*I had an idea to write some stories based on Master Hand trialling potential new characters from the Fighter Ballot. Here's the first one which features Mario and Luigi against - well, you'll just have to see. ♪ shows a suggested music track if you have the Smash Bros. soundtrack handy. Tell me what you think, feedback is greatly recieved! It's-a okay to say that I wrote "-a" too many times!*

*Edit 2015-04-12: Fixed a large error in regards to the time in which this takes place *

♪ - *Fated Battle* (Mario universe)

He fell - although it was more of a downwards jump - to the hard, rocky ground. It didn't hurt him - it never did. He readied his gloved fists for the fight.

Spoiling this dramatic moment, a loud thump was hears nearby, and his brother carefully got up, looking sheepish.

"Really, Luigi?"

"I'm-a sorry. But why are-a we here?"

Mario held out a letter, already opened. The wax seal, engraved with the Smash symbol, was peeling off. Luigi carefully pulled out the letter and discovered that they had been instructed to come here, to the strange, rocky world where they meet new fighters, in order to test some potential new candidates. The message was signed by none other than Master Hand himself.

"But why here?" questioned Luigi in his Italian accent, "Why not… Battlefield or something?"

"'Candidate does not-a fit any existing stage', it says," answered his brother, "I-a wonder when we'll start."

"M-Master Hand?" cried Luigi, looking around at the barren landscape.

"H-he's not-a here…" whispered Mario, growing nervous.

Luigi spotted something on the ground.

"Is that-a-a broken Assist Trophy?"

Suddenly, a great, booming voice was heard.

"Sorry I'm late! Had a little trouble getting them here."

They couldn't see the great Hand, but his voice was everywhere, as usual.

"Who is it, Master Hand?" asked Mario, scared of who they could be facing.

'Please not a giant ghost,' thought Luigi, 'Or Ridley.'

"Well, you see, the 'Community' is voicing their opinions on who should join us here. So, I decided that I should trial some of these potential new fighters."

"C-can we just get-a on with it?" trembled Luigi.

"Okay. I'll bring them in."

"Luigi?" asked Mario.

"Mario?"

"Let's-a do this."

"Okay! It is *on*!"

"Here we go!" Master Hand roared again. The brothers saw two figures, but couldn't make them out yet.

"I present two more veterans here. Very distinguished fighters, and very popular in this 'Community' I'm told of," he continued, "You just need to try and KO them - like a regular Smash."

Two voices were heard from the darkness.

"Popo!"

"Nana!"

"And now… ICE CLIMBERS FREEZE UP!" yelled Master Hand.

The two figures came into light. They were each wearing warm and comfortable-looking winter outfits, one in pink and one in blue, contrasting with Mario and Luigi's red and green.

Mario and Luigi shared glances before launching into battle.

"You remember these-a guys from Brawl?" asked Luigi as they headed for the two smaller fighters.

"They were-a in Melee too!" responded Mario, "I'll get the pink one, you get the blue one!"

"Okay!"

'This is going to be tricky with two of them,' thought Luigi as sent out a fireball towards Popo.

Mario grabbed Nana and started punching her, but she retaliated by swinging her hammer round at Mario.

"Yoww!" wailed Mario, knocked to the ground.

Luigi, however was faring better against Popo. He had cornered him against one of the stone walls and could fire as a Green Missile at him. However, the third time he tried this, Popo dodged out of the way and left Luigi stuck in the wall, ready to receive a much-deserved beating.

However, just when Mario thought he had finally gained an advantage over Nana, something strange happened. She stood back and stared at something over in the distance. Mario looked too, and was puzzled - two more figures were walking out of the darkness!

"L-Luigi? Can you see that?"

"Huh?"

Luigi dashed away from his fight with Popo and saw even more figures.

"M-more Ice-a Climbers?" he wondered.

"There's-a eight of them!" cried Mario.

As the other Ice Climbers began to come into view, the world seemed to slow.

"Mario? Wha- wha-" Luigi tried to say, but no sound was heard.

The brothers tried to run from the scene, as did the Ice Climbers they were originally fighting. However, their running kept stopping and starting, the world freezing briefly before moving again.

"Luigi… I'm-a blacking out… mamma mia…" Mario eventually murmured, again with no sound.

"Master Hand… can't you-a stop this?" Luigi tried to say, the world fading for him too.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm too busy taking notes," was the last sound, from Master Hand.

When Mario and Luigi awoke, the many Ice Climbers were gone. However, there was still a figure there. Tall and thin, with long limbs, and laughing an evil laugh.

"Crashed? Too bad," said the figure, leaning over the brothers.

"WALUIGI TIME!" yelled Master Hand.

Waluigi turned to look up at the sky.

"Hey! That's my line!"

"I needed to announce you somehow! How are you here anyway?"

"Waluigi escaped the Assist Trophy! Hahahahahaha!"

Mario and Luigi carefully got up and faced Waluigi, ready for a fight.

"So *you* were-a behind this!" accused Mario.

Waluigi just kept laughing.

"Do you think this guy has a moveset?"

Waluigi stopped laughing.

"Waluigi doesn't *need* a moveset!"

The brothers exchanged glances, knowing what to do.

"3…" began Mario.

"2-a…" continued Luigi.

"1…"

"FIRE!"

They began pummeling Waluigi with fireballs. However, his nimble limbs allowed him to manoeuvre out of the way.

"Well that-a didn't work…"

Waluigi somehow managed to catch one of the fireballs, which turned purple in his hands. He tossed it back at Mario, who yelped.

"If there are two of you, then Waluigi gets Wario," he said as the battle continued, each side exchanging punches.

"No…" muttered Mario.

"Otherwise, I take the green one alone."

The fighting paused for a moment as the brothers considered.

"Fine. I will take-a you on, Waluigi," decided Luigi.

"No! I will help!"

"We don't want-a to have to deal with Wario, do-a we?"

"Alright."

Mario stepped back and Luigi and his rival prepared to fight. Just as they were about to attack for the first time, a Smash Ball floated into the arena.

Luigi made to grab it, but Waluigi was faster. He used all of his limbs to attack it, and broke it before Luigi could land a single attack.

"Waluigi unleash Final Smash!"

"Noo-oohhhh…" wailed Luigi, running to hide where Mario was. They tensed in anticipation of Waluigi's Final Smash. Luigi wondered what it could possibly be.

"GAME!" Master Hand suddenly cried, "Look at that, it's the end of the battle! Doesn't time just fly when you're having fun?"

Mario groaned, glad that it was over but frustrated that it happened.

"THE WINNER IS… CRAZY HAND!"

"Huh?" asked Luigi.

"Yes, with 4 KOs, 8 if you count Popo and Nana separately, I must declare Crazy Hand the winner!"

"Just please don't bring-a Waluigi back… or make us-a fight any more…"

"Don't worry, I'll be bringing in a couple of other fighters for the next trial. And no more invasions by mad Assist Trophies. Now, is there anyone you'd like to vote for us to test in the trials?"

"Hey, remember when you all-a voted for Peach?" reminded Luigi.

"Yes, but she's-a in now. We don't have to worry. You know-a what?" replied Mario.

"What?"