Chapter 7


	The group scanned the landscape where The Master Hand lived, after the teleportation. The scene was like living on the planet Mars; the landscape had a dusty, reddish-brown ground, some steep, jagged canyons, and some large, crimson-red boulders. Unlike Nikana's illusional dimension of an open field, there were no vegetation or any life forms to be found. 
	"Welcome to The Master Hand's private world." Nikana announced to the group with some sadness in the tone. "It's not much of a pleasant habitat to adapt with as it used to be anymore. The Master Hand took over another world and made it into his own domain. You can say that you are in a different Realm that I used to live in."
	As the group continued to observe the area, Jeff stared up at the sky. His eyes brighten with excitement and wonder. He grabbed Ness' arm, pointed at the sky, and said to him, "Check that out!"
	The boy and the rest of the group looked up at the sky. The sky above them was royal purple with some yellow and white specks in it that provided the ‘sunlight'. However, the sky was clear enough to observe the other planets so well that they could see some detail from where they stood. 
	"Is that neat or what . . . ?" Jeff whispered with excitement. "We don't need telescopes to observe those planets!"
	"They're pretty close to this planet." Ness pointed out. "That's impossible of how the planets are closely packed together!"
	"In space, anything can be possible," Nikana stated, "but we aren't here for astrology lessons. We should get moving along or we can be possibly captured by The Master Hand's henchmen."
	Nikana led the group through the cracks between the tall canyons and walked miles on the narrow path that was in the cracks. During the long journey, Nikana and the others turned and walked through a small tunnel. After passing through the small tunnel, they found themselves staring up a fortress-like building, that stood on top of the edge of a tall canyon.
	"Now how do we get up there?" Ness questioned the group and noticed that the fortress was stranded on the small canyon. 
	The large cracks surrounded the fortress and made it sit on top of the tiny canyon, undisturbed. The fortress was well protected from any intruders who were willing to trespass into it.
	"It's simple." Nikana said in a matter-of-fact tone as she walked to the wall of the canyon. "Come here and watch."
	The girl picked up a big rock from the ground that stood next to the wall. Underneath the rock was a key pad, with triangular, circular or squared symbols on each key. She pressed a few keys, but nothing happened.
	"The Master Hand must have changed the code again." Nikana announced, but smiled. "No big deal."
	She placed her hand over the keys and closed her eyes. The key pad beeped as she did so then suddenly from the canyon wall, a door swooshed open. Nikana led to group inside as the door closed behind them.

	*		*		*		*		*

	The Master Hand, Paula, Metal Mario and a few of The Master Hand's polygon figures watched the glowing orb in The Master Hand's Chamber. The orb showed Poo, Jeff, Nikana, and Ness discovering the entrance into The Master Hand's fortress and walked inside.
	*It appears that we went too easy with our group of friends.* The Master Hand observed.
	"Indeed." Paula agreed and smirked evilly. "Maybe we should send the polygon team on them and watch how they can defeat each of our men. Besides, it is best to watch a challenger first before going up against him."
	*I like how you think, Paula.* The Master Hand commented grimly. *I guess it wouldn't hurt to send our friends to help the party on their little journey. How about sending thirty of my creations to take care of them?*
	"No, we must not have Ness be destroyed, but preserved! It would be such a waste to have your henchmen destroy the fighter before you could defeat the foolish boy. Let's send ten of the polygon figures down there and have his companions be destroyed once and for all. Also, send Metal Mario along with them."
	*All right, ten it is! I shall see to it that Metal Mario will accompany the team.*
	The Master Hand turned and sent Metal Mario and ten of his polygon fighters to seize to group.

	*		*		*		*		*

	Nikana, Jeff, Ness, and Poo entered into a large room. There were some crates and open boxes in the room. The room also contained a great number of people that were categorized with different races and species. They had been stacking boxes and crates, and fiddling with small machinery equipment. They turned their heads and stared at Nikana with wide fear. Everyone stopped what they were doing, ran away, and hid behind crates. Ness, Poo, and Jeff watched in confusion as Nikana eyed the surroundings with a serious expression.
	"Why did they run away like that?" Ness asked.
	"Because Ness, they are permanent slaves to The Master Hand." Nikana replied. "These were the people who I've failed to protect against the Master Hand. They fear of me."
	"And how is that?" Poo asked.
	"The Master Hand had ordered them all to gain up on me and destroy me twice." Nikana answered. "Out of those times, I was forced to hurt a lot of the people or even kill some. I didn't want to, but was the only way to survive. Since I had easily defeated them twice, they know better not to fight me again. 
	"Not to mention that if they failed to defeat me, their master will abuse them all. Instead, The Master Hand had created guards and fighters of his own to take care of me. Most of these people are brainwashed, but few don't need to be since they are weak and easy to conquer if they are disobedient."
	Some of The Master Hand's slaves peered behind the crates and then hid themselves behind the mountains of stacked crates. Ness, Jeff and Poo could easily tell how scared and cautious they were. They felt sympathy for them and most of the slaves' appearances were battered or scared. Some of the enslaved people's faces or parts of their body were swollen or badly bruised from hard labor. Each slaves contained various sizes of scars on their arms, legs, chests or sides. 
	Just then, an elevator door swung opened from across the room. A metallic figure who was followed by ten, violet polygon figures entered the room and stared at Nikana, Ness, Jeff, and Poo. Nikana narrowed her eyes and was on guard. Ness suddenly realized the metallic figure and said, "Hey, isn't that-"
	"Metal Mario!" Nikana interrupted. "The Hellraiser lives!"
	Metal Mario walked towards the group as the polygon team ran ahead of him. Jeff unholstered his Gaia Beam as Poo withdrew the Sword of Kings.
	"I got Metal Mario!" Nikana called out to her group. "Cover my back by defeating the polygon team!"
	Ness watched Nikana dodging the attacks of several polygon figures as she went after her targeted victim, Metal Mario. Jeff fired bottle rockets at two polygon figures and Poo brought his sword into another. The slaves behind the crates watched the fight take place and cheered and hollered. Suddenly after defeating a polygon figure, Jeff quickly glanced at Ness and shouted, "Ness! Look out!"
	The boy dodged out of the way of a polygon figure's attack. It carried a shield and a pointed sword, wore a long hat, was taller than Ness and had pointed ears. Ness summoned PK fire, but the attacker leaped to avoid it. While in the air, the polygon figure pulled out an object and hurled it at Ness, knocking the boy to the floor. The figure landed and charged at the boy. 
	While on the ground, Ness swung kicked the polygon figure and knocked it on the ground. Then, the boy stood up with ease, ran to a stack of crates and quickly climbed them. Two polygon figures went after the boy and tried to climb up the crates. Ness had already reached up to the top and jumped off the top crate. Just as he did, he called, "PK Thunder!"
	A ball of electricity sprang out from the boy's cranium. Ness controlled it's direction pattern and made it go toward himself. The ball struck Ness in the stomach and the boy flew straight into two crates. The stack of large, heavy crates stumbled and fell to the floor. A two large crates fell on top of the two polygon figures an crushed them onto the ground. The helpless slaves of The Master Hand applauded with appreciation, stamped their feet and chanted, "Go Ness!" repeatedly. 
	Ness pulled out his bat and joined his friends to battle the three remaining polygon figures. Jeff continued to fire bottle rockets as Poo jump kicked a polygon figure in the chest. Ness summoned PK Fire and nailed another polygon figure. With his bat, the boy brought it crashing into the figure with full strength. The figure that Ness nailed flew, slammed into another stack of crates, and did not move.
	After defeating the polygon team, the crowd that once cheered Ness on cheered for someone else. They screamed, "M. Mario!" 
	"Ness! Jeff! Look!" Poo exclaimed pointed to across the room. 
	There were two figures that fought desperately and bitterly against each other across the room from Jeff, Ness, and Poo. The short metallic figure slammed a power punch into his opponent which knocked her off her feet. The wounded opponent groaned in pain as the figure grabbed her and tossed her against a stack of crates like a rag doll.
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