Okay, I know I have a lot I should be writing, but I did this and I figured I might as well post it. Don't know when of if there will be a chapter two, but I have a few sheets filled with just plans.

Mostly going to be romance centered, but I will be trhrowing some plot and violence at them all quite often. I'll have a poll up for the pairings right away!

Chapter one: Jacob and Maria

"FINAL MATCHUP – MARIA WHITE vs JACOB JONES"

A boy, 19 years of age, scoffed at the announcement, inwardly appreciating the voice that was a perfect replica of Super Smash Bros' commentator. He brushed his long blond bang to one side of his face to better see, and watched the large screen in front of him as the last two competitors of the semi finals walked off, one person was a shaggy haired brunette man, a bit older than the one watching, and the other a long, roan, braided haired little girl. Caleb Renalds, and Maria White.

The boy, Jacob Jones, grit his teeth, wondering just how such a tiny thing could actually know how to play the game better than his own best friend. It couldn't have just been luck that got her this far, and she couldn't be anything like his sister. After all, so far she'd played as Marth, Wario, Wolf, Yoshi, DK, Bowser, and, on the purely random match, Jiggly Puff. Jane would have played in pink all the way through and lose in a matter of seconds. He hoped his friend would have some insight on how to take her down.

In case you hadn't guessed yet, these three were involved in a rather large videogame tournament completely centered on Super Smash Brothers. Which volume they would play was randomized, as were the rules and circumstances of every match. Jacob himself had just been in an 87 life match with a high school girl who had given him a run for his money using Kirby is his own semi final round. Most combatants had been eliminated when the original Smash Brother's game was pulled out and none of them knew how to play it.

While Jacob was contemplating the final match he didn't notice when the two combatants walked into the room chatting like good friends despite the challenge they just faced against one another.

"That was a brilliant move!" Caleb was exclaiming cheerfully, a light British accent invading his tone. "I'm sure you picked Marth solely for this reason! Waiting for a 'Sudden Death' before even thinking about using his counter attack was absolutely astounding! The fact that you hadn't used it made me forget about it in the moment. You had me."

The girl gave a brief closed eye smile at his adamant praise. "You give me too much credit, Mr. Renalds. I actually got it from watching your first match in the tournament; it may have been involuntary, but you did quite the same thing."

The man blinked his amber eyes in innocent curiosity. "Really, I did? I didn't even notice…" He mused. It was at this point that Jacob tuned back into reality and noticed his friend had entered the room.

He stood from the bench he had been sitting on and, brushing his fringe away again, walked over to the two, a frown in place. Taking his friend's arm and glowering at the young female, who smiled slightly back, dragged his friend away, mumbling about needing to strategize. He glared into the space in front of him with enough scorn to burn the building down when he heard her giggle from behind him. Caleb laughed at his behavior.

"What's up with you?" He asked Jacob amusedly. "So high strung that you're trying to instill fear in the poor girl's heart? How cruel of you." He finished before breaking into giggles.

The blond gave his friend a withering look. "I don't like how you and her could be chatting so friendly when she just booted you out of the tournament in the semi-finals. You should be the one who's upset!" He grumbled dropping the other boy's sleeve, and heading for the exit doors of the large building. "Why aren't you?"

The brunette just shrugged, bright amber eyes shining with unadulterated mirth. "She was my better, not much more to it. She beat me fair and square and wasn't arrogant about it like some people I know." He stressed, shooting a pointed glance that was blatantly ignored. "Told me that she's going to use a swordsman in the next round, by the way."

Jacob's posture relaxed and he gave Caleb a look of relief and gratitude as he walked out of the building, heading straight next door to their hotel. "I should have known you were up to something. You always to that, act chummy with the enemy for information. What would I do without you?"

"Drown in a lake." Was the prompt reply that had Jacob stifling a laugh. "I hate to tell you this, but sense she saw me walk away with you, she's probably going to change her plan."

The blond shook his head, brushing a hand through his hair once more. He turned and walked backwards to better face his companion. "Probably, but it doesn't hurt to practice right?" He said with an amused smirk. "And the match is right after supper anyways, so I doubt she would have enough time to come up with a whole new strategy. She'll probably stick to the swordsmen. Besides she's a-!

Caleb burst into rather demeaning laughter as his younger friend fell backwards over a bush halfway through a sentence. "That's your karma for being sexist! Just because she's a woman doesn't mean she's not good at the game we're all playing.

"I wasn't going to say that…" Jacob growled from the ground. At the inquiring 'Hmm?' a blush spread on his face and he stayed silent, having no backup.

"Nice try Jake, but I'm not falling for it."

Maria watched with a twinkle in her eye as the two men walked out the door, one going through what looked like an emotional rollercoaster, while the other laughed at his misfortune. The blond was the man she knew to be her next and last competitor in the tournament, and she had known all along that the brunette was a friend of his. That was why she had fed him the information. Now, her opponent was sure to waste his time, however little of it, dedicated to practicing against swordsmen. She hadn't exactly lied, no, in fact, if anyone thought about it enough, the character was, in fact, a swordsman.

Tugging her black cloth shawl into place with a small smile, Maria made her way over to the front desk of the establishment. It appeared as though very few of the participants in the tournament actually knew that the games took place in a Hotel. Most of the floors had been redecorated for the occasion, few being open to guests, but there had been a room for everyone prepared on the top two floors. Most, having already made hotel plans, didn't stay though, and few of the rooms were actually in use. Maria's mother had questioned the tournament endlessly and found out about it, so she was staying in the large Resort-like hotel. She was glad to say that she came alone.

A pretty woman with short bleached white hair and blue-grey eyes greeted her at the desk, giggling for no apparent reason as she fluttered her eyelashes at, as seen when Maria turned to look, nothing. "Hey Finalist~ what can I do for ya?" She asked with a gleeful tone.

Somewhat hesitantly, but eager to finish her business with the woman, the redhead brought up her request. "I would like to inquire if someone could schedule a taxi for me for tomorrow evening, preferably pertaining to 7:00 PM if at all possible."

Giggling again and tilting her head to the side a little, the employee nodded. "I can do that! Now, go get yourself a HUUUUUGE celebratory dinner for making it this far!" Maria left the woman to swivel around in her wheelie chair, making a mental note to ask again later, when a saner looking clerk might be at the desk instead.

None the less, the little lady took her advice on dinner, knowing that practicing too much before her match would throw her off. So, making a bee line to the hotel's built in restaurant, Maria instead recited all of her choice character's moves in her head, thanking whatever god came to mind –Kratos- that the match was not going to be in random, but customized to the players' liking based on previous fights.

Opening the glass doors beside the exit, of which she looked out and saw the blond boy from earlier stumble over a bush, Maria's breath was stolen by the interior of the establishment. It was her dream restaurant, with the interior that she would want for her own dining room. There were warm red walls, a dark stained wood floor, red plush chairs and booths, with black stone tables and lights hanging from the ceiling in a romantic and comfortable atmosphere. It definitely helped that all of the waiters and waitresses she could see were indefinably gorgeous.

"Table for one? Or are you expecting company, young miss?" Turning to look at the one to address her, Maria fought valiantly to keep a steady temperature in her face. His hair was black and neatly slicked back, giving a nice view of his blue-grey eyes that were several shades darker than her own, and the sharp aristocratic features of his face. His skin was a little pale, but not unhealthily so, yet in the lighting, and she was sure that the butler-like outfit wasn't helping, Maria couldn't help but think that he looked like an extremely alluring vampire.

Realizing that she had spaced out, Maria simply shook her head in negative to his inquiry, not speaking in an attempt to save some pride by keeping herself from stating his… vampire-ness. He just smiled politely and gestured for her to follow behind him. He pulled out her chair for her and gave her a charming, yet somehow mocking smile, as she sat down. "Your waitress today will be Madame Marrionette. I wish you luck in tonight's finals, Madame White."He nodded his head politely and turned to leave with a sly grin on his face.

Maria caught a glance at his name-tag as he left, almost too small for her to read. Ruka мастер. He must have been Russian. A very pretty Russian. Very very-

Shoving the attractive man out of her head, Maria turned to the menu that way lying in front of her. At age 17, she was sad to say that alcohol was out of the question, but decided on a French vanilla milkshake that more than made up for it in her mind. Before she could turn to look at the food portion of her menu, a beautiful and slightly familiar woman walked to the side of her table.

The woman was tall and elegant with chocolate brown skin, her straight, waist length curled hair a few shades darker, and emerald green eyes. A thin strap dress that perfectly matched her eyes was lying over her curvy form simply, yet elegantly, and her dark red lips fit well with the matching dangling roses on her ears. Her nametag read, Anya Marrionette. Quickly smothering a sudden bout of jealousy, Maria gave the lady her full attention.

"Can I start you off with somethin' to drink, Madame?" She said the word Madame as though it was new and foreign to her, her voice holding a rough edge to it, peppered with an accent Maria couldn't place.

"Yes, could I order a vanilla milkshake?" Writing it down on her pad, Anya nodded and asked if she wanted anything else. "No thank you, Miss Anya. But may I inquire as to whether or not we have met? You look awfully familiar to me, and I am quite absurdly curious."

She simply smiled at the red-head. "That's quite the ol' dictionary you've got in your head. I don' think we've met before, but you're the finalist, so you may 'ave seen me in passin' over the last few days. Anyway, I'll go fill your order and give you some time to pick out a meal." With wave and a flourish of her skirt, she turned and walked away, leaving me to stare in jealousy once more at her swaying round hips on her hourglass figure.

When no one was looking, Maria uncharacteristically allowed her forehead to meet the table's surface. She grumbled under her breath for a moment before sitting straight as a pole, realizing exactly where she recognized the woman from. She had been the semi-finalist that fought against Jacob Jones. Dark blue eyes shone out from under brown bangs, following the beauty as she walked into a back room. Maria reigned back her grin and smirked; they had much to talk about.

You can probably already tell who's important, and who's going to be what, and I'm totally predictable, and bla bla bla, but who cares? Who wants Maria to win?!