Chapter 9 – Kingdom Battle Royale (Part 4)
"Welcome back, everyone! Round 1, fight 2 of the Mythgrove Battle Royal starts in just 5 minutes!" Silvia cheered over the microphone.
"So, in just five minutes, Zelda and this Phantom Fighter girl will be on this arena fighting each other. *sigh* I honestly have my doubts on this one."
"Don't jinx it, Peach! I really need that wish!" Viridi yelled at me.
"You're forgetting that this is Zelda we're talking about. Sure, she has magical powers and stuff to that nature. But other than…THAT move set, she just as defenseless as me."
(By the way, the four of us had already informed Moon on never mentioning Smash Bros. in this world. And she agreed that it's just too risky.)
"Cheer up, Peach. I'm sure Zelda will win." Phosphora said.
"Well…Peach does have a point." Mio said.
"Huh? What do you mean, Mio?"
"Like I said, the Phantom Fighter has never lost a battle in this tournament for 5 years straight. She's a pro. Not just at martial arts, but at using shadow magic as well. And from what I saw from Zelda when she and Peach rescued me…sure, she's powerful. But nothing compared to the Phantom Fighter. This could be it for her."
"Geez. Way to bring the mood down drastically, Mio." Viridi said.
"Aw, come on, girls. Cheer up." Moon said. "Even if Zelda does lose, we can still celebrate with these cakes I brought with me. They're really good, too."
"You brought cake?"
"Ooh! I want cake, too!" Phosphora cheered.
"Well, I am getting kinda hungry." Mio said.
"You want one, Peach?" Moon asked me.
"No. None for me. I'm just about sick of cake. Seeing it, making it, eating it. I'm flat out done with it."
"Understandable."
Moon started digging in her bag for the cake. But then grew a confused look on her face.
"Huh? Hey, where did all the cake go? I had it all in my bag."
Then without warning, the bag began to move by hopping up and down from the chair it was on.
"Cool. Possessed bag." Phosphora said.
"How is that cool?" I asked her.
Then something popped out of the bag. Only just it's head. But those of us that weren't Mio knew what it was.
"Aipom! Aipom!"
"What the? Aipom! Did you escape from your Pokéball again?!" Moon asked.
"Aipom!"
"So, is this…" Mio asked.
"Yeah. This a Pokémon. They're creatures that roam around in my world. And this particular one is my partner, Aipom. He's a…rambunctious one, I can tell you that."
"I see. Well, he's really cute."
"Aipom!"
"So, where's the cake?" Phosphora asked.
"Let me guess. You ate it all didn't you, Aipom?" Moon asked her Pokémon.
"Aipom!"
"*sigh* You greedy little…what am I going to do with you?"
"Aipom, Aipom! Aipom! Aipom!"
"Hilarious."
If it isn't clear up to this point, Moon is the only person that can understand Aipom. So, to the rest of us, all we hear is "Aipom".
To some, it may seem bad that we can't understand him. But I've seen the two of them get into some really serious arguments based on whatever Aipom really means when he repeats his name like that.
And for that reason, I'm glad that I can't understand him.
"*sigh* Whatever. Just stay in the bag until this is over, okay?"
"Aipom Aipom!"
"And…we're back, everyone!" Silvia came back onto the microphone. "I'm sure you all are just as excited as I am after that break! So let's get on with the second match of Round 1! Fighters, come on out!"
"It's starting!" Mio said.
"Come on, Zelda!"
"You can do it, Zelda!" Phosphora and Moon cheered.
"Hey. Do you still have hopes for Zelda winning this?" Viridi asked me.
"Well…a little." I then looked at the center arena as I made a great big sigh.
Zelda. You better know what you're up against…
*CHANGE OF POV*
"Woah! This place is bigger than I thought!" I said as I stepped out from behind the gate and into the arena battlefield. The sounds of people cheering for a battle only made my excitement grow.
As for the first time in…who knows how long, I'm fighting by myself for once! No Link to fight for me and make me look weak! No Ganon to keep me cornered!
It's just me and my OWN opponent!
Which, by the way…I'm about to meet face-to-face.
As I reached the center of the arena, I was standing directly in front of the Phantom Fighter. And even with her being a little shorter than me, that Phanto mask seems really intimidating.
Wait. Didn't Mio say that this girl has shadow magic? Could she be getting it from the Phanto mask?
"Zelda? You're going up against THE Phantom Fighter?" Silvia asked me.
"Yep. And I plan on winning, too."
"Y-You…seem confident, Zelda. I am ever so excited for this battle." The girl said from behind the mask.
"Wow. That's gotta be the first time I've heard her talk. She must really respect you, Zelda."
"You think?" I kept questioning Silvia's words in my mind. It did seem kinda odd that someone like her took a liking to me at first glance.
Maybe Viridi was right about being played.
*RUMBLE*
"Alright! Fighters, are you ready?!" Silvia yelled over the microphone.
"I'm ready!" I cheered.
"Indeed, I am." The Phantom Fighter responded.
*RUMBLE*
"Okay. The with the King, Queen, and everyone in the audience as my witness, let fight 2 the Mythgrove Battle Royale…BEGIN!"
And Once those words were said, it didn't take long for the girl to start first. I saw her jump so high that I couldn't see her from the lights.
Shoot! Where did she…AH!
"Phantom Kick!"
"Nayru's Love!"
With my crystal barrier, I blocked the girl's shadow-powered kick. But it didn't hold for long. Because it broke into pieces. Sending us both back from each other a good distance.
Woah! This girl's really strong! That kick alone would've finished me!
*RUMBLE*
…
"I…Impressive. No one has been able to perfectly counter that move." The Phantom Fighter said to me.
"You could say that I've had a bit of practice." I replied with a small smile.
"I see. Then, let us continue. Shadow Burst!" The Phantom Fighter then shot out two shadow balls from her palms. Then kicked them for extra force. Both shadow balls were swirling in a circle and heading towards me. I had to think fast!
"Din's Fire!"
I launched a magical fireball at the two shadow balls. Colliding with them both and all three of them exploding because of it.
*RUMBLE*
"A-Another perfect counter?!" The Phantom Fighter yelled in shock.
"*pant* *pant* Another powerful attack. This girl's no joke. I'm already getting exhausted." I whispered to myself.
"Woah! This is some battle am I right, folks?! The excitement is rushing through my…"
*RUMBLE*
*RUMBLE*
"Huh? What was that?" Silvia asked as she was interrupted by the constant shaking.
*RUMBLE*
*RUMBLE*
"So, I wasn't the only one feeling that?" I asked.
"Th-This rumbling…feels really odd." The Phantom Fighter added.
The crowd was also getting concerned with all the rumbling. The cheering from seconds before now turned into chatters of worry.
"Everyone!"
We then paid our attention to one of the guild workers who had rushed onto the arena.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Silvia asked.
"Chief! We must clear the arena immediately! There's a giant…"
*RUMBLE*
*RUMBLE*
*RUMBLE*
*CRASH*
Suddenly, something big had crashed through the ceiling. Debris falling down with it into random spots in the arena and smoke flying everywhere.
It made it hard to see everything. But with one swipe from whatever fell from the ceiling, I was able to see it.
But I honestly wish I didn't…
"W-Wait. That's…"
"RAAAWWWGGGHH!"
"R…Ridley?!"
"Ridley?" The two girls asked me.
That's when Ridley heard our voices and looked down on us. Then only paid attention to me. As unfortunately…he recognized me.
*whine*This what I get for being friends with Samus!
"RAAAWWWGGGHH!"
*SWIPE*
I was swiped really hard and thrown to the wall on the end. But thanks to my Nayru's Love power, I was able to block most of the impact.
"Ow…" I winced in pain.
I heard the swarms of people screaming and crying as they fled for the exits. Not wanting to get hurt or most likely die from Ridley's attacks.
"Hey, look out!" I heard at least someone shout.
I then noticed Ridley flying towards me with great speed. No doubt planning to strike me a second time.
"Gah! Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no! What do I…"
"Phantom Kick!"
*POW*
"Wait, what?!"
I saw the Phantom Fighter dropkick Ridley in the face with the attack from earlier. It looked strong, but…not strong enough. As Ridley knocked her off and swiped her, too. Sending her to the side wall of the arena.
"No!" I yelled. While Ridley just laughed at what he just did. Then, with his attention back to me, he raised his piercing needle tail and aimed it at me.
"Tch. Aw, crud."
"PK Flash!"
*BOOM*
*SCREECH IN PAIN*
I saw a giant ball of green light hit Ridley in the face and push him back greatly. I was so glad when the person who fired it landed in front of me.
"Peachy!"
"Geez, Zelda. Didn't I tell you to be careful?"
"Well, I was! F-For a little bit." I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment.
"*growl*…RAAAWWWGGGHH!" Ridley was now flying in the air as he grew angrier from that last attack.
"What the heck? How is Ridley here, anyway?" Peach asked.
"I had the same thought. But, it's best that we take him down here and now."
"Normally, I would be disagreeing with you and calling you crazy. But now, we don't have a choice."
"Ready?"
"Let's go."
"Din's Fire!"
"PK Fire!"
We both shot fire at the Space Pirate Leader. Hoping to damage him a little bit more. But he flew out the path of the fireballs. Making that whole thing worthless.
*taunting laugh*
"Dang it! We missed!" I yelled.
"Peach! Zelda!" We then heard someone call out to us.
"Silvia?!"
"Try to get this thing back on the ground! You'll have a better chance of hitting it!"
"The ground…That's it! Peach, I got an idea!" I then whispered to her what I had in mind. She then looked at me with a look of complete shock.
"Z-Zelda…will that work?"
"There's only one way to find out! Are you with me?!"
…
"Yeah! I'm with you, Zelda!" Peach yelled with a confident grin as big as mine.
"Alright, Peachy! Let's go!"
"RAAAWWWGGGHH!" Ridley looked more threatening than ever now that he sees us as a challenge. He then began readying a devastating plasma blast.
Better known as…Plasma Scream.
"Uh, girls! Better hurry it up!" Silvia yelled.
"I'm on it!" I shouted as I snapped my fingers and a disembodied guardian suit of armor started appearing out of nowhere. Putting itself together as its purple glowing hue grew bigger. Big enough to reach Ridley up there.
"Phantom Slash!"
The Phantom raised its sword and slashed it over our heads. Slicing its sword at Ridley and slamming him to the ground. Canceling the Plasma Scream in the process.
"Alright, got him!" I cheered. "Now, Peachy!"
"I'm on it!" Peach said as she took a few steps forward. Then she raised both arms in the air and took a deep breath.
"PK Starstorm!"
Peach then summoned a shower of falling stars that crashed through the ceiling and pelted Ridley one after another. His screams of pain only getting louder as the stars grew more in quantity.
After the last falling star had landed, the arena was filled with smoke. But it cleared out rather quickly due to the many holes to the outside.
"*pant* Did we *pant*get him?" Peach asked.
"I'm not sure. It's still a bit too dusty."
"RAAAWWWGGGHH!"
"Not quite!" I yelled.
We thought that we had to continue this fight with Ridley. But as we were about to make a move, he flew off from the same hole he made while crashing in here. So, from the looks of it, he's given up.
For now.
"*sigh*" We both collapsed onto the crumbled up floor. Exhausted like no other.
"That was intense." I said.
"Yeah, no kidding. I don't know how Samus deals with him every time." Peach added.
"Makes our past lives a whole lot easier."
"Agreed."
"Nice work, you two! You both really are strong!" Silvia said as she walked up to us.
"Yeah, I guess. Sorry about the damage."
"Oh, it's fine. As long as no one got hurt, it should be fine."
Someone…getting hurt? Oh, right!
"Guys! What about the Phantom Fighter?!" I yelled before rushing over to the girl's side. With Peach and Silvia following close behind.
When we reached up to her, she was knocked unconscious. The Phanto Mask that concealed her face was shattered. Revealing her child-like face to us. We could just barely see her ruby-red eyes as one of them was open enough for us to peek at it.
"Woah. So, this is the Phantom Fighter?" I asked.
"I knew she was a kid. But I didn't think she was this young." Peach said.
"Oh, no. Guys, this is not good!" Silvia began to panic.
"Why? What's wrong?" I asked.
"This girl. This is the one and only…Princess Hanako."
…
…
"W-Wait! Seriously?!" We both yelled in shock as we continued to look at the injured princess of the Mythgrove Kingdom.
What the heck is going on?
Author's Note: In the midst of the now-canceled Battle Royale, a sudden surprise crashes through. Ridley, the Cunning God of Death. Just how did he get here and what does he want? The answers will be revealed soon.
I'm going to try to update this story once a week for now on. Sometimes I may miss, but it's a promise that I want to keep. I like this story a lot and I've got lots of things planned for it.
I didn't really know at first which Pokémon for Moon to have. But then I remembered that Aipom was one of my favorites. So, it got chosen.
Thanks for reading. Later.
