive blow, sending Cloud staggering backward in defeat. Cloud got up and started charging his Limit Gauge.
Link stared intently at Cloud, before being taken aback by Cloud's aura as he finished charging his Limit Gauge. Cloud shot a Blade Beam at Link, as Link sidestepped. However, Cloud was actually aiming for the Smash Ball behind Link. Cloud looked at Link with determination as he quipped, "You're out of luck."
He deflected them with his Buster Sword as Link charged toward Cloud and swung his Master Sword. Cloud ducked under his swing and slashed Link fourteen times. Link, on his knees, jumped at Cloud to slash him. Cloud jumped over the slash, as he slammed his Buster Sword downward, creating a huge shockwave that destroyed the ground under Link, making him fall off the stage.
"What a display of skill from Cloud! He moves on to the semifinals!" Master Hand bellowed.
Quarterfinal #4 - Pikachu vs. Kirby
"FOR THE FINAL QUARTERFINAL MATCH, WE HAVE PIKACHU VS. KIRBY!" Crazy Hand bellowed.
"These two may be cute and cuddly, but can be deadly when push comes to shove! This will be a suspenseful match!" Master Hand added.
On the final platform, Kirby and Pikachu faced off. The arena crackled with electricity as Pikachu unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt, only for Kirby to swiftly dodge the attack.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu cried, his cheeks crackling with electricity as he prepared to unleash another attack.
Kirby swiftly dodged the attack as Pikachu shot an Electro Ball at the ground. Kirby easily dodged it, but couldn't see as there was a bunch of smoke. When the smoke cleared, Kirby noticed Pikachu had the same rainbow aura and was charging up Volt Tackle. Pikachu dashed forward with an electric tackle, hitting Kirby and stunning him. Pikachu repeatedly tackled Kirby before unleashing a burst of electricity, breaking part of the battlefield. However, the recoil Pikachu faced was detrimental, and Pikachu fell from the destruction he caused.
"Poyo! (Oh no!)" Kirby cried, feeling bad for Pikachu eliminating himself.
"Seems like Pikachu forgot Volt Tackle had recoil, am I right?" Crazy Hand laughed as the crowd went silent.
"Just go to the next match…" Master Hand sighed.
As the quarterfinals drew to a close, the semifinal matches commenced, the stakes higher than ever.
Semifinal #1 - Mario vs. Sonic
"FOR THE FIRST SEMIFINAL MATCH, WE HAVE MARIO VS. SONIC!" Master Hand bellowed.
"These two used to be long-time rivals, now it's time to see who's better!" Crazy Hand added.
"Let's-a do this, Sonic!" Mario exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"Come on Mario," Sonic said as he crossed his arms, "If I can beat you in the Olympics, then I can beat you in a fight!"
Mario struck Sonic with a punch before Sonic retaliated with a kick. Sonic then dashed to Mario, but Mario hit him with a backhand that knocked Sonic to the ground. Sonic used a Recovery Smash, knocking Mario square in his jaw, as the two started to fall back to the stage. While suspended in the air, Mario and Sonic clashed punches and kicks, while trading insults.
"I thought we-a put that beef aside Sonic," Mario said, "But I guess you were too much of an arrogant rat to-a understand."
"You think that war was over?!" Sonic said in rage, spiking Mario to the ground.
"You haven't seen anything yet!" Sonic yelled as he was full of rage. Sonic then came in with a Stomp, which was so powerful the entire stage broke. They both were falling when Sonic tried to kick Mario. Mario grabbed Sonic's leg, spun him around, and threw him downward. Mario soon fell after.
"A close match indeed, but Sonic fell first, so Mario is the winner!" Master Hand bellowed.
Semifinal #2 - Kirby vs. Cloud
"FOR THE FINAL SEMIFINAL MATCH, WE HAVE KIRBY VS. CLOUD!" Crazy Hand bellowed.
"There's no way," Cloud sighed in shock at seeing Kirby. Kirby looked at him with a confused look.
"There's no way I have to fight you," Cloud said, "You're like a little ball of fluff…"
Kirby brandished a determined look after Cloud said that, as he said, "Poyo! (Don't underestimate me, Cloud!)"
Cloud clashed with Kirby, the pink puffball surprising everyone with his adaptability and cunning strategies. Cloud jumped and struck Kirby with his Buster Sword, but Kirby dodged it. Kirby then inhaled a Blade Knight, turning into Sword Kirby. Cloud and the crowd were in awe.
"Did you just absorb that guy," Cloud asked in shock, "and get a sword?" Kirby nodded as he caught Cloud off guard with a sweep kick that tripped him. Cloud quickly got up as Kirby swung his sword, with Cloud guarding every strike. Cloud eventually used Cross Slash, enough to knock Kirby to the edge of the stage. Kirby then ran towards Cloud. While Cloud anticipated Kirby to strike, Kirby faked and went for the Smash Ball.
"How could I be so foolish," Cloud thought, "I should've known he would go for the Smash Ball." Kirby used the Ultra Sword, swinging it in multiple directions, slashing Cloud, before swinging the sword and knocking Cloud off the stage. Kirby's resourcefulness proved too much for Cloud to handle, and he emerged victorious.
"AND KIRBY IS YOUR WINNER!" Crazy Hand bellowed.
Finally, it all came down to the ultimate showdown in the finals. Mario and Kirby, two titans of the battlefield, stood face to face, the tournament's fate hanging in the balance.
Finals - Mario vs. Kirby
"FOR THE FINALS, WE HAVE MARIO VS. KIRBY!" Master Hand bellowed.
"These two have shown their skills in the tournament matches prior, but let's see how they fare against each other!" Crazy Hand yelled.
With a mighty roar, the final battle began.
Mario leaped into action, launching a barrage of fireballs at Kirby. But the resilient puffball dodged and weaved through the onslaught, before inhaling the fireball. Kirby shot a star at Mario who reflected it back at Kirby with his Cape. Kirby dodged it again before Mario caught him with a Super Jump Punch, launching Kirby into the air. Mario then jumped to Kirby using the platforms on the stage and spiked Kirby downward using an overhand strike. Kirby then charged towards Mario, using his Burning ability.
Mario tried to push Kirby back, but over time, he got pushed, eventually getting to the stage's edge. On his last legs, Mario struggled to hold Kirby's power back, barely hanging onto the edge of the stage. Eventually, the crowd's cheers shifted to chanting his name.
"Mario!"
"You got this!"
"YOU CAN DO IT MARIO!" Peach yelled, echoing throughout the arena.
Gaining the fans' courage and hope, Mario pushed through, hitting Kirby with a fire-infused palm strike. Kirby was launched backward.
"Poyo! (Eat this!)" Kirby said while he took out a hammer. Mario decided to do the same and charged toward Kirby. Kirby charged up and his hammer started to catch on fire. Mario was in awe, as Kirby struck him up into the air with the hammer, knocking Mario's hammer out of his hands. Mario was now defenseless, and Kirby floated up into the air and repeatedly kicked Mario. Then, Kirby took out a cutter and used the Final Cutter, sending them both into the ground.
The battle raged on, each fighter pushing themselves to their limits with skill and determination. Mario stood on one knee, arms down, panting.
"Poyo? (Are you okay?)" Kirby asked, with Mario eventually getting up on both feet.
"Yeah," Mario said while breathing heavily, "You know Kirby, you're not-a bad…"
"Poyo! (Thank you!)", Kirby responded, "Poyo! (You're not bad yourself!)"
"What d'ya say we end-a this?" Mario said as they saw the Smash Ball floating around the stage.
Mario and Kirby took turns knocking each other away from the Smash Ball. Kirby inhaled Mario and spat him out away, allowing Kirby to get the Smash Ball. Mario rushed in and kicked Kirby upward as Kirby turned to Stone Kirby, slamming into Mario with his heavy weight. Mario ran towards and performed a slide kick, which knocked the Smash Ball out of Kirby. The crowd was in shock.
"Did you see that?" Crazy Hand exclaimed.
"The Smash Ball has been knocked out of Kirby!" Master Hand said.
Mario knew this was his opportunity to strike. Mario broke open the Smash Ball, gaining its power. Kirby got up and saw him charging, and tried to use his Burning ability to dash at him quickly.
"DO IT NOW, MARIO!" Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and Rosalina all yelled.
"This is the MARIO FINALE!" Mario yelled as he launched two swirling fireballs. It engulfed half of the stage and sent Kirby flying away. In the end, Mario's courage and indomitable spirit carried him to victory. He claimed the title of champion of the Smash Tournament.
"THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS," Master Hand bellowed, "MARIO WINS THE TOURNAMENT!"
As the crowd erupted into cheers, Mario stood tall, his friends cheering him on from the sidelines. With a smile, he raised his fist in victory, knowing that no matter what, he would always rise to the occasion.
