Commotion filled the hallways of Smash Mansion while everyone got ready for the visitors who would be arriving in a couple of hours. The Smash community was mainly split in half, with some of them being welcome to the idea of being friends with the All Stars, and others still saw them as hardcore rivals. Isabelle was in the dining room, putting the finishing touches on her decorations.

"There! All done!"

She spun around on her heel when she heard the sound of boots approaching her, which belonged to Fox. She looked up and waved at the Arwing pilot, who was rather impressed by how things were looking. Candles were positioned in just the right areas so that light was optimal. Yellow, blue, teal, and red, the colors of PlayStation, was the primary color palette for her decorations. Balloons floated freely through the air, giving the event more of a party vibe. Lastly, the colossal dining table, which spanned from one end of the dining hall to the other, was dressed with a sheet that had both Nintendo and PlayStation logos printed on it.

"You've got the place looking pretty neat, Isabelle," complimented Fox.

"Aww, thank you Fox. I put a lot of effort into making sure both brands are equally represented. I hope it makes them feel welcome."

Fox grunted and massaged his chin. "I still don't know how to feel about these guys. I mean, it wasn't too long ago that they were trying to put us out of business, y'know."

Peach overheard their conversation while she put out some more baked goods, and decided to join in. "I believe that we should accept them with an open heart. Having a stinky attitude toward them won't get anybody anywhere."

Fox shook his head. "I dunno. Just got a bad feeling about it. That's all."

"Oh, you can be such a stick in the mud sometimes. Be a dear, and help me put out some more of these cupcakes."

Master Hand floated down the hallways, making sure everything was straight and in order for his guests. He found himself entering the gaming lounge, where he saw a few of the Smashers having some small talk amongst each other.

"Ah, I see you all are quite relaxed for this evening. Are you looking forward to meeting our guests?"

Not everyone was enthusiastic about the All Stars' arrival, and many of them made it clear by glaring at the floating glove. Dark Pit paused his Blinx session, and stood up to give his leader a piece of his mind.

"Master Hand, with all due respect… ARE YOU AN IDIOT?! Just what are you thinking by letting those punks into our world?! Out of all the people that have disrespected Nintendo, you choose PlayStation… fricking PLAYSTATION to come here? And now you just expect us to welcome them into OUR home singing Kumbaya?!"

"Don't you think it's a little ironic how you're playing an Xbox game, yet you're giving him a lecture on brand loyalty?" Lucina countered.

"Shut up! I wasn't talking to you!"

Master Hand let out a breath, and raised his voice. "Dark Pit and anyone else who feels the same way, I want you to listen closely to what I'm about to say. Times have changed. Both Nintendo and PlayStation have evolved far from what they used to be in the early years. Now, if it were ten years ago, I of course would not allow the All Stars to come to this world."

Little Mac decided to speak up and defend Dark Pit's statement. "I think what Dark Pit is trying to say, is that there is too much bad blood between the both of us. After all the bad things they've said to us, and all the bad things we've said to them as well, it's just not right for everyone to suddenly show up together and pretend like none of that ever happened over the years."

"Listen, I know that it will be difficult! My request is that you try. Try to show respect to them and forgive them for the past. At the end of the day, they lost. They are no longer a threat to any of you or Nintendo as a whole. Think about how that makes them feel; how difficult it is for them to need assistance from their own enemy. Yet, they still humble themselves and accept that same assistance. To me, that very action alone earns them my respect and my forgiveness."

Master Hand floated out of the room, effectively putting an end to the conversation.

"Nhow phuck ih inho phe lhoop and phull."

Spike looked in the mirror and watched how his temporary teacher put the finishing touches on his own bowtie. Sir Daniel had taken the liberty of showing the kid how to put on a tuxedo, since he never had to do so before. Spike did the best he could to imitate what the skeleton next to him did. It didn't help that Daniel's jaw was absent, but after years with the guy, the All Stars were able to make out most of what he would say.

"Like that?" Spike asked.

Sir Daniel scratched the non-existent hair on his head, and shrugged. "Hmm. Chlough enough."

It wasn't just Spike and Sir Daniel who were putting their best effort into how they looked. All of the All Stars were gearing up for the important meet and greet event that would start in just a little while.

After a good hour of ironer steam, thick clouds of cologne, and shoe shine, the All Stars were lounging around in the hotel lobby, waiting for their mode of transportation to arrive. Little did they know that they would be arriving to the event in top-notch style. Kapp'n pulled up to the hotel, and instead of his infamous school bus, he was driving a limo that Master Hand had requested for his guests. He gave the horn a long honk, which got the attention of the All Stars.

"Guys, I think that's our ride," Isaac said.

They walked outside and were completely blown away by the vehicle that was parked under the awning; A pastel pink Cadillac XTS stretch limo.

"A limo?" Evil Cole questioned, almost believing it was too good to be true. "We get to cruise in a friggin' limo?"

"Of course," Kapp'n said. "Courtesy of Master Hand. Did you think he'd make you all walk to the Mansion?"

"Nah. Just didn't think he'd be so generous. Why'd it have to be pink though?"

Ignoring the sinister conduit's remark, Kapp'n urged everyone to load up. "Chop! Chop! Let's go! The meeting starts soon and traffic is not too kind this time of hour."

"Aww yeah," exclaimed PaRappa. "A limo is where it's at! Me first!"

"Did the limo have to be pink?"

"Hold on. We're not ready yet," piped up Raiden. "We're still missing two people."

"Who?!" Kratos barked. He was beginning to grow impatient, especially with that bowtie choking his neck. The poor spartan wasn't used to suits. As everyone looked around, it only took a couple of seconds to figure out which of the All Stars was missing; Kat and Nariko.

Cole huffed out of frustration. "Women, am I right? I swear, Jesus will come back before those two are done in there."

The wait, however, was justified because the second the two females stepped out from the hotel, everyone's jaw dropped to the floor. Compared to the simplistic design of the tuxedos all the men were wearing, Nariko and Kat were in dresses hand picked by Polygon Man. Nariko wore a red silk dress that exquisitely complimented her signature red hair, which had been flat-ironed just for tonight. Kat's dress functioned as an extension of her standard outfit. It was a long black dress with sweeping gold accents throughout, and her hair was braided into a bun only for this special occasion also. Polygon Man may have been a cheapskate in most affairs, but he made sure his "children" were dressed to the nines for this big night.

"God damn!" It was too late when Dante realized he had said that out loud, earning scornful faces from the two angels.

"Mind your eyes, Dante, and you will not lose them," Nariko coldly replied.

After what seemed like forever, everyone gathered their bearings, and took their seats in the luxurious Cadillac, and Kapp'n began the trip to the Mansion as he pulled out from under the hotel awning.

"For real though, did it have to be pink?"

Everyone - "SHUT UP ALREADY!"

A few horn honks here and a couple of f-bombs there, and the All Stars were just a few blocks from their destination. The elegant apparatus was truly a sight to behold, and could be seen from miles afar. From the cascading gardens that surrounded it, to the multi-colored clouds that complimented the roofs, the entire building was made up of an architectural style that was rivaled by nothing.

"Now remember, everyone. Let's all be on our best behavior. We wouldn't want to be an embarrassment for our precious figurehead. Isn't that right, Ratchet?"

Ratchet glared back at the raccoon with a near expressionless face. "You're not funny, Sly. You never have been. If you're so wound up with the way things turned out, go cry to Polygon Man. Not me."

"Oh, Ratchet, you are such a drama queen. How many years have you known me? Because you should know for sure that I'm not jealous of you, nor will I ever be. Just a little concerned on how well you'll represent our brand to our soon-to-be friends. Gotta say...I'm not very confident."

Ratchet chuckled. "You see, funny thing is, I don't remember ever asking you for your opinion, so why the hell should I care?"

"Children, please stop this nonsense." Nariko pleaded in annoyance.

"Mama's right," Daxter concurred. "Any further and we would have to sign y'all up for marriage counseling classes. Besides, we're almost to the shindig now," he mentioned while pointing out of the window toward the towering castle that was just around the corner. Kapp'n pulled the limo right next to the legendary steps of none other than Smash Mansion. As everyone stepped out onto the illustrious gravel, they were taken aback by the beauty that serenaded them.

"How come we never got a crib like this back home," Emmett asked, mesmerized by the tranquility of his surroundings.

"Polygon Man's pee-wee wallet would've never allowed it," Evil Cole grumbled out. He then turned to the Lombax, who was just as transfixed as everyone else. "You lucky son of a bitch."

All attention turned toward Ratchet, and he could literally feel the envy burning into him. Could they really be blamed though? Down inside, Ratchet was humble, and wished that all of his fellow All Stars could stay with him in the Mansion. Kapp'n rolled the driver side window down, and peered out to say his final goodbyes.

"Farewell, everyone. I called Mario and let him know that you all have arrived. He should be at the door any minute now." He put the car in gear to drive away, but a certain somebody stopped him.

"How 'bout a gloss black finish?" Evil Cole just didn't know when to leave things alone, did he? "Can't go wrong with that color. Once you go black, you never go back."

Kapp'n closed his eyes, trying his best to push back his rising frustration and anger. "You know what? I'll remember you. I'll save a special seat on my bus for you."

A devilish grin swept across Evil Cole's face. "I'm looking forward to it."

Cole socked his twin in the arm. "Quit abusing the old man, and come on."

Everyone made their way up the steps and to the Mansion doors, waiting patiently in the quiet until that silence was broken by the sound of faint muttering. Heads turned to see Spike reading off of some flashcards.

"Boy?! What are you doing," Kratos asked, unnecessarily shouting like usual.

"J-Just rehearsing what I'm gonna say when I meet someone. I guess I'm a little shy about seeing all these new faces." Spike forced a laugh as he nervously caressed his wild hair. Kratos reeled back and smacked the flashcards out of his hands.

"You have NO reason for your soul to be consumed with fear, child! For it is one with the very essence of PlayStation! You should hold your head high with pride!"

"Baldy's right guys," cheered Kuro. "Let's show em' how off the hook we are!"

At that very moment the Mansion doors opened to reveal Bowser, a towering beast that made Kuro think twice about his confidence. The black cat made a beeline for the nearest person to hide behind, whom was Ratchet; not exactly the strongest looking of the bunch.

"Uhh… trick or treat?" The Lombax said, not really sure what to make of the unexpected greeter.

Bowser rolled his eyes and stepped to the side to make way for Mario, who gingerly greeted everyone with his trademark smile. "Come on in, everyone! It's great to have all of you as guests here tonight!"

The All Stars made their way into the interior, except for Ratchet, who stayed at the front door to meet the forerunner of the Smash Bros. "Ah! So you're the leader of the All Stars!" Mario greeted.

"Well, no not really. Well... kinda, but just not... *sigh* It doesn't matter. Just think of me as Polygon Man's personal assistant."

Mario shook Ratchet's hand, patted him on the back, and eagerly urged him inside. "Please, please come in! We've got enough food to fill our bellies sky high!"

The plumber was more than pleased to welcome the All Stars to the mansion. He didn't see their company as a temporary suffering like most others did. He saw it as an opportunity to make some new friendships. The next thing that Mario knew, he was bombarded by two cats clinging to his leg.

"MARIO! MARIO," the anthropomorphic animals shouted in unison. "WE LOVE YOU!" For Toro and Kuro, meeting gaming's biggest icon was a dream come true! "DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!"

It didn't take long for Mario to figure out what the two cats were asking for. He had gotten used to this request, since it was usually the first thing fans would ask for when meeting him. Mario cleared his throat, put his hands on his wait, and exclaimed, "It's a me, Mario!"

"YAAAAAAAAY!"

Mario's ears were close to bleeding at this point from the relentless felines.

Toro jumped up and grabbed his iconic red hat. "I've got his hat! I've got his hat!"

"H-Hey." Mario sounded slightly embarrassed. "You're a funny one aren't ya?!" Mario laughed as he chased the two fans around. The start to what would be a legendary night for Nintendo and PlayStation was off to a decent start.

A few minutes into the event, and the atmosphere was a little tense nonetheless; neither side willing to acknowledge each other yet. The All Stars stayed to one side of the Mansion, making small talk with themselves. At the same time, the Smashers lingered on the opposite side, either helping with last minute adjustments, or just waiting to leave. Near the lounge, Daisy found Little Sister wandering around with Sackboy secured in her arms. She began to greet the child, but nearly had a heart attack when Little Sister turned around to reveal her chilling yellow eyes. The young girl giggled, finding Daisy's reaction amusing.

"She's funny, Mr. Snuggles! I think she's seen the light!"

"Umm… h-honey, are you alright?"

"Phe's phine," a muffled voice said behind her. Daisy turned around but was just as frightened as she looked at the skeletal face of Sir Daniel; his blatant missing jaw instantly stealing all of her attention. "I ham Shir Phaniel. Ah yhour shervish, yhour hignessh!"

He kneeled down in front of her and tilted his head in respect, which didn't really help the fact that the Princess had no idea what he had just said.

"Goodness. Are all these people freaks or what!?"

Down in one of the more secluded hallways of the Mansion, Nariko carefully made her way out of the restroom, peeking around the door to make sure no one was around.

"Hmph. I can't stay here for too long."

Little did she know that her best friend, Kat, was watching her the entire time from on top the ceiling. Nariko closed the door silently, and began looking for somewhere quieter until she was startled by the gravity queen landing on the ground behind her. Nariko instinctively whipped around, her ginormous blade in hand ready to decapitate anyone who invaded her personal space. She was relieved to see it was none other than Kat laughing with Dusty in her arms.

"I can't believe you still fall for that!"

"I can't believe you still aren't afraid of being accidentally beheaded."

The two women, being the few females in the All Star league, had gotten close to each other ever since Kat joined in the second season of Battle Royale. Their friendship had gotten deep enough to the point where they referred to themselves as sisters, and the only other person that ever got that close to Nariko was Kai. Though they don't share the same blood, they understand each other more than anyone could, and possess similar fighting spirits that make them some of the best warriors under the PlayStation moniker. Kat's cheerful grin turned into a pout as she began to chastise Nariko for sneaking away.

"Now what are you doing all the way over here by yourself?" She pointed her finger at Nariko like a disappointed parent, playfully poking her on the tip of her nose.

"I was just-"

"You were trying to find a good spot to hide from everyone!" Kat finished her statement for her, already knowing what the redhead's motives were.

Nariko sighed and facepalmed, knowing that she had been caught red-handed. "You know I'm not too keen on these types of affairs."

"Oh come on, sis! There's a lot of cool people to meet out there, not to mention a bunch of cute boys too!"

"You aren't giving me good reasons to think otherwise, you know." Nariko crossed her arms and reluctantly began walking back to the muffled sounds of the crowds, not bothering to put up more of a fight.

Kat locked her arm with Nariko's as they walked back into the main room where the majority of everyone was. "Think about it like this. What if we meet our new best friend here?"

"Unlikely, If I'm to be honest. 'Friends' are like wounds. The less of them one has, the more efficient the body will be able to function."

Kat squinted her eyes and frowned. "Wait... what are you trying to say? I'm your friend, so you think of me as a pain?"

Nariko shook her head. "No, sister. Think carefully about my words."

Kat shrugged. "See, you 'think' too much sometimes." The gravity queen looked around and noticed a group of four women standing near the chocolate fountain. You can't have a great party without one of those y'know!

"Over there," Kat pointed to the small clique, which consisted of Ashley, Bayonetta, Byleth, and Tiki. "Let's go speak to them!" Before the redhead could even begin to argue, Kat grabbed Nariko's hand and led her along to the group.

"A-Alua?!" Nariko protested, using Kat's real name to portray how adamant she was on staying to herself.

"Cooome ooon! It'll be okay!"

In the middle of talking, Byleth noticed the two women approaching and paused to offer them her attention. The other three did the same as Kat bowed out of respect and began an introduction.

"Hi! Please excuse out interruption, but we just thought we'd come and say hello! You can call me Kat, and this is my partner, Dusty." Kat beamed as her thick and exotic accent sliced through the air.

Dusty materialized into a sitting position on top of Ashley's head and purred. "Hee hee hee! This kitty likes me, so that means you guys aren't so bad! My name is Ashley. Nice to meet ya!" The young witch reached her hand out to shake, and Kat gleefully returned the kind act.

Byleth stepped forward with her hand outstretched as well, and introduced herself, as well as everyone else while she was at it. "Joy to meet you, Kat. I am Byleth. To my left is Tiki, and to my right is Bayonetta."

Bayonetta observed how quiet Nariko was and called her out. "There's no need to be shy, honey. What's your name?"

"That's Nariko, my bestest friend! But she's also a big meanie, so don't make her mad!" Nariko wasn't pleased with her sister's teasing and made that obvious by shooting a curse through her eyes.

"So tell me you two," Bayonetta started with her arms crossed and hips cocked. "How's it like being stuck with those filthy, naughty men all the time?"

"They know their place," Nariko gave a halfway smile as she replied.

Tiki reached out and caressed a loose piece of fabric from Nariko's dress, appreciating the quality of the cloth. "Wow, your garments are amazing."

"Agreed," replied Bayonetta. "Dare I say that the two of you look ravishing in your attire."

"Oh! Thank you!" Kat retorted. "Polygon Man picked out our dresses for us tonight."

"Did he now?" A coy smile swept across the Umbra Witch's face. "Hmm, it's not often that a man get's a woman's taste right. Maybe I should have this Polygon Man strip me down and dress me sometime."

Kat and Nariko both looked at each other, bewildered and not totally sure how to respond to such a thought.

"You'll have to forgive her," said Tiki. "She's very straightforward."

Kat pushed aside any lingering thoughts on the matter, and noticed that she hadn't seen Ashley or Tiki in any of the videos she watched on the Smash Bros tournament. The gravity queen had done some mild studying on Nintendo's competition so that she would hopefully be able to relate to its respective characters more. In the midst of her studies, she had actually become quite a fan of Smash Bros.

"So, are you all new fighters?" She asked, looking between Ashley and Tiki. "I don't think I've ever seen you two on the roster."

"We're what people call 'Assistants.'" Tiki answered. "We come in at different points of a battle and help out, depending on who summons us. So, we're not actual fighters."

"But we're just as important as the other fighters!" Ashley spoke up, confidence booming in her voice. "We can turn the battle around in anyone's favor in just a few seconds! So don't underestimate us!"

The gravity queen tapped her chin as a couple of ideas came to mind. "Ooh, how great it would've been to have something like that for our tournament," Kat beamed at Nariko while she thought of all the possibilities for the game mechanic. "Raven could've been my assist character. Oh, and Kai could've been yours!"

Bayonetta frowned after hearing Kat's thoughts, and loudly crunched the lollipop that she'd been sucking on. "Frankly, I'm surprised that such a thing was never incorporated into your game show. After all, everything else about it was just a botched copy-and-paste job."

Nariko narrowed her eyes at Bayonetta and gritted her teeth, letting out a frustrated exhale as she worked to maintain her composure.

"Did I ruffle some feathers there? Oh, forgive me." The Umbra Witch chuckled at her own words. Byleth and the others weren't exactly sharing in the amusement, as they cast sideways glances at her amid her sudden change in demeanor. "I shouldn't be so curt to our new friends. Besides, it wasn't your fault that PlayStation couldn't do anything original to compete with Smash Bros. I actually feel sorry that you two lovelies had to be sucked into it."

Nariko held her head up high and walked up to Bayonetta until there were just a couple of feet from each other. The Umbra Witch retained her relaxed composure, not intimidated at all by the fuming red-head. "The Battle Royale tournament was incredible. A fine mark of achievement for PlayStation's history. And we are proud to have been apart of it. We do not need your pity, and we are not your friends."

This time, Nariko grabbed Kat's hand and led her away from any further conflict.

"B-But.." Kat began to protest, but instead flashed a smile at the other women in an attempt to salvage any new possible friendships while she was dragged away.

"Tsk, tsk. What a shame. And that blonde one was just too adorable. Hmph. Oh well." Bayonetta shrugged and walked off to find something else to entertain her.

Over in the dining room, Peach twirled around and noticed that the cupcakes that Fox helped her set out not too long ago, were now missing. She tapped her chin for a few seconds, and let her eyes wander while she tried to convince herself that she wasn't crazy. Sure enough, she found the culprit on the floor next to the old-school jukebox that was currently playing classical music. Fat Princess sat against the machine, licking pink icing off of her gloves. The empty tray was in her lap; a dead giveaway of her guilty pleasure. Peach couldn't help but smile at the younger royal girl. She went over to her and playfully wagged her finger in Plump's face.

"Now now. Sweets are a delectable treat, but you have to be careful not to eat too much! If you want to grow up to be a strong, healthy, princess like me, you have to put your veggies first!"

Instead of words, Fat Princess responded with a high-pitched burp right in Peach's direction. "Excuse me," she said in a tone that Peach couldn't tell if she was being genuine or sarcastic.

Peach frowned and sighed. "Children these days…"

She went back into the stockroom freezer to retrieve the backup set of cupcakes that she made just in case, and put them out back in the spot where the other deserts sat patiently waiting to be devoured. She dusted off her hands and put them on her hips. "There we go! That should be more than enough for everyone!"

Proud of her immaculate baking skills, Peach walked into the kitchen to put away her apron. Wario waddled up to the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom and blew her a kiss. "Peach! Darling! Sweetheart!"

Peach wasn't phased by his unusually kind demeanor towards her. She knew that he had a craving for her famous baked goods. Most of the Smashers did. "There's no need to flatter me, Wario. I just set out another batch of cupcakes a minute ago. You're a guest just like everyone else, so feel free to enjoy them."

"That's just the thing, sweetcheeks. There's no more out there."

"W-WHAT?! B-but I just put out another tray!"

"Ah, that's no problem. You can just whip up some more real quick, right?" Peach ignored him and rushed out right past him. "Hey! Where ya going? You still didn't even catch my kiss!"

Princess Peach came out just in time to see Plump finishing off the last bit her of cupcakes. Goodness! Peach hadn't been this frustrated in a while! She stomped over to Fat Princess with steam coming out of her ears.

"Listen young lady. How selfish of you to not let anyone else share? I've put a lot of hard work into baking those so that everyone could have a bite!" Wario walked up right next to Peach, and gave Plump the stink eye.

The young girl gulped one last time before she started to feel dizzy. She wobbled to the side for a bit, and began to make the older Princess worry.

"U-um. Are you all right," Peach asked with a trembling voice.

The situation began to draw a small crowd, who was also concerned that something may be wrong with the little girl. Wario, trying to save the day, perched right next to Plump and encouraged her to stay conscious.

"Breathe in! Breathe out! Breathe in! Breathe out!" He kept repeating those words while overdramatically inhaling and exhaling so that she could get the idea. However, it was a grave mistake to stand so close to her, because before he knew it, Fat Princess collapsed right on top of him. "GYAAACK! GET HER...URK OFF OF ME! I...UNHK CAN'T BREATHE!"

Wii Fit Trainer and Joker rushed right over to them since they were the closest to the scene. Fit and Ren had to team lift Plump off of Wario, which really didn't matter anyway since both of them were now knocked out cold.

"What happened over here," Mario asked as he frantically made his way to the scene.

"Uhh… it's…" Joker pondered, not really sure of what to say. "Let's just say that it's definitely one for the books."

Mario jumped in the air, twisted in place for a few seconds, and when he came back to the ground, he was now Dr. Mario. He put the two unconscious beings onto stretchers and, with the help of Ren, loaded them into an ambulance that was parked outside by the curb. Dr. Mario shut the double doors in the back of the truck and dusted off his hands.

"That should do it."

"Did she pass out from all the cake or Wario's breath," Ren asked.

"Probably both," Mario replied. "It's time to get the party back on track. Tell Luigi that he's in charge while I go check these two into the medical bay." Joker gave a nod, and went looking for Mario's brother. Everyone watched from inside as the ambulance made its way down the street, and disappeared behind the distant scenery. After a few minutes, things were back to normal and dinner was almost ready to start.

"Charizard, let's go!" Leaf released the fire/flying type from its Pokeball, and handed it napkins and utensils that would soon be put to great use. Charizard launched itself in the air, and flew over the dining table, meticulously placing the objects in each reserved spot on the table. In just a matter of seconds, the dining table was fully set, and some people began taking their seats.

On the other side of the room, Jak stood against the back wall, doing his best to remain unnoticed. Truthfully, he hated these "social" events. All of a sudden, he felt someone staring at him, but growled in frustration since he couldn't quite pinpoint exactly who through the crowd. "Hmm... someone's watching me…" His best friend snapped him out of his concentration with his all too familiar voice.

"Are you gonna stay on that wall all night like a nasty stain?"

"I don't see why not. I have no business with any of these people," Jak replied.

Daxter sighed and propped himself up on the usual spot on his buddy's shoulder. "Ahh, typical Jak. Always gotta be the recluse of the group. The lone wolf. How far has that kinda attitude gotten you?"

Jak rolled his eyes and ignored him. He saw everyone taking their seats with their food, and figured it was time to do the same. He walked over to the tables of grub and both he and Daxter were taken aback by the plethora of food choices before them; most of it cooked by Chef Kawasaki who had, thankfully, been improving his cooking in the last few months. The ottsel specifically had his eyes set on the chili fajitas that were still sizzling with heat. Jak noticed what Daxter was staring at, and slapped him on the back of his head.

"Hey?! What was that for?! I'm behaving myself! I haven't even looked at a woman the wrong-" Before he could finish his sentence, Bayonetta strutted by, and he couldn't help but get an eyeful of her... "exciting" features. "Hubba hubb-" *THWACK* "OW! JAK! Would you stop that?!"

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about those fajitas. You're not eating those. Can't have people running out of the mansion because of your weak stomach."

"Oh, gimme a break. I haven't seen food this good since we were in Haven City, and I ain't gonna let some bad gas ruin that!" Daxter took half of all the tacos that were made, and dumped them onto his plate. "Let's go find us a seat so I can dig in!"

It wasn't too long until everyone in the building eventually found a seat at the dining table; the Smashers and All Stars sitting across from one another at the table. The already tense and awkward air seemed to be kicked up a notch, and many distracted themselves by either fiddling with their silverware or chatting it up with the one next to them while waiting to be given the green light to chow down. Even though he hated the responsibility that had suddenly been burdened upon him, Luigi understood his role as the forerunner of the event, and was eager to kick the event off. He stood up to gather everyone's attention.

"Attention everyone! Before we start eating, let's all introduce ourselves," he jubilantly said. His jubilance, however, was drained the moment that Kratos stood up and opened his mouth.

"WE ARE THE PLAYSTATION ALL STARS! AND WE WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

Happy expressions were immediately replaced with blank stares, since nobody was sure how to react to that left-field statement. The mansion was dead quiet, and it remained that way for what seemed like an eternity.

Ganondorf was the first to break the painfully awkward silence. "EXCUSE ME?!" He stood up as well, meeting eye level with the Spartan.

"He's joking!" Drake said, desperately trying to save the night from becoming a catastrophe. "He's joking, I swear. He just has a twisted sense of humor." Drake gently patted Kratos on the shoulders, nonverbally urging the Spartan to sit back down. However, he just shrugged the treasure hunter's hands from his body.

"Perhaps you did not hear me clearly, demon, so I shall say it again…"

"Kratos, seriously," Drake interrupted. "You can stop with the joke now! We get it! You're hilarious! NOW SIT DOWN!"

"Nah, he ain't joking. And neither are those fajitas! Gotta skedaddle!"

All eyes were now on Daxter as he scurried across the dining table, heading for the nearest bathroom he could find, but not before running over Paultena's bowl of ramen, spilling yellow liquid all over her elegant alabaster dress.

"Oops!" Daxter paused. He looked at the annoyed expression on the goddess' face. "Ehh… did anyone ever tell you that yellow is totally your color?"

"DAXTER!" Jak yelled across the table in sheer embarrassment. He jumped up and chased the troublemaker down the hall, and everybody could only blankly stare in shock.

Before things could get any worse, Sly tapped his wine glass twice with his spoon, and changed the subject; his smooth and calm voice easing the rising tension in the atmosphere. "How about we start over and get to know each other a bit? The name's Sly Cooper. It's a pleasure to meet you all. I think I speak for all my fellow All Stars when I say that we are more than honored to be here. I mean, we're sitting with gaming's biggest icons right now. I'd love to hear some of your stories from over the years, and we'd be thrilled to share ours as well."

Thanks to the clever raccoon's speech, some of the smiles had somewhat returned.

Sly took a quick sip of his beverage and whispered to the Lombax that sat next to him. "That's how it's done buddy boy."

Ratchet growled, knowing that Sly had just done a better job as spokesperson than him.

Ash piped up from across the table, clearly motivated from Sly's welcome (I know PT is supposed to be Red, but I'm using Ash cuz I like him better. Fight me!).

"Couldn't have said it better myself! We're totally psyched to have y'all here too! Who cares if you guys are from a different company? The way I see it, the more the merrier!"

"Pika, Pi!"

"Awesome. Glad we were finally able to address the elephant in the room," Sly continued. "Though, I'm particularly interested in you, Miss Aran."

Samus scowled at him, not too keen on being singled out in front of so many people and also not highly fond of sharing her personal details with a stranger. However, Sly had a method to his madness. He hoped that by getting one of the quietest members to talk, then that would encourage everyone else to open up as well. He stayed smooth, resting his chin on his knuckles as he continued.

"Being such a high class bounty hunter, I'm sure you've amassed quite a collection of souvenirs. As a fan, I'd love it if you gave me a peek someday, if that isn't too much to ask from you. In turn, maybe I can rustle up some Cooper Gang relics for you."

Samus remained staring at him with her trademark "IDGAF" face, then returned her attention to her cuisine, picking up her spork and getting lost in the taste.

"She isn't much of a talker, but you can consider me one. Name's Ken, but some of you already know me. Ain't that right, Heihachi?"

Across the table, the gray-haired veteran fighter simply grunted as a response.

"Looks like you've put on a few years since I've seen you. Maybe even decades now that I'm getting a closer look."

Heihachi threw his head back and howled in laughter. "Fool! No matter what my age is, you will never be able to match my fighting prowess!"

"Yeah, sure. Keep dreamin' geezer. Time sure ain't slowin' down for ya." Ken turned his attention to Toro and Kuro who were just bubbling with excitement. "Toro, Kuro! How you knuckleheads doin'? Didn't think I'd ever see you two goofballs again."

"HIIIIII KEN!" The two felines shouted together. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Toro, Kuro, Heihachi, and Ken all met before when each of them fought in the Street Fighter X Tekken tournament that took place years ago. For the cats, it was a relief seeing someone else they were good friends with in a world that was so new.

It was just what was needed to get things finally going for the meet and greet. All that was needed was at least two people who were motivated to get to know each other, and that enthusiasm was spread over some of the others as the night went on. Some people on Nintendo's side shared details about themselves, and likewise, the All Stars did the same. After about thirty minutes of swapping stories, everyone was close to finishing up their meals and ready to say goodbye for the night; especially the people who didn't care to be there in the first place.

"So… why is your head on fire? Doesn't it hurt?" Ness curiously asked.

"It's a uhh… a magic trick!" Kuro said to prevent the clown explaining the REAL reason why Sweet Tooth's head was constantly burning. No need to go on a trip down a forbiddingly dark rabbit hole.

"Oh cool! Can you teach me how to do that?" Ness replied.

Sweet Tooth started giggling uncontrollably. "Sure… if that's what you want. HA HA HA!"

Drake interrupted. "Uh, yeah. Some tricks, you're better off not learning... EVER!"

Princess Daisy stood up, gathering everyone's attention. "Well, on that note, it was nice meeting you all, but I think now is a good time to wrap things up. Luigi?" She glanced over at the man who was close to falling asleep, and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Huh?! Oh yeah." Luigi stood up and dismissed everyone, much to most people's delight.

Overall, the night wasn't as disastrous as Ratchet had thought it would be, though, he knew that it also didn't do much to help everyone feel more comfortable, which was the entire goal in the first place! Nevertheless, the All Stars swiftly made their way outside of the Mansion, and waited for Kapp'n to come pick them up.

"Do you think he had time to swing the car by a body shop while we were in there?" Ignoring what had to be Evil Cole's one millionth remark on the paint job, they watched as Kapp'n pulled the limo up next to them, and got inside the luxurious ride; anticipating the comfy beds that awaited them at Donktastic.

Ratchet waved goodbye to the car that became nothing but a small pink spec as it faded into the distance of the night. He sighed and trudged back up the steps, dreading what he knew would be one long, tremendously awkward experience for the next few days.

Back inside the Mansion, Snake was making his way back to his room, rubbing his belly as he did so. The soldier didn't care too much for the forced formalities earlier, but he'd tell you in a heartbeat that the food was to die for. He was put on guard, however, when he noticed that something about his surroundings seemed… different. He steadied his breathing and focused his brain power on sole concentration, so that he would be able to identify what the anomaly was. Sure enough, as he continued walking, he noticed that someone was following him. After a glint of red light was caught in his peripheral, it didn't take long for Snake to decipher who exactly it was. He came to a stop in one of the darker corridors of the Mansion, and prepared himself for a possible skirmish.

"Can't find your way out of the Mansion? Or is there a different reason that you're following me?"

Raiden's voice sounded as low and gruff as ever while he responded. "I never got to ask my question. Everyone was too busy running their mouths."

"Oh, like your friend who threatened to kill all of us when we weren't even a minute into supper?"

Raiden paused. "There's no excusing his words… he has a past… a troubled one. You of all people should know what that's like. I sure as hell do. Or did you forget who you are, surrounded by all of this artificial affliction?"

Snake chuckled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, and lit it by striking it against the material on his Sneaking Suit.

"They've softened you Snake. I can tell just by hearing the way you breathe."

"That's where you're wrong, Raiden. Thanks to these people, I've grown in more ways than I ever knew a man could. They've given me answers to problems I've never been able to solve by myself. It seems to me like the only thing your people have done for you is turn you into even more of a bitter man than you used to be."

"Don't you dare tell me what they've done for me! I know very well the lessons that I've learned while on this journey with them. If you were with me, you would know."

"So that's what this is about? Of course it is. You're still fed up that I chose to fight for a different company. Yet you chose to be with people who crave blood and tears more than water."

"I CHOSE THE ALL STARS BECAUSE THEY AREN'T FAKE! They're REAL people who had to suffer with REAL issues, and THAT is what makes us such a strong family. We've been through it all and we know how hard life can be, yet we struggle through it together. You betrayed us, you son of a bitch. You, Crash, Spyro, and everyone else! You all left us to DIE when we needed you the most. When PlayStation begged for your assistance, you all turned your heads away. But I'll never forgive you. You not only ignored us, you joined our rivals. If that isn't the biggest middle finger to the parent that raised you… then I don't know what is."

Raiden paused, letting his words marinate in his old teacher's mind. Snake took another hit from his cigarette and looked at Raiden for the first time tonight. "Are you done?"

Raiden's seething anger was multiplied by Snake's slack attitude. He put the cigarette out by using the palm of his hand, and plucked the object right at Raiden's chest plate. The cyborg looked down at the cigarette that fell by his feet, then back up to see Snake's intimidating glare just a few inches away from his face.

"You're still just a little boy," Snake said, his tone engulfed with anger. "You'll never know how much it pains me to see how your 'family' has turned you into the wasted potential that you always struggled not to be." Snake took his finger and pointed it over Raiden's shoulder. "Either go home, or go to hell. Doesn't matter to me."

"WHY YOU LITTLE-" Raiden reeled in to strike the wall beside him to release his anger, but was caught off guard when his punch was caught by someone else. He looked to his side and was nearly startled when he saw the face of a blonde woman who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Samus narrowed her eyes and spoke. "The Smash Mansion parameters are off limits to those who aren't enrolled in the tournament, unless excused by Master Hand. In this case, you are not. You need to leave."

Samus let go of Raiden's fist and he growled in fury, realizing that his "reunion" with his old teacher was over. He took one last look at Snake, and began making his way out of the building.

Snake and Samus remained quiet for a while in the dark hallway. She cast a glance at him and could tell that he was doing his best to stifle his emotions. "Who is he?" She asked.

Snake hesitated, but decided to give her an answer anyway. "...An old friend."

Meanwhile, after wrapping up his business in the hospital, Mario made it back to the Mansion to assist the cleanup crew. He found Fox, Peach, his brother, and Isabelle putting the decorations and what-nots back into boxes to be put away.

"Hey hey! There he is!" Fox welcomed Mario as he jogged into the room.

"It's good to be back! How did everything go? Luigi didn't choke on his food this time, did he?" Mario playfully patted his brother on the back.

"Ehh… well… It was okay… I guess." Fox said while rubbing the back of his head.

"Yes, It could've been better, but it wasn't terrible," Peach mentioned.

"I'm just afraid that they didn't feel as welcomed as I hoped for," Isabelle said. "Most of them were kinda shy. Well, except for Sly. I think he's pretty cool."

Mario sighed. "Well, at least it's a start. I know not everyone was too thrilled to have them here, but that just means we have to encourage everyone to be good to each other. I still believe that we can all be friends."

"Pfft. Yeah, keep dreaming," Fox thought to himself. He put his hands in his pockets and began to trudge off, but stopped when he felt his finger brush against something. "Hmm?" He felt around in his pocket and pulled out a business card with a blue logo on it. Fox flipped the card around to the other side and noticed some words that read, "A pleasure getting to know all of you. Looking forward to the next time we meet. Stay beautiful. - Sly." "How the heck did this get in my pocket," Fox asked in bewilderment.

On instinct, Luigi reached in his pockets and whaddya know? He pulled out an identical card! "Huh?!"

Peach and Isabelle followed their actions and also got the same results. "I don't remember putting this in my pocket," Isabelle said.

Just then, Pit entered the room with a handful of the exact same cards, indicating that the world renowned thief had snuck a card into everyone's pocket somehow. "Hey guys, do you know anything about these?"

Sly, being the sneaky delinquent that he is, was so stoked about meeting everyone, that he decided to leave them a token of his appreciation right under their noses. He always had to show off, didn't he?

Fox tossed the card and groaned. "Oh great. We have another jokester in town."

"Ninety-two, ninety-three... ah, here we go. Ninety-four."

It wasn't hard for Ratchet to find his room. It was all the way up on the highest floor of Smash Mansion, and the hallways were pretty much empty. He figured that most people were probably just too tired from the meet and greet to stay up any further. Mario had given him some basic instructions to find his room, but after that, he hadn't seen any other Smashers along the way, and a part of him was grateful for that. He still wasn't totally comfortable while staying in what he thought of as "a stranger's house." Above all else, he just wanted a nice big ol' bed to sink into. The last couple of days had been far too hectic for his liking, especially with that pesky raccoon giving him crap all the time. "Freaking Sly. Sometimes, I just wish he would shut the hell up."

Ratchet opened the door to the room, and was greeted to a decently sized studio with two beds. The décor was remarkably modest compared to the flamboyant luxury seen everywhere else in the mansion, with a simple light gray coating for the walls. There was a lounge chair in the far off corner of the room that was next to a lampstand. One of the beds had a jumbled mess of blue sheets resting on top. The other bed, which was on the opposite side of the room, had a basic white sheet and a folded orange comforter on top. He assumed that that was the bed that was reserved for him, and plopped himself and his stuff down on top.

"Hmm, wonder who's my roommate."

A few raps on the door snapped him away from his thoughts. He jumped up and opened the door to find Polygon Man floating in front of him. "Oh, it's just you."

"You seem disappointed. Were you expecting someone else?"

Ratchet rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I was expecting Wonder Woman in a two piece bikini, but lo and behold, it's you instead."

"Let me warn you. Your frequent sarcasm is grinding away my patience. ...Besides, Diana wouldn't give you a slither of her time anyway."

"Look, is there something that you need, or can I go to bed now?"

"...Actually, yes. I need to address some important matters with you. May I come in?"

Ratchet nonchalantly threw his hands in the air. "You act like this is my house or something."

"Bah, Ratchet! Can you cease being such a pessimist for one minute of the day?" Polygon Man floated inside and took a look around the room, particularly noting the blue bed. "I hope you get along with your roommate. But speaking of the Smashers, do you care to explain to me what happened tonight?"

Ratchet flopped on the bed and looked up towards the ceiling, not thrilled of where the conversation was heading. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, you don't, do you? So you don't remember Princess Plump passing out on top of Wario?! Or how about Daxter almost getting killed by the goddess of Light?! Or what about those cats playing keep away with Mario's hat?! Or worst of all, Kratos opening his big mouth in front of everyone!"

Ratchet thought for a good long minute about how things were going. Tonight was supposed to be the night where barriers were broken. Where PlayStation and Nintendo finally came together and addressed their differences, and moved past that. Instead, it seems like things may have gotten even worse, and it irked Ratchet that he felt there was nothing he could do about it. He sat up and looked Polygon Man in the eye.

"I love PlayStation more than anything. Just ask Clank how glad I am to be a part of this brand. And I would give my life to see it flourish in every corner of the gaming community. But Polygon Man, I think in order for that to happen, you have to choose someone else to represent. I just don't know how to do what you need me to do."

"Then you will learn. I stand by my decision and will not think twice. I want tonight to be a lesson for you. You must learn how to tighten your leash. Put your foot down! Be the leader that I know you can be!"

Polygon Man watched as Ratchet stared down at the ground, contemplating the words that were just preached to him. Polygon Man never liked the idea of having any favorites among his children. However, he'd be lying if he said that there was something different about Ratchet, which made him have more confidence in the Lombax compared to others.

"I will leave you be. Get your rest, and take heed to my words, my son. Goodnight."

Polygon Man floated out of the room and closed the door behind him. Ratchet changed out of his tuxedo and into his pajamas, and buried himself in the warm covers.

"I hope the rest of the week won't be such a pain. PlayStation and Nintendo becoming allies? Yeah. What a pipe dream."