Hello! :D
I'm excited for this chapter...because this is the "Whoddunit" chapter I had been planning ever since the beginning stages of planning this story!
Once again, thank you to everyone for reviewing last chapter :) And my review replies below, whether you decide to read them before or after, are surprisingly spoiler free xD
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this mystery mission! :)
Episode 4 (Part 4)
An entire Whodunnit mystery encompasses every part of the entire stadium...and every Smasher within it. After new clue after new clue...and after new suspect after new suspect...the truth is finally revealed to them all.
The seven players froze in realization.
"The saboteur of this stadium...is a fighter on the Smash roster. A person like us."
Lucina: A friend...who was no longer a friend. A fighter...whom we unfortunately now had to fight.
Wii Fit: This game...would be very interesting.
"Then the assailant is unfortunately someone we know….and very likely someone we had already met and seen tonight..." Joker put a hand to his mask. "All seven of us saw them at exactly 8:02pm on the security screen monitor, stealing the Stadium Stone gem. We can't trust anyone."
"Then what do we do?" Isabelle whispered nervously. They glanced subtly to the group of other five fighters, located not far from them: Bayonetta, Captain Falcon, Zelda, Inkling, and Olimar were sipping their drinks, smiling, standing innocently...but the players felt differently.
"There's only one thing to do: run and turn away from those other five!" DK cried in panic, grinning nervously.
"Run from them?! DK, dude, that'd look even more suspicious!" Kazooie exclaimed, then hushed to whispering, suddenly noticing how close the others were. "They're right there! ...Ahh, they're actually coming here! Act natural everyone!" Seeing the group of five Smashers approach suddenly, the Mole players tried their best to stay and act as calmly and naturally as possible. Inkling jumped up to them.
"Hey, you guys!" Inkling finally spoke, smiling and excited to see the players. "We finally meet! We've been trying to get in touch with you guys for FOREVER!"
"Hello!" The seven Mole players greeted everyone else in forced unison.
Joker: We couldn't forget: one of them was the assailant of the stadium. A merciless, hidden thief.
"We are so honored...and so gifted... to have you all here," Zelda spoke to them gratefully, closing her eyes and bowing her head to the seven. The Hyrule Princess then smiled politely. "And we find peace...and are very happy...to be together."
"Yeah...soooo veryyyyyyy happy to be together with you guys too!" DK spoke nervously with gritted teeth.
"Why do you look so nervous, DK veteran pal?" Captain Falcon laughed proudly, hitting DK on the back.
DK: Ahh! The assailant touched me!
"Are you guys the only ones...from the Smash world...who came here?" Isabelle asked them carefully. "We are wondering if any other Smash fighters came with you guys to this stadium event, actually."
"Nope, just us six!" Inkling replied. "If you're looking for any Smash players in the stadium...you're out of luck!" The seven players exchanged glances, looking at the five before them.
"Aww crap," Dark Pit said. "Then it's definitely one of them."
"Oh?" Bayonetta inquired. The five fighters looked confused. Wii Fit stepped up to them.
"Did any of you...see anything strange?" Wii Fit asked them slowly. "Anything involving this theft of the stone? We are trying to find this terrible assailant together. We figure they must be still here in the stadium." The faces of the five players turned a bit strangely and nervously to Wii Fit at her sentence. They stared at her directly with heavy eyes.
"No," Bayonetta flatly, as if angrily. The players were all taken back.
Kazooie: Hmm...just what was up with these five others?
"Oh...okay," Wii Fit replied, and then smirked. "Well, do have fun going back to flirting with the other guests on the bleachers, Bayonetta."
"Can we not get into a war with anyone else out of this game, Wii Fit?" Dark Pit hissed to her with a sigh.
"This crime is very important," Joker began to the group of five Smashers, stepping forwards, "and…" He paused.
Joker: I was about to say, "And we undoubtedly suspect one of you as the criminal of this stadium." But I simply couldn't say that. As a thief myself...I knew the assailant would simply make their next attack worse if I uttered such.
"I hope you all stay safe," Joker finished, stepping away from them. "Thank you for your time." The other players then followed him away. They all gathered on the other side of the lobby.
"Okay, there's DEFINITELY something up with those five," Dark Pit blurted suspiciously, once they were all out of earshot. "They're all evil. Kinda like me."
"So we need a suspects list, pronto," Wii Fit said, putting a finger to her chin. "Kazooie, I suggest to be ready to write it down."
"Got it!" The bird reached for her pen with her beak.
"Suspect List: Captain Falcon, Zelda, Olimar, and Inkling," DK began excitedly, as Kazooie scribbled with her beak. "Can't believe we're listing our friends!"
DK: It was a mini-game of the Mole...within our very game of The Mole! Whoa! A mole within "The Mole"!
"Bayonetta," Wii Fit sighed. Kazooie scribbled down more, humming.
Current Suspects:
Captain Falcon
Zelda
Inkling
Bayonetta
Olimar
Kazooie laughed, looking at the list...confused.
"What?" Wii Fit asked.
"Why did Inkling say 'Us six'?" Kazooie remembered. "Weird."
Then, they all heard Lucina gasp. Everyone turned to the warrior princess.
"What...is it?" Wii Fit asked her cautiously.
"Where is...Corrin?" Lucina spoke quietly. "She was upstairs earlier in the stadium arena...but not here in the lobby with the others." It was a simple element that they all overlooked, as their eyes widened. Corrin was absent.
"What the heck...you're so right!" Kazooie exclaimed, almost dropping her pen. "Where is she?! I saw Corrin earlier upstairs with the others too!"
"So our last Smash suspect just happens to be missing from the lobby...very convenient," Dark Pit said suspiciously, folding his arms.
"We split," Joker decided. Everyone turned to him.
"Are you sure….you want to do that, Joker?" Wii Fit told him slowly with a smile.
"It's the only way to cover ground. We make teams and cover all areas." The others nodded with agreement.
"Then I need someone strong to complement my running," Wii Fit sighed, turning to DK. "And to defend me if the perpetrator, most likely Bayonetta, decides to personally attack me."
"I'm strong! I'm very strong!" DK bellowed, as if the others were unaware of his brute strength and force. "And I'm a real Smash fighter against anyone! I can beat Captain Falcon too!" No one doubted him or cared.
"Then I wanna work with Dark Pit then, cause then we both can fly and look over the stadium!" Kazooie considered excitedly.
"How many times does Smash Host have to tell us both?" Dark Pit sighed. "If we fly ever... we're penalized!"
"Then Isabelle and Joker: us three...we will work together," Lucina said confidently. The three of them faced each other, as a team and looking ready.
"Although...we need to prioritize suspects," Joker thought, nodding. "We all know for a fact that the perpetrator was of medium height to taller height, due to the stone pedestal's height."
"For now, maybe we can put trust in Inkling and Olimar then!" Isabelle considered with relief. "We'll interview our smaller friends more, over the others, and ask them questions about the other four. We'll consider them on our team for now!"
Current Suspects:
Higher Priority:
Captain Falcon
Zelda
Bayonetta
Corrin
Lower Priority:
Inkling
Olimar
"Then let's just ask—-" But as they turned back to the other side of the lobby, the seven players realized an unfortunate fact. It was now empty...and the five Smash fighter guests had all left. None of them were present anymore. The players stared at the empty section of the lobby...startled and dismayed.
"The criminal...is now loose…" Lucina whispered with apprehension.
"Oh no..." And the detectives all felt as if the thief of the stadium was now out of their grasps...and was ready to strike disaster again.
MISSION: STADIUM SABOTEUR
1 HOUR AND 40 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
DK and Wii Fit traveled through the damp, disheveled, furthest back-located hallway of the underground world of Pokémon Stadium. They were stepping cautiously through the dimmed light...and avoiding any unfortunate, wet water puddles along the dark way.
"I am not a fan of this dark basement area," Wii Fit said with dismay, watching her foot placements and nearly stepping into a large puddle.
"This was a scary and weird place for us to search!" DK exclaimed, gripping his flashlight tightly in the dark and shining it everywhere. "Why'd you choose to come here, out of all places...yeow!" He shouted suddenly, having almost tripped on a wooden crate.
Wii Fit smiled. "I thought you liked adventure, DK." Then, she froze...as she pointed ahead with her light.
"What...are...those?" she noticed, eyes fixed to her own flashlight spot. In the dim light...they noticed a pair of objects leaning against the wall, as if placed carefully. The two of them exchanged glances, then walked over to the mysterious objects: two long, wooden sticks.
"Sticks...phew, just boring, unscary sticks, haha!" DK chuckled. "But...wait...they look...new?!" In comparison to the other rotten, wooden debris scattered around them...the two sticks had a slight shine to them...as if they had been sharpened and fresh. Wii Fit picked one of them up, cautiously and carefully.
"Perhaps these aren't just...simply random sticks," she spoke slowly. Examining them, Wii Fit's eyes fell on small platforms jutting out from the centers of each stick. She paused.
"Maybe they're...just possibly...objects to assist in walking. Objects such as stilts."
"Stilts?!" DK exclaimed. "This is a stadium crime scene, not a circus! What do these have to do with anything existing here?"
"Well, I really don't know," Wii Fit sighed, taking out her own notepad, "but DK: we must assume everything is important."
Then...they heard a sound in the darkness behind them.
"Did you hear that?" Wii Fit whispered. Then...footsteps. They looked at each other in panic.
DK turned around, shining his flashlight.
"Nah, I don't think there's anyone here—- AHHHHH!" He screamed.
"AHHH!" Pikachu blocked his face from the large flashlight glare, shouting too. It was him.
"Pikachu?!" DK lowered his flashlight. Now in front of them, Pikachu and Jigglypuff both stood, startled. The four of them had all run into each other, and were now all together.
"What are you guys doing here?" Wii Fit exclaimed. The two Pokémon brushed themselves off.
"Well, we were inspired a bit by you guys!" Jigglypuff voiced, singing. "We're now on our own adventure to find the criminal! Helping you all out! And I think we're doing really well...the perpetrator is in grasp!" Wii Fit laughed lightly.
"Oh boy. Well, at least you guys aren't GHOSTS!" DK shuddered, bothered by the dark surroundings they were in and looking frightenedly around. "I wanna get out of this part of the stadium!"
"What exactly are you holding in your hands?" Pikachu asked Wii Fit, seeing her holding one of the shiny sticks.
"Oh, these weird sticks?" Wii Fit asked. "We're not sure what these are, honestly. But these two sticks look like either a sort of pair of weapons...or stilts...or walking supporters... of some sorts."
"It looks like nothing to me," Jigglypuff giggled.
"Perhaps...but it's good to note everything down," Wii Fit shrugged, taking out her notepad to write the notes about her finding.
2 Wooden Sticks found
Maybe walking supporters or stilts?
"Be careful; there must be a limited amount of paper in that notepad," Pikachu spoke to her, frowning. "We don't want to waste paper by writing down useless information that's not important."
"Well, true...but we never know what is crucial and what's not," Wii Fit replied with a shrug, and she smiled defiantly at the yellow Pokémon. "These stilts could be something crucial, and we should jot everything down. Don't you think, Pikachu?" He frowned at her.
"Yeah, haha. We both really have NO idea what we're even doing," DK laughed. "But we're all working together to find the perpetrator! And no matter how hard it is, that's the game!" Pikachu thought, and sighed.
"I suppose you're right," he stated, nodding. Then, the yellow Pokémon leaned a little bit closer to DK, smiling.
"You're a Smash veteran," Pikachu whispered with a grin. "And me too. We're on the same team. We can beat this together. But in the end...just remember. You can't trust the one closest to you in the end of all things. Find the perpetrator...you can do it." DK's eyes looked perplexed at Pikachu, but he just nodded.
"Anyhow, we should all really go," Jigglypuff chided to Pikachu, grabbing him by the neck. "I really don't think anything is useful here. You both should leave too! This area is just oh-so depressing! Go to safer areas, I suggest! We'll be off as well."
"I suppose you're both ultimately right," Wii Fit replied with a nod. "See you both later." She and DK gave appreciative looks to the duo, and then they all walked off. Wii Fit and DK continued down the dark hallway.
"Wow...at least we now have two more people trying to get this bad thief," DK realized with a reinvigorated smile. "The thief of the stadium is gonna be caught in no time!"
"Oh, what did Pikachu whisper to you anyway?" Wii Fit wondered, chuckling. "It seemed humorous."
"Veteran stuff," DK shrugged. "And encouragement to catch the thief? I have no idea! It was a mix of things and words!"
"Oh, you Smash veterans," Wii Fit laughed, sighing too. "You all seem to have this rather exclusive bond… but doesn't it simply strengthen the contention and competitiveness against the other generations? Such flawed sentiments."
"No, not at all!" DK laughed, waving his large hand in denial. "You guys are great!"
"Then I suppose us Smash 4 characters are very superior in comparison to you old folks."
"Hey! That's NOT what I meant!"
Stadium Saboteur Mission
1 HOUR AND 37 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
When the trio entered the main stadium area…the cheers of the crowds were heard again and flooded their ears. Everything was amplified and strong, and they were taken back once again by the loud noise of the stadium world. Joker, Lucina, and Isabelle stared around, a bit lost at first at the ocean of visitors and spectators surrounding them. But after they looked at their surroundings one more time...and heard a familiar voice...they were able to remember just where they had left off.
"There...!" Isabelle shouted, pointing. She spotted Smash Host, pointing to him, not far away
"I really want a Diglett Hotdog...I just don't know where my credit cards are! I even had three of them!" The host's ridiculous bantering with the food vendor is what helped the Mole players find their original spot. And from their original spot...they all stared to another section in the stands that looked familiar: it was where they had spotted the other Smash fighter guests earlier. Nodding, they ran to them.
1 HOUR AND 35 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
"Oh hey! We all left the lobby and came back to enjoy the fight!" Inkling called, waving them down as she saw the three Mole players approach them. Olimar, too, was recording the fight on his camera. And Captain Falcon flashed a smile to them as well, but then turned quickly back to the action-packed fight in excitement.
And the one, new person they saw, sitting next to Inkling in Captain Falcon in peace, surprised them all completely: it was Corrin. The trio of Mole detectives gasped: she was finally present.
"Oh...hello," the silver-haired swordwoman spoke, voice soft and polite to them all and finally acknowledging them. "It gives me great happiness, and much relief...to see you three here."
Joker: And we all knew...she was our biggest suspect.
"Corrin...please don't mind me asking...but are you aware of something sinister going on at the present time being?" Lucina asked her slowly. The silver-haired fighter gave a silent face of perplexment to them.
"I...don't understand," she replied to them.
"Because when the others left these stands twenty minutes ago...and you were here remaining on these stands during the battle show...you didn't question at all where the other five had gone and deserted to?" Joker questioned her. "Why didn't you follow them to the lobby?" Surprised, Corrin opened her mouth slowly.
"Actually, Corrin came down with us to the lobby!" Captain Falcon butted in, joining their conversation. The Mole players looked at him in surprise... then slowly back at Corrin.
"Then...why didn't we see you down there in the lobby with the others?" Joker added, eyeing her suspiciously. Corrin gasped.
"Where were you?"
"I…." But before Corrin, with a hesitant face, could finish her sentence...they all heard Isabelle make a loud yelp sound. Everyone turned to the little dog, but the small player herself was looking at another person with new interest and wide eyes: Olimar.
"Olimar," Isabelle began quickly and carefully to him, as if she had realized something important, and the little spaceman turned around at his name, startled. "Sorry to ask, but may we see...the footage on your video camera? It can help us!" And Lucina and Joker's eyes immediately widened.
Joker: And we suddenly knew: Olimar's camera was our hidden key to discovering the truth.
"Uh...I guess," Olimar replied timidly, holding the camera up to them. "I did record a lot indeed. Why?"
"And you have time stamps on your recorded video footage?" Joker asked him. Everyone looked at Olimar in anticipation, eyes wide.
"Indeed," Olimar nodded.
"Show us 8:02 P.M."
"What is going on?!" Captain Falcon shouted, looking the most worked up and confused of the entire group. All seven gathered Smash fighters seemed to stare with anticipation and anxiety as Olimar began to rewind his camera, the footage being seen upon the small video screen. They saw blurs of the fight, and blurs of the crowds...and finally, the time displayed in the bottom-right hit the important 8:02pm.
"8:02 is when the crime happened…" Lucina whispered, as everyone turned to her. "Whoever is in this video at 8:02 on the stadium stands...is not the perpetrator." Everyone held their breaths.
On the camera, they saw the battling stage. The Sandslash and Vileplume from before were now fighting new opponents. Then, they saw Olimar's own hand, as he turned the camera towards the crowd...to the people sitting right next to him.
Corrin and Inkling were present on film.
"They're innocent," Lucina breathed. The three players turned to Corrin.
"What…is this about?" Corrin's face was surprised.
Lucina: I was relieved...because she was a woman I trusted very deeply. I had faith in her innocence.
"The saboteur of this stadium is a Smash fighter," Joker revealed, and everyone gasped. "Olimar...you're holding a piece of incriminating evidence." Olimar's eyes shot open, studying his own camera again with new panic.
"Should I burn this?" Olimar stuttered nervously.
"No!"
"We...suspected you...Corrin...I'm so sorry!" Isabelle confessed, her face sad and appearing guilty to her. "But now, we now know you're innocent, because you were on Olimar's camera at the time of the crime!"
"Does that mean I'm in the clear too, since I appeared on camera? I'm in the shiny clear?" Inkling said, laughing and a little happily herself.
"Yes," Joker stated. The masked man then turned to Captain Falcon.
"And, Falcon, my friend...you are not."
"What!" The racer turned to them with exclamation. "That is totally absurd! I went to the bathroom at that time!" Everyone turned to the tall man.
"You're not here on camera at 8:02...neither at 8:03...but at 8:04, you are back…but you are missing from the stadium stands at the very important 8:02 time of the crime...along with Zelda and Bayonetta," Isabelle said worriedly, looking at the screen.
"Like I said: I went. To. The. Bathroom!"
"Or perhaps went to a certain lobby to commit a certain action?" Joker claimed with a smile. Captain Falcon glared at him.
"Listen, you kid, I'm not the—!"
"He's...not the perpetrator," Corrin said suddenly...and all their eyes turned to the swordswoman with mystification.
"What? How do you know!?" The Mole players, and everyone else too...turned to her in surprise.
What?!" Captain Falcon shouted. "How can you be certain it's not me? Not saying it is!"
Corrin took in a breath. "Because... I saw the perpetrator myself. While the others were in the lobby around 8:10pm talking to you all...I had gone to the security room at that time." Everyone gasped.
"Indeed," Smash Host announced, and everyone turned to the food-deprived host himself, who was now standing behind them all. He smiled. "Corrin was randomly selected before this game to play an important role in this mystery mission: To visit the security room after the crime. To where she could replay and watch the footage of the perpetrator in the lobby. And get one question about the identity of the perpetrator answered." Corrin nodded deeply...then unearthed a small, mechanical device from her pocket. It was a pointer.
"I was told...that this device could identify certain qualities about a person...by pointing this device at them," Corrin explained. "Yet, I could only use it once."
"Like an identity identifier?!" Isabelle said with surprise.
"If I pointed it at someone...it would give me either their height, their gender, or their incentive. I turned this dial...to determine gender. I felt it would help us the most in eliminating and narrowing down to a suspect." She paused. "And I pointed the device...at the perpetrator on the monitor." The players gasped.
"Hmm, intelligent choice," Joker admitted, nodding.
"Corrin," Lucina spoke carefully, putting a hand gently on her shoulder. "Please...tell us if you will…what gender was the perpetrator when you pointed the light at their body on the screen, as indicated by the device?" The players, Smash fighters, and even the host himself were silent. All eyes were on Corrin...and she herself closed her own eyes.
"The perpetrator...was female." Everyone went still. Amidst the loud crowds, they were shocked at the revelation.
"The thief...is female…?" Isabelle gasped in disbelief.
"Hey. Well," Captain Falcon laughed, breaking the mood of surprise among them. "At least you know it's not me! As graceful and amazing as I am, I'm afraid I'm not female!"
"You're still so beautiful to us all, Falcon, don't worry," Inkling teased with a giggle.
"Is this identifying device confirmed to be part of this game and accurate?" Joker said with skepticism, turning to the host.
"Yes...the device only speaks the one-hundred percent truth," Smash Host nodded to them. "And as indicated by Corrin's pointing at the cloaked figure on the monitor screen...the perpetrator was indicated, by the pointer device, as female." Joker, Lucina, and Isabelle turned to each other. "
"So that states it…"
"It can't be Captain Falcon or Olimar…because the assailant is female…."
"And it can't be Corrin or Inkling either...because they were both seen on Olimar's camera at the crime's time..."
"So that just leaves one question." Joker eyed the four Smash visitors. Two people were missing.
"Bayonetta...and Zelda...just where are they?"
The trio of detectives now seemed closer and closer to the truth.
Dark Pit and Kazooie stood in the middle of the lobby, blank-faced.
"We're... not getting anywhere near the truth," Dark Pit realized. "I feel dumber than ever."
Dark Pit: We really weren't.
"Maybe we should head to...wait….Kazooie, are you seriously getting Pokesnacks right now?" Dark Pit stammered, seeing Kazooie already standing over at the snack stand. The red bird turned around...three bags of popcorn in her wings and mouth already stuffed.
"Hey, we need...chomp!... energy to solve this mystery...right?" Kazooie munched, further stuffing her mouth with more caramel-flavored popcorn. She burped. "Want some?" Dark Pit was speechless.
Stadium Saboteur Mission
1 HOUR AND 20 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
"We searched seven hallways in this underground labyrinth...set some little traps in case...and then we just ended up back here in the lobby," Kazooie considered with another crunch, thinking about their past forty minutes in the game. The two of them stared at the Darkrai statue before them. It was once grand and significant...but now, without its important, lost gem….it's status was gone. Dark Pit sighed.
"It doesn't make sense," Dark Pit thought. "Who's the saboteur? Why can't we find anyone? Or anything? Nothing. Makes. Sense."
"Hey, you know what else doesn't make sense?" Kazooie thought, and she suddenly stopped eating. She was thinking very hard...and then swallowed her last popcorn before speaking.
"I don't know."
"Dark Pit, why the heck were we brought to that security room in the first place to?" Kazooie spoke to him .
"To just witness the crime? Duh," Dark Pit replied.
"But for what reason? What did we even deduce from the footage? Only that the perpetrator is tall? We already could determine that by the height of the pedestal." Dark Pit turned to her.
"What are you saying?" he asked, confused.
"I think there's something in that security room we're missing," Kazooie answered. "And we're supposed to go back there...because it's super important or something. We definitely need to find something else. Either in that room itself...or on the video footage of the crime theft." Dark Pit paused.
"Yeah...it was a strange room. And that was indeed strange security footage. So...do you think we should go back to it?" They turned to each other...and nodded with determined grins.
And the two of them would soon be closer, headed to the truth….very soon, closer to the truth than any of the others would be.
Stadium Saboteur Mission
1 HOUR - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
In the dark hallway...Wii Fit stopped suddenly. She turned to shine her flashlight around, her face startled.
"Did you...hear that?" she whispered, looking a bit guarded.
"Huh?" DK was in front of her, walking a bit haughtily. "I'm too brave to be worried about anything else! I can't hear anything...cause I'm not scared of this dark!" Wii Fit rolled her eyes as they both continued on.
"I think we're almost out of this horror zone," Wii Fit realized with relief, seeing a small slimmer of light at the end of the hallway.
"Any bets on who the perpetrator is?" DK asked her. "The famous criminal of Pokémon Stadium?" Wii Fit smiled.
"I want to hear your bets first," she replied.
"It's probably Captain Falcon, and Smash Host is trying to trick me and make it a veteran who's the assailant, so that I wouldn't guess them...when they in fact are!" DK voiced, sounding disappointed and fearful. Wii Fit shook her head.
"I'm afraid you're wrong," she replied. "It's definitely Bayonetta. Did you see the way she looked at me competitively and with disdain?"
"Well, whatever! We'll solve this all in no time!" DK said confidently. Suddenly, his smile gleamed even more. Wii Fit smiled too, looking as well.
The light at the end of the hallway was even larger...and there was a door.
"Wii Fit! We're finally there!" he shouted gleefully, turning around. "We're…"
He stopped in confusion. Suddenly... as DK turned around...there was only darkness and silence.
"Uhh, Wii Fit? You there?!" Her flashlight was off and gone, and there was nothing else behind him…. but pitch darkness.
"Very funny, Wii Fit…!" he sighed, face annoyed. "...but you can stop your pretending ...I'm not scared!"
But from the darkness...DK heard a sound. And it was thankfully Wii Fit...but her speaking was different from her usual voice.
"...Mmmphmmm…mmmmph…!" It was unmistakably the voice of the trainer, albeit strange, but DK laughed.
"You scared me enough, gee! Stop playing around!" he laughed. "Let's go! We have less than an hour remaining…" But he heard another sound from Wii Fit as well...this time...more panicked and muffled in tone. And DK's mouth dropped.
"MMmmmhhhhmm!" was Wii Fit's second, more haunting tone. "Mmmmp—-HELP! It's...it's...DK!" DK froze with shock.
"...what?!"
"AAAAAAHHH!" At her second scream, DK jumped into action and ran forwards into the dark, his face panicked.
"Where are you?!" he yelled, blindly in the dark. "What's happening!"
"It's...!" she yelled. "The crimi...get your hands off me!" There was a thud against the wall. The commotion continued, and Wii Fit was able to grab DK's arm for a second...before she fell away. Everything seemed chaotic in the dark.
"Ahh! Where are you?!" Then, DK heard Wii Fit gasp one more sentence...one last sentence.
"It's...you," Wii Fit stuttered, her eyes wide.
And then...as if she didn't exist anymore...the air was silent.
DK heard a loud thud, as if someone had fallen to the ground. Nothing else was in the darkness...and DK realized a fact: he had lost his own flashlight in the commotion. He blinked in the dark….breathing heavily and terrified.
And then, in the dark...something began to gleam brightly. But it wasn't a flashlight….rather, something else. The new object shined against the light that came from the end of the hallway...glowing eerily and brightly. Spherical...in the darkness...DK saw an object gleam, as a chill went down his spine
It was the Stadium Stone...and it was being held in the hands of the thief.
"The cr-criminal..." the ape stuttered in horror. "...Sh-Show yourself!"
But then, the stone's gleam disappeared. A second later...there was only silence. DK turned around….and took in a breath.
"YOU CAN'T GET ME TOO!" he yelled, panicked in a frenzy, spinning around and waving his fists, jumping up and down in fear and trepidation and hitting all around him. "YOU CAN'T GET ME! I'M A DETECTIVE, AND WE'RE ALL GONNA SOLVE THIS CRIME! WE'RE ALL GONNA—-"
And then, with a swift motion...he was captured by the thief.
And from then...only five detectives remained to solve the mystery of Pokemon Stadium.
Stadium Saboteur Mission
50 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
Ten minutes later…Lucina, Isabelle, and Joker had found who they were looking for in the main hallway.
"Greetings….you two lovely, suspicious ladies."
"Oh…." Bayonetta and Zelda, eyes wide, had just finished purchasing souvenir coupon tickets. And unfortunately for them both...had run into the trio of detectives in the hallway en route back to the stadium stands.
Joker: Unfortunately...they would not be making it back to the stadium to watch the exciting fight. Sorry, girls.
45 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
"Ugh! How harsh this all is…" They were now all in a room that represented a detective interrogation room. It was as if the room itself was designed for the purpose of the mission only, and nothing else. But as the trio of players faced each other with determination and uncertainty...Bayonetta and Zelda were now sitting in two chairs in the middle of a spacious office room...captured themselves...with nowhere to go.
"This is just so cruel...just cornering them..." Isabelle voiced worriedly with a guilty face.
"I agree," Lucina spoke softly, not looking comfortable as well. "But it is necessary to do...for this all to end." Joker got a chair and sat in front of the two Smash fighters. As Joker smiled, Bayonetta faced him defiantly.
"Hmm...just how very ironic this all is," Bayonetta spoke heatedly to him. "Someone like you accusing me of being a thief."
"I just want us to find the Mole of this episode," Joker shrugged. "No harm, no harm." Zelda gave a worried face to them all.
"Zelda...we are not sure if one of you is the perpetrator or not," Lucina began slowly to the Hyrule princess, looking sorry, towards her, "but... we are only basing this on the fact that...you and Bayonetta were not present in the stadium at the time of the crime at 8:02pm."
"Then I understand," Zelda replied back, sadly yet respectfully. "That is a potential aspect of incrimination ...that cannot be denied. I will wait here...until I can prove my innocence."
"You are all clearly mistaken, about me, then," Bayonetta laughed, sitting back in her chair, the tall woman looking a bit relaxed. "I believe I was in the stadium at around 8:02." The players turned to her suspiciously.
"But then... why aren't you on Olimar's camera then at that time?" Isabelle wondered.
"Because I stepped a few rows down to get a closer look at the magnificent battle during that exact time," she replied. Then, her mouth curled into a smile, as her red lipstick shined out to them as she spoke her next sentence.
"Just look...into my eyes," she whispered in an alluring, soft tone. The others were confused...but then realized something.
"Your...glasses...are gone," Isabelle gasped. "And you didn't have them earlier this whole day either!"
"Hmm…" Joker studied her eyes: there were no contacts in the woman's eyes either.
"I just mistakenly forgot to bring them today...so I stepped closer to the stage around that time to get a closer, better view of the fight...walking away from Olimar and the others," Bayonetta sighed loudly. "My poor eyesight is causing me to be suspicious, I'm afraid. But if you were to ask any of the spectators near where I newly sat...why, I even gave my phone number to a gentleman down there and sent a text with a timestamp."
"So someone else can verify your alibi..." Lucina realized.
"This is all a very suspicious story," Joker sounded, still not convinced. But Lucina turned to him.
"If Bayonetta were truly the assailant...why would she choose to have poor vision in committing such an important, high-detailed task of stealing a gem?" Lucina thought. "Surely…if she was the criminal...she would not have forgotten to strengthen her sight. I strongly believe..it cannot be her." Joker nodded slowly, realizing she was right.
"And I can strip my clothing off right now to show you I'm not hiding a spare pair of glasses anywhere."
"Whoa," Joker uttered.
"Umm, that won't be necessary! We trust you!" Isabelle smiled with a nervous laugh. "Ahehe! Oh dear…" The trio turned to Zelda.
"Zelda...we all just now... have one question for you," Lucina said to her softly. "If you could tell us where you were at 8:02...then we would be able to confirm whether you are the saboteur of this stadium or not."
Stadium Saboteur Mission
40 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
Kazooie and Dark Pit entered back into the bright, all-important room where their mystery had all begun...the bright security room of Pokémon Stadium. The monitors were all lit up, decorating the wall in strong lights and glows. The two of them stared at the many screens...confused.
"I wonder if we can rewind the footage on any of these monitors," Dark Pit thought. "And maybe see if we can discover more of the criminal and where they came from... before they committed that darn lobby heist."
"Fat chance," Kazooie discovered, her eyes seeing a lock, a wooden barrier, and a glass covering blocking the flat, long control panel controlling the screens. She sighed...but then Kazooie noticed something.
"One button is exposed...what?" She immediately went to press the red button on the side of the panel, unprotected by any glass or wood...and then stepped back.
Pzzzzt...FLASH! The most top-right monitor flashed on again, and on that very screen...they saw the fated, important footage of the stone heist once again. Kazooie and Dark Pit watched the recorded footage for their second time, as the dark, cloaked figure moved and wobbled to the Darkrai statue...and to the stone within the lobby. Then...the stone was taken, and it was no more.
Kazooie pressed the red button again. The footage reset...and it played once again. She made a sound of thinking.
"Okay, this exposed button on this panel is definitely on purpose," Kazooie said flatly. "They want us to watch the footage again and again." She stared suspiciously at the monitor, the crucial, sole screen showing the important footage of the stadium crime. "Maybe there's something in the crime footage that we missed. Something...that might help us discover who the saboteur of the stadium is."
Kazooie: So we did what detectives did best...do detective work.
And they continued to investigate heavily for five whole minutes. As Kazooie searched every inch of the room...Dark Pit searched every inch upon the monitor.
But neither of them were making any progress.
"Do you see anything new or important in the crime video footage?" Kazooie finally asked her partner. "This room is rather interesting...but empty." While she was scavenging and looking around the security room for any clues...Dark Pit was watching and pressing the button for the fifteenth time, seeing the recording of the crime...once again.
"Nope," he said, bored and frustrated. "There's literally almost no other visual clues in the crime scene footage that I'm even able to notice, well, except for the weird wobbling of the criminal, which we already discussed."
"Hmm, let's switch…" Kazooie's eyes caught sight of the map of the stadium's underground on the wall.
"Cool map...wait…" Kazooie studied the large map of the stadium and its multiple areas on the wall of the security room even further. She stared at it….and then made a sudden sound of realization and thinking, staring at the intricate stadium map in silence and confusion. She then chuckled.
"That...makes...no sense," she thought our loud, raising her eyebrow.
"What doesn't?" Dark Pit called, pressing the red button for the seventeenth time.
"So according to this map...the security room is a lot closer to the crime location than any of the stadium spectator exits. So…" She stopped suddenly...realizing something.
"So?" Dark Pit wondered.
"...if we all ran extremely fast from this security room to the lobby directly after the crime occurred...then how did so many stadium guests make it to the scene before we did?" Dark Pit stopped in thought too, considering it.
"Maybe...we were a lot slower than we thought…?" Dark Pit guessed. "We did delay a lot. Or...maybe that map is incorrect or wrong."
Kazooie put a wing to her chin. Her eyes narrowed down onto the map. Everything was mysterious.
"Hmm...something doesn't add up about all this."
Stadium Saboteur Mission
35 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
Zelda sat still, her eyes focused on Joker, Lucina, and Isabelle….and their eyes were focused on her.
"I was away from the stadium stands at 8:02...the alleged time of the crime...because I was on a personal request." The words from the princess' mouth were not enough to convince the three detectives.
"A personal request?" Isabelle asked, looking confused.
"Yes," Zelda replied.
"What personal request?" Lucina asked softly.
"I...cannot say."
"I cannot say?!" Joker reiterated, almost jumping out of his seat. He took a quick breath, then calmed down.
"Zelda...your answer of 'I cannot say' is not convincing us to eliminate you from our suspects list, so, I'm afraid you're going to be marked as one of our three suspect choices in the end."
"But...what can I say to convince you otherwise?" she spoke with dismay.
"Well...maybe you can tell us why you can't say and talk about what this personal request is about?" Isabelle suggested in a friendly tone to her, smiling. "Maybe you would be okay with sharing that aspect?" Zelda closed her eyes, then nodded.
"Because it is a surprise for the people and children of Hyrule...and if I say it here...it may air on the television and be revealed for the people in my land." The players were first confused...but then amidst their confusion, they slowly understood.
"Umm…" Isabelle turned to Smash Host, who for the most part, was standing in the corner as an overseer. But then...the hatted man himself smiled.
"Don't worry," he grinned. "We'll cut out the next five minutes from television." And Zelda, feeling more free, decided to state her reason.
Stadium Saboteur Mission
30 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
Dark Pit groaned, looking away from the monitor screen after his heavy, unstopped staring. He closed his eyes in pain, rubbing them.
"Argh...my eyes hurt!" he moaned. "We're getting nowhere! I give up! Goodbye!"
"Hey, that's not the winning attitude of a star!" Kazooie scolded him, walking over to the screens and control panel as well. "We're star detectives!"
"Are we even star detectives?" Dark Pit thought doubtedly.
"One can't be a star detective without the confidence, can they?" she winked, pressing down on the red button once more. The footage of the heist replayed.
"Ugh…" Dark Pit groaned, and stretched his body across the panel in front of him in a tired, relaxed position…and as he did, and as both he and Kazooie pressed the red button for the twenty-ninth time...he inadvertently also pushed the volume of the footage a bit louder. The volume went up just slightly.
And then...they both heard something new.l and undiscovered. It was a sound...a sound that neither of them had heard before from the recording...that caught both of their ears immediately.
"...wait." Kazooie stopped, turning slowly to the screen in silence at the new audio.
Kazooie: And that unbelievable sound we heard...changed everything we knew about the whole game.
Kazooie and Dark Pit both stared at the monitor, then to each other, in stunned silence.
"Did you...hear that?" Kazooie asked, eyes wide.
"Yeah…I did...was that...?" Dark Pit turned to the screen in confusion. And then, they pressed the replay button down...just one more time.
And then they heard it again in the background of the footage.
It was the faint echo of a creature heard emitted from the screen. The cry of the large Pokémon was unmistakable.
"Louuuuudreeeed." It was the faint roar of a gigantic Loudred, echoing so loudly, it was caught on the lobby camera.
"...it's the Pokémon Loudred, fighting on stage," Dark Pit confirmed, eyes even more perplexed. "Wait...hold on…"
"…But it can't be!" Kazooie's face was still…but her eyes were mystified and baffled. She shook her head.
Kazooie: I thought I was going crazy….
"Dark Pit…" she began to him slowly, swallowing, "When we were brought down with Smash Host...at the time when we left the stadium stands…Loudred was no longer battling on stage. I'm not crazy, right?" Dark Pit's face changed completely.
"Then, wait... why," Dark Pit began, uttering his next sentence with alarm, "Why...is Loudred heard on the audio at the time of the crime at 8:02?" he asked slowly.
Kazooie gulped. She finally discovered the truth.
"Dark Pit….because the crime never happened at 8:02."
"What….?"
"When we first saw that footage of the crime in the security room...it wasn't live."
Stadium Saboteur Mission
25 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
"I had gone to buy souvenirs at 8:02." It was Zelda's simple answer. Joker, Lucina, and Isabelle blinked.
"For who?"
"For the children...of Hyrule. We are surprising them in two weeks for Children's Day." Joker, Lucina, and Isabelle all turned to each other after hearing Zelda's sentence.
Lucina: Would she lie about giving to children...to hide her identity as the saboteur?
"She is innocent," Lucina said finally. Joker and Isabelle turned to her.
"What? You're kidding," Joker began, but Lucina shook her head.
"I feel it...the warmth of Zelda's heart...through her words and reasons," Lucina continued to explain. "And the warmth of her intentions. She is not the saboteur." Joker was silent. But then, Isabelle slowly nodded too.
"Imagine...lying about helping children, to cover up a crime...?" Isabelle spoke with an alarmed expression. "Just...no way! Zelda would never do that!"
"Hmm...I suppose." Joker then then turned to Zelda, who faced him in surprise. He glanced over at Bayonetta too ...then spoke to them both.
"I don't know how we came to this conclusion...but the jury has decided. You're both innocent."
Stadium Saboteur Mission
20 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
"Are you serious?" Dark Pit turned to Kazooie, who was now writing and drawing out a complicated diagram on her notepad paper. "Your theory is...that nothing we saw was live at 8:02 in the security room?"
"Exactomundo: It's the only explanation," she stated, scribbling her last diagram. "That's why there were so many guests and police officers already at the crime scene when we got there: it already happened long before we got there! In the end, the theft must have happened at least before 8PM...because that's when the Loudred was switched out off the stage, remember?" Dark Pit nodded, overwhelmed, but finally understanding.
"Who knew a scream of a big Pokemon could be so revealing to the truth?" Dark Pit murmured, shaking his head.
"And the reason Smash Host brought us to the security room...was to trick us and think we were watching live footage!"
"But why would the game producers and makers try to trick us with the time?" Dark Pit thought, confused. Kazooie shrugged.
"I really blank out on that...but, oh well...thank you, good ol' Loudred." And then, her beak dropped open, stunned beyond belief. Next to the map she had studied before...was a poster she had glanced over before many, many times, initially ignoring it, and regrettably so. But her eyes shined newer now: the image on the poster displayed none other than Loudred himself.
Kazooie: It couldn't be a coincidence. Nope. No, no, no.
Kazooie ran up to the wall, startling Dark Pit. But then, with a single dart forwards, and a diagonal tear with her sharp beak, she ripped the tape off from the poster as it fell down to the ground. Dark Pit backed away.
"...the truth." Kazooie picked up the poster with certainty...and the two detectives saw numbers on the back of the poster: the answer to their mystery.
7:49pm
"Is that…" Dark Pit stuttered. Kazooie nodded with a relieved look.
"The real time of the theft. It's gotta be. 7:49pm. Way before we original thought." Looking too, Dark Pit gasped.
"...You're kidding me," he whispered. "That's thirteen minutes earlier than we thought it had happened! All seven of us were still in the stadium at that time! So many people and other Smashers were just sitting in the stadium at that time too!" They both were silent...mystified.
"I wonder who wasn't in the stadium at that time," Kazooie said slowly and nervously. They faced each other. That was the key.
Dark Pit: Suddenly...it was my turn to be a hero.
"Kazooie...do you know what else I remembered?" Dark Pit said slowly.
"What?"
"Olimar has a video camera."
And together...they ran to find the others...as the ticking clock to solve the mystery ticked down.
Stadium Saboteur Mission
15 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
Zelda clasped her hands together gratefully. Bayonetta gave the others a smile.
"Innocent?" The voice of Pikachu was heard from the open doorway. He stepped in, wide-eyed, and Jigglypuff followed behind him as well. The seven of them in total were now in the interrogation room.
"There's only fifteen minutes left in the game!" Jigglypuff gasped. "Pikachu and I were looking for you guys everywhere! We stumbled everywhere...but can't hone down on the criminal!"
"We're so happy you're both here," Isabelle smiled with relief. "This game is just...so hectic and intense!"
"We don't have much time," Lucina said worriedly, looking at a clock on the wall. Fourteen minutes remained to catch the thief.
"If only I could invent more time myself!" Captain Falcon laughed, and as everyone's eyes widened, he stepped into the room as well. And right behind him, three people...Corrin, Inkling, and Olimar...appeared as well. Everyone in the interrogation room eyes' widened: the four fighters who had been enjoying the fight earlier were now in the large room...and it now crowdedly held eleven Smashers in total.
"How...did you all get here!?" Isabelle gasped.
"Everyone is here!" Captain Falcon exclaimed loudly and happily.
"Hey! I'm here to join the party too!" Inkling laughed as well. "And oh, we were brought here by someone else!"
"This isn't a party," Joker said sternly. "This is an interrogation room...and we have thirteen minutes before the saboteur wins over all of us."
"But time is an illusion," came a voice from behind the four fighters. And appearing at the door...finally...were Kazooie and Dark Pit themselves. It was a full room of Smashers...and the identity of the saboteur was now getting closer to being revealed.
"Kazooie! Dark Pit!" Isabelle squealed. The two Mole detectives were the ones who had brought the four others down...to the final gathering place of the game.
It was the final moment.
Dark Pit: It all came down to this.
"Did you know…fellow suspects and detectives..." Kazooie began, the red bird speaking grandly with a small smile, as all eyes turned to the pacing bird who walked and trotted around the interrogation room slowly, "that the crime act we witnessed in the security room was not live at 8:02...but rather...happened earlier at 7:49? Thirteen full minutes beforehand?" And at her sentence...the room went wild with gasps and exclamations.
"I don't understand," Lucina expressed, once everyone settled down. "It was not live when we had witnessed it? The robbery happened...while we were still in the battle stands?"
"Exactly," Dark Pit added. "But don't question us on how we found out. It's complicated. Just trust us for now."
"If what you're saying is true...then the crime…" Joker began, looking suspiciously around.
"...happened at 7:49pm," Kazooie spoke, closing her eyes and grinning. "Not at 8:02. And when you three looked at Olimar's camera...you were looking at the wroooooong time." Then, she smiled more, opened her eyes, and clapped her wings twice quickly. It was a secret signal.
"Olimar...now!" And the little man turned around. And he revealed his camera screen that he was holding for everyone to see, and it was now playing his previous footage. It was a recording of the stadium world. A recording...showing the all-important 7:49pm in the corner. A recording...showing most of the Mole players, then a selfie of Olimar himself, a clock on the stadium walls as well to verify the time, then Captain Falcon, then Bayonetta, then Zelda…
But two people were not present. Corrin and Inkling.
Olimar shut his camera off, and Kazooie quickly shuffled to block one of the only two doors in the room, as Dark Pit blocked the other. And all eyes...turned to Corrin and Inkling.
"So…" Dark Pit spoke, eyeing Corrin and Inkling, almost menacingly, "Where were you at 7:49? The REAL time of the crime?" The two female fighters...were silent.
"I...do not know what to say..." Corrin began, eyes frozen.
"Oh no…" Jigglypuff gasped, her face troubled. "Could it be!? Is it one of you?"
"Inkling? Corrin?!" Bayonetta sounded stunned in disbelief .
"I...am...no way! You're accusing me as the criminal?" Inkling exclaimed. "I'm your friend! And I'm too short to have reached that gem pedestal! Hello?!"
"Not without...stilts." Kazooie then revealed something she was holding: a second notepad. It was an item she had found in the hallway...and upon it was handwriting the bird recognized.
2 Wooden Sticks found
Maybe walking supporters or stilts?
"So these were Wii Fit's notes before she was presumably captured?" Joker asked, looking over the notepad after Kazooie had tossed it over to him. "They signify...the existence of stilts..." He turned to the back of the notepad, his eyes widening more.
"Yes. I recognize her writing from when we were coalition partners," Kazooie said wistfully. "Which means, Inkling...you definitely could have been tall enough to take the gem with stilts and reach the statue and pedestal's height."
"And we can't forget the true fact that we all overlooked at first...the perpetrator did not walk to the gem pedestal," Dark Pit finally pointed out. "They wobbled." Inkling blinked with surprise, and then folded her arms, a sighing, disbelieving expression on her face.
"Huh...this is so crazy!" Inkling sighed with exasperation and wide eyes. "Me? The criminal? Because of some camera time stamp?!"
"But it does all make sense," Dark Pit realized even more, stepping forwards. "Corrin...Inkling...you were both on Olimar's footage at 8:02...and we all assumed you both innocent just because of that. We cleared you. But...it wasn't until Kazooie and I solved the second puzzle and discovered the truth of the correct time...that we now learn you weren't in the stadium stands at the actual time of the crime. We would have never known...and you two would have still been declared innocent...if we didn't solve the puzzle." He paused, then continued strongly. "One of you...was downstairs. Committing the crime of the stadium."
Dark Pit: But between these two... just who was it?
"...could it...truly be?" Lucina gasped quietly, facing the silver-haired swordswoman herself, her face in shock. Lucina had an expression of disappointment...but also disbelief, sadness, skepticism.
"It is not," Corrin denied strongly, facing Lucina. "I am not the saboteur."
And then, the clock struck down. Ten minutes remained in the game.
"What should we do?" Isabelle asked worriedly. "We don't have much time!"
"Accuse them both...duh!" Dark Pit said angrily.
"What! Oh no! That is a terrible idea!" Isabelle contested. "But what if they're innocent?"
"...but we won't know until we try, right?" Kazooie pointed out, and though she also looked slightly hesitant too, the red bird was pretty much resolute. "Dark Pit and I decided...that we should circle them both. It's only the fair deal. Too much proof against them."
"Even if we're wrong...but we're almost certain we're not...we'll have one more guess remaining anyway," Dark Pit added. "But...it all makes sense. The manipulated time...the camera...it has to be one of them."
"And I agree," Joker nodded, facing them two. "Everything indeed makes sense. The proof lines up. Good work, you two. I also vote: Corrin and Inkling."
"I...I guess," Isabelle began slowly. "Me too."
"This is…" Lucina closed her eyes, looking downhearted.
But Smash Host then stepped forwards...and placed the Smash roster in the center of the room. It was a symbolic chart of faces.
And nodding to each other...Dark Pit and Kazooie stepped forwards and circled two faces with two markers, as everyone else watched in silence.
Corrin and Inkling turned to each other, hand in hand, and could do nothing else but accept their fates. The decision...was made.
They were selected.
And then, Smash Host's voice was grand in announcement...as he declared the choices of the stadium saboteur.
"Corrin...and Inkling…you are the chosen saboteurs of tonight's heinous crime."
And the roster...began to light up. A surprising, glowing color of yellow, as it slowly lifted off the ground. The players gasped.
"Corrin...and Inkling...may the real saboteur between you two...please step forwards!"
Everyone gasped in the room.
"Oh noooo!" Captain Falcon shouted, as the lights got brighter, and then flashed one last time.
Corrin and Inkling faced each other. Everyone looked at the two Smahers in shock.
Closing their eyes, they both took in a breath. The lights flashed even more.
But neither of them stepped forwards.
And then the lights faded.
Stadium Saboteur Mission
8 MINUTES - TO FIND THE STADIUM STONE THIEF
The roster no longer shined.
"What…" Dark Pit fell to his knees. It was all wrong.
Everyone was shocked. There was a short silence…then confused yells.
"Neither of them was the assailant?" Bayonetta voiced in a surprised tone.
"What was that for?" Captain Falcon shouted in disappointment. "Boo!"
"Oh gee…" Kazooie scratched her head, a little embarrassed. "Well! That was a cool show!"
Kazooie: Time to run away!
"No...Kazooie and Dark Pit…" Corrin smiled to them gently, not looking mad at all. "What you displayed was an amazing display of teamwork and detective skills...to be admired. I was very impressed...with the evidence you found to accuse me. Alas, it was not the final, correct destination, but you did well in discovering elements that were close towards the truth. You are both star detectives, in my mind." Kazooie and Dark Pit looked surprised.
"Well, thanks," Dark Pit said sheepishly. "Even though I wanted to kill you. Sorry."
"Corrin…" Lucina stepped forwards, her face showing a smile and also slight tears as well from the accusations and commotion. "I knew...in my heart...it was not you." Corrin smiled gratefully to the other warrior at her words.
"But then...who's the saboteur?!" Isabelle said quickly, as everyone's emotions turned alarmed again.
"Seven minutes…" Kazooie gulped. "And just one more guess…."
Everyone faced each other. All thirteen Smash fighters were together. But just who was it? Who...was the saboteur of the stadium?
"...wait. what?! We only have seven minutes?!" Pikachu exclaimed suddenly, looking more panicked over all of the other fighters. "What are we gonna do if the saboteur wins the game!?"
"True," Joker replied. "What would you do if you won?" But he wasn't talking to everyone in general. He was looking only at a specific player...and everyone else noticed this as well.
As Joker stared at Pikachu...the yellow Pokemon stared back, stunned and off-guard. And then, Joker sighed.
"It would be a shame... if the perpetrator were someone of this land...a Pokemon...stealing a symbolic stone meant for other Pokemon. An important Pokemon...over all others." Hearing this sentence...Pikachu laughed loudly. He laughed...and laughed more.
"I don't know what you're trying to infer here," the yellow Pokémon chuckled back, trying to compose himself, "but whatever it is...it's wrong."
"I'm not trying to infer anything," Joker smiled back. Pikachu's smile suddenly dropped and disappeared.
"But this is…" Lucina began, and she held up the notepad that once belonged to Wii Fit.
"Oh my gosh..." Everyone in the room stared at the pile of papers, and noticed a set of words scribbled on the back of the pad...missed initially by Kazooie and everyone else...but visible and written secretly on the back. Written down by someone who had different opinions about the yellow Pokémon.
Don't trust Pikachu
"Wii Fit," Pikachu growled under his breath.
"Pikachu...Wii Fit isn't the only one who had suspicions of you…" Joker began, his eyes gleaming. "But I myself did as well. Right from the very start." Pikachu was speechless.
"What...why...how…"
"Tell us, Pikachu...just how were you one of the first people to arrive at the scene of the crime, just minutes after it happened?" Joker questioned. Everyone turned to the Pokémon.
"I...I was fast! You can't blame me for being...fast!" he stuttered, trying to laugh. "And I know this location of the stadium the best!"
"You what?" Kazooie asked, smiling. "Repeat that again? Know this place the best?" Pikachu's expression...turned to one of obvious regret at his words. He hid his gulp.
"And you tried to call our attention in the stadium stands around 7:50 or 7:51...as an alibi that you were sitting behind us all along," Dark Pit realized and spoke suddenly in addition. "When in fact...you had just jumped into place after committing the theft of the stadium stone at 7:49...didn't you? We all know you have that speedy quick attack." Pikachu...was at a loss for words .
"But...wait...I want to ask one thing," Corrin interrupted politely, yet still looking shocked. "When I aimed the identifier at the perpetrator on the monitor screen….it determined them as female."
"Exactly!" Pikachu laughed, and then he grinned triumphantly at the Mole players. "So, Mole players...how do you explain that?"
"That's because you didn't work alone…" Joker deduced, and then his eyes turned to another person within the room of fighters. Everyone slowly turned...to Jigglypuff.
"What...I...Hmph!..." The balloon Pokémon's face puffed up and turned to one of surprise and anger.
"What!" Isabelle gasped, looking at her in disbelief. "Jigglypuff?!" Jigglypuff herself gasped at everyone's shocked eyes.
"Oh, this is just….! This is...this is just absurd!" the pink, fluffy Pokémon shouted out, sulking. "How dare you all! I—-"
"When the footage showed a wobbly walker...it wasn't a person on stilts," Joker stated out loud. "In fact, it wasn't even a person...but two small, combining Pokemon...one on top of the other. A perfect tower of deception. Not just one saboteur...but two."
"What!" Captain Falcon was shocked at the accusation...and so was everyone else.
"And that's why...they wobbled in their motions!" Everyone made sounds of new surprise and realization...and turned to the two Pokemon. Jigglypuff's face was stunned.
"As...as if!" Jigglypuff huffed again. She turned angrily to Pikachu.
"It's your fault we're being accused! I should have never, ever worked with you!"
"What?!" Pikachu gasped. "Don't blame this all on me!" He turned to everyone around him, panicked.
"So the reason Corrin's identifier said the perpetrator was female when she pointed at the cloaked figure on the monitor screen...is because the pointer hit Jigglypuff only!" Isabelle figured out, covering her mouth. "But not Pikachu!"
"A clever ruse...all of it," Dark Pit smiled, folding his arms. "Well, you both played a good game. We were fooled...but just almost."
Just five minutes remained...to capture the stadium saboteur.
Dark Pit: Who would have thought…
Joker: Our very own Pokémon.
"A great mystery...which we need to end.." Joker approached the center of the room….towards the two Pokémon. And so did the other Mole players. And then...Pikachu...and Jigglypuff...were now fully surrounded. Their faces were defeated. But...mustering one last strength...Pikachu wouldn't give up.
"You….you only have one guess!" Pikachu seemed to threaten, laughing, face and voice even more hysterical. "After this...it's all over! And you all lose!"
"And we only need one guess." Joker smiled. "I will circle Pikachu's face….if my two team partners vote to do so as well." Lucina and Isabelle...both looked hesitant for a second. But then, Lucina's face slowly changed.
"I...I vote yes," Lucina confirmed. Isabelle winced, but then turned confident in expression and voice as well.
"Me too!" the yellow dog confirmed.
And then, the Smash Roster was then placed by the host in front of Pikachu...as the yellow Pokemon stared at it in shock and frustration, eyes wide and not believing it.
And Joker stepped forwards...and then, with a swift, drawing motion with a pen...he drew a circle around Pikachu's face.
Whoosh….. The yellow lights began to glow from the Smash Roster poster once again, but this time, stronger than before. All the Smash fighters together within the room stared in wonder and alarm as it began to lift from the ground, seeing the declared choice of the stadium saboteur.
Pikachu...was frozen, eyes wide.
And Smash Host stepped forwards.
"Pikachu...the accused saboteur of your very own Pokémon Stadium," Smash Host announced grandly, stepping forward for a last time and facing the Pokémon in the eye. And the roster...began to light up even more.
A white light grew, as it slowly lifted off the ground higher...and the Smash fighters and Mole players all gasped at the sight.
"Pikachu...are you indeed...the saboteur of this stadium?"
"I…"
The light grew.
"It's…."
"..."
"I CONFESS!" Pikachu yelled. The roster fell to the ground, the light gone and faded. Everyone in the room gasped. Emotions of shock filled the air.
It was over.
"I...confess…" Pikachu moaned.
Joker smiled. "I knew it," he grinned. Pikachu faced up, looking distraught.
"I'm innocent!" Pikachu cried.
Silence filled the room of fourteen people.
"...wait..." Dark Pit said. "What?"
"I'm innocent! I'm not the stadium saboteur!" Everyone exchanged glances with each other, and nothing else existed but stunned emotions. They were still all silent.
"But... you must be!" Kazooie told him skeptically, laughing.
"I'm not!" Pikachu cried again, moaning on the ground.
"He's not," Smash Host confirmed. "You were all wrong for a third time. You have lost. It is over." Everyone looked at him in surprise...then back at Pikachu.
"But...what are you confessing to then?" Lucina asked, confused.
"I confess...that I've known who the saboteur was all along!" Pikachu cried, more hysterical.
"Shh! You're not supposed to say that!" Jigglypuff sounded panickedly, hitting the poor Pokemon lightly.
"It doesn't matter! All secrets are out! Their three suspect guesses are now exhausted!" Pikachu collapsed to the floor. Everyone...was at a loss for words. Then...the players all turned to Jigglypuff.
"So...was the thief...just you?" Lucina asked her quietly. "You alone were the saboteur?" Jigglypuff rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Of course not," Jigglypuff said teasingly. "I'm too cute to be a robber. And also, I don't know how to use stilts. Those stilts were faulty, anyway."
"Then...there's no one left…" Dark Pit realized with a confused face, looking at the group of Smash suspects who were standing on one side of the room. Bayonetta, Zelda, Captain Falcon, Olimar, Corrin, Inkling, and Jigglypuff all stood together...their faces a bit more solemn now...as if they knew something together.
"We confirmed or accused everybody. Everyone was accounted for!"
"No. Not everyone." At Pikachu's sudden voice, everyone turned to the yellow Pokemon. He was now less upset and less hysterical, but now, he got up from the floor slowly.
Pikachu sighed. With a serious face, Pikachu looked at the Mole players strongly...and stared at them.
"Are you forgetting...that the seven of you are also on the Smash roster as well?"
And at this sentence...the Mole players froze.
And Smash Host's words echoed in their ears once again. "Nothing is off limits in this stadium game. Or rather...nobody is, no matter how familiar or friendly they may seem to you all. The criminal can be anyone."
"I...tried to warn DK, too…I told him…"You can't trust the one closest to you"," Pikachu moaned in defeat, repeating his words in a weak tone.
"Indeed, you did try to warn DK, after all," came a sudden voice from the doorway. "It's just all too bad he didn't listen...oh, veterans."
Everyone turned with shock to the taunting voice which had been spoken...from a tall woman who had approached the doorway. It was someone they all knew...finally in their view and presence. As the players in the room turned to the doorway in shock...they gasped...and they couldn't believe their eyes.
The thief...the assailant...the mole of the night...stood in the doorway.
"It...can't be…"
"Yes. It is. And thank you all...for making this game just so very, very fun for me tonight."
And Wii Fit smiled...the dark, shining stone in her hands. She was the Stadium Saboteur.
…
…
…
Oh... my … gosh! *surprised Pikachu face round 2*
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that mystery! :D I thought it was sooo fun and entertaining writing this game all out! :) I had been planning the idea of this Stadium Saboteur game even since the very first episode! :) so I'm so glad it all came to life and is finished!
In tradition to Mole games, this episode did two things for this season:
-Have a game/mission where the saboteur was revealed to be a player within the crowd of contestants (The Sacred Pot in Saboteur's Island and Destination Sail in Agent's Elevation, as a flashback for those who remember!)
-And also...family! The surprise guest other Smash fighters seen in this episode are the replacement for the "Reuniting with family members and relatives" each season has gone through! Just for happy feels :) Though unfortunately, with tense feelings amuck, bahaha. Youll def see more family bonding among the Smashers next chapter.
Anyways, next chapter...the ELIMINation!
And...New Poll on my profile! FINALLY! Hahaha! Please vote for your top 3 suspects! :D every vote counts! VOTE! :D
And please comment, if you'd like, a review of your Top 3 Suspects and your reasonings for YOUR suspectings! I love TOP 3 Suspects reviews! :DD
Stay tuned! :)) Please poll vote and please review! Thanks everyone! Stay tuned! :))
FFWF: I'm a huge mystery fan too! :D I think my top ten movies/shows/books list is basically all just mystery films and genres, ahaha. Some other entertaining mystery reality shows I've come across is "Whodunnit" that aired on ABC and a Jubilee YouTube series called "Odd Man Out". Oh, magnets! I've never thought of Kazooie and Wii Fit symbolized as magnets before...until you also realize they encompass the colors of red and white, like real magnets! :O the symbolism deepens! True, very fair point on Dark Pit not being the executed victim this episode! How sad and miserable it'd be to just go home after a bad mission….but then, as you said, if he does redeem himself in the Stadium game, then ahh, he's at risk to finishing his story arc! You are so right on, on Isabelle and Joker having the potentials to be the best at this new mystery mission! I guess Joker's existence as a thief finally comes into play, haha. And great potential Mole-action picking too, hmm, in terms of DK and his unwant to talk to the other Smash players! In addition, he and Wii Fit are indeed linked to odd things on the website...and I am guessing you found them too :). And lastly, I also really love your theory of the "wobbling" thief! :) I know exactlyyy what you're talking about, and let's see what the truth finally is!
Dark Punxysaur: Right of the bat, you say: "IT'S Pikachu isn't it?!" Haha I'm so dead, you waste no time getting to the suspects xD Such a valid, good guess, as he would be one of the last ones the players would suspect in the stadium! So nice job on that! Interesting analysis on Wii Fit's thoughts! And interesting idea of exemptions being either given up for money or given to another player! While you can give an exemption to others, you aren't allowed to give a regular exemption in exchange for money unfortunately xD HAHAHA! The confessionals replying to each other...it's just like an exaggerated TV show format, isn't it.m. Lmfao. The trio of petitioners is at risk! You have such valid thought on DK being the one to be eliminated from being too brash and fast on the quiz! I think it'd be entertaining to see a video of DK taking the quiz...probably scattered about, lmao (saying he isn't the Mole). Whoa, a bribe? Imagine if a bribe came up?! That's be crazy! Good suspect lost trio and interesting theory on a clue being with the arrived Smash Players! They'd be a potential spot for a hidden clue, wouldn't they, huh!
Cavin856: Rewarded money for playing in Hard mode and avoiding the elevator, oh, very jokester, you xD So I see you have honed down on two possible victims for the execution! I love the potential story of Dark Pit trying to self-eliminate, but then after he survives the quiz and discovers he actually scored really well, is reinvigorated to try to find the Mole in the game! Whether this story is what is planned or not, I like that tale so much :) ! And oh Yes, indeed, "bromance" ahem cough cough xD Oh you have caught the Jelly donuts reference! I was wondering how many readers would be able to catch that tasty Poke reference! I was guessing a solid two readers. They willlll make a reappearance. Yay, so you're an official detective?! :D You have a hat! I feel like you'd be a good competitor if you take part in this mission in real life. Nice spotting of Jigglypuff basically giving away the line, "They have to figure out the saboteur among them soon!" And also Pikachu's line of "Keep your eyes on the fight!" was a clever find too :O Wow! I am now googling Knox's 10 Commandments...I did not know this was a thing and I'm gonna see how these play out with my past Mole stories overall, ahaha. Also, I laughed very much at "You have a website. I looked at the website. I am now greatly concerned" line. But I see you have uncovered a very "reflecting clue", hmmm...does it signify importance and lead to the identity of our deceiver? I guess we'll wait! And find out!
TheMarioMole: Well, as a YouTube comment would say, "Everyone gangster until the Smash roster is pulled out" xD Anyways, I'm so happy you found the ending shocking overall so thank you! :) Ialso think that you have a good guess deducted from Smash Host's line, "no matter how friendly they may be." So, Could it be the stacked Pikachu and Jigglypuff? I know exactly the wobbly trope you're talking about xD The Whodunnit mystery is always one of my personal favorites :) Every time I see it in a show or story, I am like "Yessss!" I mean after all...I am obsessed with the Mole lool. There's even a short lived show called Whodunnit that aired years after "The Mole" xD shockingly it was entertaining haha. And a Youtube Jubilee series called "Who is the Mole?"
Masking What Remains: Yess! The trauma of whoever is friends with whoever the criminal is...let's just hope it's someone who's less liked xD Very cool and good theory that the person is of medium height vs. just simple being short! Supported by your statement of how a short person still wouldn't be able to reach a tall height even with support! And oh my gosh! I'm short too! :D Well, for a guy haha, I'm way below the average height xD (being a 5 foot 6 guy does have its perks though, so not completely devastated! xD) Short Team for the win! Yeah, I'm glad you thought the chapter was nerve-wracking...cause Part 4 was ten times worse! Bahaha!
Luiaisy: I'm so so happy for your support and appreciation for my continuing story :))) The reason I do not give up on my stories is because of wonderful readers and reviewers like you who keep it alive and my inspiration up! So thank you so much forever :D Omg, I remember Kiki! She was one of my first villagers ever when I first placed AC on the GameCube! Happy memories! Ahaha, I love the name Awkward Fenale Power Duo for Wii Fit and Kazooie. LMFAO! Joker saying "Let's chill without Netflix" is a very Joker thing, maybe. I love how you found Joker clapping creepy btw! :D I wanted to make that scene an easy to visualize one! Lucina blaming herself constantly is very interesting! Nice analyzing the psychology of Lucina :). Very insightful. So were either of these two climbers trying to purposely sabotage the journey to the tower's top? Haha, the petitioners really had it hard, and lol yes! Kazooie guessing, " Do they win exemptions?" is definitely a play to how sometimes there are indeed whacky hidden rules with whacky results, hahaa. in a way, Kazooie and Wii Fit are almost ying and yang: Wii Fit DEFINITELY needs Kazooie to stay sane and humble. Great and insightful speech on how there may be no honor in the game of the Mole! Some players like Wii Fit and Lucina try...but is there a point? is there even any existing? Omg, your short dialogue summary of Dark Pit and Joker...sooo perfect! xD I see them in chibi form. What kind of weird love hexagon is this? Or is there even one? Hmmmmm! Hehe. And yayy!Youre the first one to even put Olimar on your suspects list xD He is so so honored to be on it... LOL
Mr. Rainbow Dude: Ahehe! I love you stating that theory: that I made it so that Wii Fit and Kazooie won the two exemptions just to prove that this time around in Episode 4, the Exemption theory falls flat xD Maybe indeed x) and Indeed, reflecting back on missions and peoples' actions, you do see how poorly some of them did! Waiting to take the first elevator instead of running up was indeed an act of sabotage, so a Mole or innocent one? Nice poetic possibility explaining with Joker! :) In this case, does being beaten by his enemies signify his downfall? Wii Fit's strategy of no exemptions just screams death, doesnt it xD not just in past stories but even this story as well, hahaa. Wow! Good theory on the wobbling of the figure being a fakeout, and the suspect thief actually being tall :) Guess we'll see. And lastly, very nice and interesting investigating of the Clefairy mention possibly being a clue! Clue or not, its interesting to think: just how "normal" appearing is the Mole?
Darksymphony777 (Story comments): Wow, Holly JUST isn't blending in with the rest of the others, especially McHallybo, huh! Not everyone can get along I guess xD I love Rosalina and her powers. Please play a bigger role than you did in Saboteur's Island and help the rest of the players! Omgg, I love Wario's character of ultimately being good! And he's coming to the aid of and defending Vivian?! This is character development :D Hahaha, I love Carpaccio's letter to Wario. It's so witty and humorous and just lol. Wario would def be in an all-stars seasons if there was one! Then again, so would Luvbi...and Yoshi...and Diddy...let's take them all LOL.
Darksymphony777 (Review Reply): Yes, you're super right! :D Joker taking the captain's belt in this challenge is due to his thief history, one hundred percent! Great theorizing on how can "wobble" and who can't! I love how Jigglypuff's legit gameplay characteristics, eg weight were analyzed by you haha. Ahh, your main is a suspect! ...by...you! The twists and plots thicken lol! I like the theory of Olimar's yellow Pikmin being a potential weapon. And what...McHallyboo made an appearance? Nooooonsenseeeee. And I read your PM! I owe you a Sherry shoutout if you're right about your suspects :) Well regardless if you are or not, I'll stil throw you a Mole fiesta. SHERRY IS THE BEST SPINOFF CHARACTER OF A SPINOFF STORY! Also Darksymphony777's Youtube is absolute Fanfiction and Nintendo power!
Cocotots: Happy Valentine's! :D I like to say Single Awareness, bahaha. Right? Even though the two exemptions were confirmed, it STILL seems so extreme, I was in denial too! Lol, I laugh that you want DK to go home just in the possibility that if he isn't the Mole, you won't "feel stupid" xD aww, to that I say: ridiculous! There is no such thing as a stupid guess in a game like The Mole :D because the twists and possibilities are EVERYWHERE :D Yes, the new side of Wii Fit is definitely emerging! It's all thanks to some other players, and ultimately, even herself! "The past seasons had very crazy moments" Oh you bring sooooooo many flashbacks of traumatizing challenges from that one line, my friend xD And I love it! And lastly: wow yayyy! :D I'm so happy you're replying to other reviews! It makes everything so close-knit and community! I agree that there IS one reason to keep honor in at least one aspect: to beat the Mole and be better than the Mole. That is, if such is even labeled as a priority for an innocent player. And Jigglypuff is so mysterious in terms of her movements xD Is she wobbling? Bopping? Floating? HOW DOES SHE MOVE! Lol. Anyways, I'm so happy for your early review and your longer than usual review :D both make me so so happy!