Cheers!

Even after Christmas, holiday cheer was still very much present within the Smash Mansion. New Year's Eve was just a few days off, after all, and the adults were still having their fun. Towards the back of the first floor was a bar, where many friends and foes alike were gathered.

The place, so far, was immaculate, with clean tile floors. Everyone knew after a few months and a couple visits from Wario, the place would be in shambles and smell like the backside of a dead animal, but for now, everything was nice and tidy. Which was good for the patrons holed up here.

"You know, for as hard as this year was, we managed to pull through together," Mario said, taking a sip. "I say this calls for a toast!"

"I'll drink to that," Snake said, holding up a shot of whisky.

"You'd drink t'most things!" MS. PAC-MAN said, followed by a hiccup. The ghost eater had only just gotten here, and she was already looking rather "smashed", and not in the normal way.

"How much as she had?" Snake asked. "I think you should cut her off."

"She just had... one sip..." PAC-MAN said, somewhat in awe at how quickly his wife got tipsy. "What do they put in this Secret Juice!?"

"Some magic-*hic* and a LOOOOT of mango!" MS. PAC-MAN answered, rocking back and forth in her stool while taking another sip. She then started looking at her husband with those telltale bedroom eyes. "Hey handshome, you come here often?~"

That made PAC-MAN shy away a bit. Hopefully she'd be back to normal soon.

"Lightweights," Dry Bowser commented, a whole bottle of vodka in his hand. "After everything I've been through, it takes a lot to get me going."

"Maybe if you'd keep your claws to yourself, I wouldn't have to rake your butt on the coals every other week," Mario jabbed.

"Hey, don't pin this on me," Dry Bowser said in defense. "I'm just Bowser's undead clone who shows up every now and then for a kart race."

"How ARE you two separate entities anyway?" Yoshi asked. Beside him were Baby Peach and Baby Daisy, drinking daintily on apple juice. *Technically* speaking, both were much too young to be anywhere near the bar. However, since they were a combined fighter with Yoshi, it defaulted to his age and they could both be let in, so long as they don't try anything hard.

Loopholes were fun.

"Same reason your kids are here," Dry Bowser retorted.

"Touche," Yoshi said, taking another sip of beer.

"Huh, never thought of them as Yoshi's children before," Twilight Sparkle said, lifting a mug of cider to her mouth with her magic.

"I mean they're not really mine," Yoshi said. "Technically speaking, Peach and Daisy here aren't anyone's. They came from a stork."

"That has some... horrifying implications..." Twilight said.

"Hey speaking of that," Snake said before turning to Mario. "You've been saving Peach for how many years now? Yet you're as single as I plan on being. What's up with that?"

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Dry Bowser jabbed.

"Oh, her," Mario said. "Well we actually tried for a bit, but it just never worked out. I mean, a princess and a plumber? Sounds like some fairy tale."

"The irony," Ridley chuckled from the other side of the bar. Next to him was Dark Samus, who was drinking kerosene. Whatever it was, it tasted good.

"Wait, so you two tried to tie the knot, it didn't work out, and you never told me!?" Yoshi said, shocked at what he was hearing. "Jeez, you think you know a guy."

"Mario likes spaghetti too much to have room in his heart for anyone else," Falco commented, getting some laughs from the other patrons.

Mario said nothing, and continued to drink.

"I dunno," Dry Bowser said. "He's been spending plenty of time with Isabelle."

"Mario and Isabelle together?" Ridley said. "Sounds like the start of a bad fanfiction."

"It's nothing like that," Mario groaned. "We're just roommates and friends, and she helps me whenever I need it. Simple as that."

"Jus' be nice to eech'othor, 'kay?" MS. PAC-MAN said. Five sips in and she was already hearing colors.

"What kind of help?" Falco pressed further.

"You know, helping me organize stuff for Smash," Mario answered. "Setting up events, setting up meetings, all that stuff. Plus, whenever I'm feeling down, she's always there to bring me back up."

"Guys, c'mon..." Twilight said.

"Now don't quote me on this..." Falco said. "But I think she might be into you."

"She isn't," Mario said firmly. "Just because we've been living in the same dorm for years doesn't mean there's anything going on."

"Eesh, there's an image to keep you up at night," Snake said. He was gonna need another drink after that. The comment only served to make Mario's face beat red.

"Sounds to me like he isn't even interested," Falco hummed as he downed another shot. He was starting to feel something bubbling inside him, and it wasn't the New Year's Eve spirit.

"I think you're wrong, but whatever," Ridley said.

"Oh whadda YOU know 'bout love?" MS. PAC-MAN asked, nearly falling out of her seat.

"Guys, you're all reading this wrong!" Mario said.

"Or maybe... you're reading it wrong," PAC-MAN offered.

At that point, Mario had enough. "I don't have time for this," he grumbled as he set his mug down and got up from the stool.

"Aw c'mon," Falco said. "We were just messing with you!"

"Mario, wait!" Twilight said. She tried to get up and follow him, but he was already out the door. She sighed and shook her head. "He doesn't even know..."

"Know what?" Dry Bowser asked.

Twilight froze up. Oh no. She fucked up. She fucked up big time. Hesitantly, she turned to face the other fighters, all of whom were giving her looks. Even Dark Samus stopped drinking kerosene long enough to give her a quizzical look.

"Well?" Falco said. "Spill the beans! What doesn't he know?"

"I... well... uh..." Twilight said, trying to find a way out of this.

"Let me guess," Ridley said. "Isabelle told you that she has feelings for Mario and she wished he'd get the hint. She vented to you in private because she's too much of a hopeless romantic to make the first move, and entrusted you not to tell anyone else even though she makes her love for him more obvious than a serial killer wearing a sign that says 'I'M GONNA KILL YOU!'."

"I-... Bu-... How..." Twilight stuttered in disbelief. "You... you even got the part about the serial killer!?"

"Oh, she said that?" Ridley said, beside himself.

"And you didn't tell him?" Falco asked. "Some shitty friend you are."

"She told me not too!" Twilight said. She groaned before taking a seat back at the bar and putting her hooves over her head and her chin on the table. "Why do I always gotta be the middle mare in these things?"

"You aren't in the middle of anything," Dry Bowser said.

"Did I miss something," Yoshi said. "Or is Isabelle actually into Mario!? And here I am still shocked he and Peach aren't an item." Baby Peach looked at her dinosaur friend. "Not you," he corrected.

"So when are you going to tell him?" PAC-MAN asked.

"Never," Twilight said. "I promised her I wouldn't."

"I didn't," Dry Bowser grinned.

"Sit the hell back down," Snake huffed. "We don't need you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."

"My fingers are in every pie in this mansion," Dry Bowser said. "I want some of this pie, too."

"Phrasing," Falco jeered, as the other patrons laughed. Dry Bowser wasn't as amused.

"Hey barkeep!" Yoshi called. "Hit me up with another shot. I need something to get that out of my head."

Meanwhile, Twilight sat there sulking. What was she gonna do now?