This is a story request for Barbacar, but you probably read that already in the summary (which I hope you did). Enjoy!

Smashville. Two stocks. Six minutes. And two competitors duking it out to see who comes out on top.

That was how most competitive Smash matches went. It was always the same stages - Battlefield, Final Destination, and Smashville. No hazards to screw you over, no alterations to the stage layout - just nothing but two brawlers competing against one another to accrue a win.

I was one of the brawlers, 55 in total (63 if you wish to include Alph and the Koopalings), and I was participating in a tournament, watched by many spectators from around the world. If I win, I would receive a taste of glory, and become anointed in the tradition of winning like all the other winners that came before me. But if I lose, then I would have to suffer with shame and sorrow for an indefinite amount of time.

And here I was, in the thick of things in the final round of the tournament, only one win away from earning the tournament crown. My opponent?

Cloud Strife.

Now compared to the opponents I've faced in the previous rounds - Falco, King Dedede, Marth, and Olimar, in that order - Cloud wasn't the easiest fighter to go up against, what with his Limit Break and that Buster Sword of his. Granted he was no Bayonetta (and don't even get me started on her...), but Cloud was still an opponent brawlers a many had trouble taking down. And today it seemed like I was about to join those brawlers, after Cloud took my first stock.

After I lost my stock, Cloud and I were both tied at one stock apiece, and it seemed like Cloud was absolutely winded. If he made one little mistake, I could very well punish him, and take away his stock and accrue victory. But Cloud was hardly accustomed to making mistakes, which made KO'ing him all the more difficult.

Cloud suddenly went into attack mode moments after I respawned. He attacked me with a tilts, smashes, aerial attacks, and some special attacks as well - thank goodness he only had to use his Limit Break to recover, otherwise I would've been in some deep trouble!

Unfortunately my dear Luma couldn't take the beating Cloud handed to us, and was knocked out faster than usual. I was left all alone until another Luma respawned, which meant I had to buy some time until another Luma appeared. With Cloud getting all revved up, it almost seemed like game over for me...

...until a Smash Ball appeared on the stage. Smash Balls were originally banned from the tournament by Master Hand, but were brought back because Pit constantly complained to Master Hand about how he kept losing his matches, and that he needed a Final Smash in order to win. Poor little Pit can't simply win on his own...how utterly pathetic.

However, if I needed to win against Cloud, then I need to get that Smash Ball and gain my Final Smash, and use my Power Star to knock Cloud off the stage. Cloud was on the verge of getting knocked out, and it would take forever for another Luma to appear...securing that Smash Ball was the only chance I had at winning.

Using the floating platform on the stage as leverage, I jumped for the Smash Ball as it bounced around in the sky, away from my grasp. Just when I made yet another jump, propelling myself towards the Smash Ball...Cloud got to the Smash Ball before I did, slashing the ball with his Buster Sword, and that's when I knew it was all over...

I tried my best to get away from Cloud, but it was no use...Cloud had lined me up, and unleashed his Omnislash on poor little me, sending me into the air and slashing me with his blade multiple times, before dealing the final blow as he sent me back down to the stage, emitting a large explosion powerful enough to send me flying away.

And just like that, I lost my second and final stock.

Game, set, match.

The winner of the match...Cloud Strife.

And the winner of the tournament?

Cloud Strife.

Following the match, I returned to the main lobby, where my fellow brawlers were. They all watched the final match of the tournament on the television screens, and once I stepped foot in that lobby, everyone turned around and saw me, and gave me a round of applause. Everyone was clapping for me - even the villainous trio of Bowser, Ganondorf, and King Dedede. Even though I had lost, it was still quite remarkable to be greeted with such a warm reception.

"Nice effort out there Rosalina, you did very well in a losing effort!" commended Ness, giving me a resounding thumbs up.

"You nearly had Cloud on the ropes - hardly anyone ever comes close to beating the guy, and you could have beaten him!" remarked Yoshi. "And for that, my respect for you has reached levels never before seen!"

"Look on the bright side, at least you didn't get footstooled like Diddy Kong did!" added Sonic, bringing some irrelevant piece of information to the conversation. "You should have seen the look on Diddy's face when I footstooled him, that was perhaps the greatest win I've had so far!" Thanks for sharing that with us, Sonic...

Then in came the victor, the winner of the tournament...Cloud Strife. The swordsman walked into the lobby, greeted by a thunderous wave of applause and cheers by the brawlers, and the ever aloof and apathetic swordsman just walked past everyone, seemingly unfazed by all the praise heaped upon him, when Master Hand stopped him in his tracks.

"Congratulations on winning the tournament Cloud, you had a great performance!" the giant hand commended Cloud for his efforts. I suppose I didn't have a great performance, considering I came in second place and all. "One of the finest performances I've seen in recent memory. Really impressed a lot of folks out there. And to commemorate your tournament win...here's your trophy!"

Master Hand would hold out his hand, revealing a trophy with the Smash logo on it. As stated earlier, Cloud was apathetic, so he didn't care one bit about his trophy. Come to think of it, I don't think Cloud didn't even care about winning the tournament as well - why he was even a participant remained a mystery.

"Uh, thanks Master Hand, don't really need a trophy," said Cloud as he walked away, heading off to who-knows-where. "Just glad that I won the whole tournament and all, and the other competitors did great too." So Cloud cared about winning...huh, guess he wasn't as apathetic as I imagined him to be.

I would return to the Comet Observatory after the tournament, thinking over the progress I've made in the tournament, and my match with Cloud. I mused over Cloud taking my first stock, and how he was able to take my second stock with just his Final Smash...

...and that's when it hit me. Maybe a change was needed. Maybe I needed something new. Maybe Cloud had something that I didn't, something that helped him accrue victory and win the tournament.

Maybe...maybe I needed a new Final Smash. One just as powerful as Cloud's.

Sure, my Power Star can get the job done, but isn't as strong compared to Cloud's Omnislash (unless you find yourself stuck in the star, that is).

Perhaps a new Final Smash was in order - one that could deal a finishing blow to any brawler, regardless of strength and power, I go up against...

...like Cloud Strife, for instance.