**Chapter 6: Unlikely Allies**

"Everything happened so fast," Lucas said, his voice shaking as he recounted the events to Rhett. "Me and Bigfoot were just planning a little prank with a pumpkin, and then those mean guys showed up and tied us up. I was so scared, Rhett. I'm only eight years old, and I didn't know what to do." Rhett's face twisted with anger as he listened to Lucas's story. He couldn't believe the cruelty of Victor and Dr. Thompson. "Don't worry, Lucas, we're going to get you and Bigfoot out of here," he promised. As Rhett spoke, he couldn't help but glance over at Link, who was still restrained and looking helpless. "Poor Link, he didn't do anything to deserve this," Rhett muttered to himself. "He's always trying to help, and this is how he's repaid." Just then, a loud crash echoed through the room, followed by the sound of pipes bursting and water spraying everywhere. The door burst open, and in walked Mario and Luigi, their iconic red and green overalls a welcome sight. "It's-a us, Mario Brothers!" Mario exclaimed, surveying the scene before him. "And we're-a here to help!" Luigi's eyes landed on Link, and he rushed over to him. "Whoa, it's-a Link! What's-a happened to him?" Mario's gaze swept the room, taking in the restraints and devices attached to Link. "Those-a villains, they're-a not going to get away with this. We've-a got a link of our own who might be able to help us." He nodded to a figure standing behind him, a young man with a green tunic and a courageous look in his eyes. "This is-a Link from Hyrule," Mario explained. "He's-a skilled warrior, and we think he might be able to help us rescue you." Rhett's eyes widened as he took in the new information. "We need to get Link back to his kingdom before 9 o'clock," Mario said urgently. "The princess, Zelda, she's-a going to be devastated if something's happened to him. She'll think the worst." Luigi nodded in agreement. "We have to-a get him back to her before it's too late." The Mario Brothers quickly set to work, using their plumbing skills to disable the devices and restraints holding Link captive. As they worked, Rhett couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could rescue Lucas, Bigfoot, and Link, and get them all back to their respective homes safely. But as they worked, Victor and Dr. Thompson were not going to give up without a fight. They snarled and sneered, threatening to stop them at every turn. The battle was far from over, and Rhett steeled himself for what was to come. As the clock ticked closer to 9 o'clock, Rhett knew they had to act fast. They had to get Link back to Hyrule, and fast, or risk Zelda's devastation. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and he redoubled his efforts to help the Mario Brothers rescue their friends.