Samus dropped Fox. She spun around and was hit by a Falcon Punch. She was sent backwards and tripped over Fox's body. Pyra moved in, but Fox kicked out, striking him in the knees. Pyra was knocked off balance, giving Samus enough time to catch him in a Screw Attack. Fox jumped up and shot at the falling Pyra with his blaster.
The fire did nothing but annoy Pyra. He reached into his coat and threw several more blades. They caught the blaster and sent it flying from Fox's hands. He watched as it fell down one of the massive chasms created by his fight with Samus. He heard it as his blaster melted in the streaming lava.
He swore and rose to his feet. He turned to see Pyra as he attacked Samus. His speed and strength was much more than the bounty hunter could handle. Whenever she tried to strike, he blocked and countered with his own moves, some of which weren't even his.
He launched a Falcon Kick and hit her square in the chest. She was sent backwards, crashing into an outcrop of rocks. Pyra advanced, already feeling victory. He didn't count on that Fire Fox striking him in the back, sending him forward. His face scraped the dirt, opening a massive gash across his left cheek that reached through his eye and across his brow. Then Fox grabbed him and flung Pyra into the distance. Fox helped Samus up, who shook her head, trying to clear her vision.
"Who the hell is that?" she asked, charging up her Charge Shot.
"That is the problem I came to discuss with you," Fox answered. "He calls himself Pyra and can somehow absorb Smashers and their powers."
"What does he want with our powers?" Samus asked.
"To rule the tournament," Pyra answered, an evil smile on his scared face. "With your powers, I can defeat the Master Hand and his crazy brother. I will then take them and become a God."
"You're crazy," Samus said. "Crazier than the demented Hand."
"We shall see, my dear Samus," Pyra laughed. "Now if you would be so kind as to join my arsenal, I shall go."
When Samus realized what he meant, she fired off her Charged Shot. She then followed it up with several missiles. The energy blast shot at Pyra. He didn't move. He just flicked his arm back and punched the energy ball with his right fist, making sure the ring he wore made contact first. The massive energy blast was deflected back at Samus, destroying the missiles and striking her full in the face.
Fox, who had managed to dodge the blast, rolled into Pyra's path, blocking him from reaching Samus. Pyra swung at Fox's head, but he dropped, kicking at Pyra's legs. Pyra jumped and kicked Fox in the face. Fox fell back with the force and rolled to his feet.
When he was up, Pyra grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. He held the fox there for several seconds. Then he smiled and punched him across the face. Fox landed on unstable ground. It caved in and Fox just barely managed to grab a hold of the edge. He pulled himself up enough to watch as Pyra grabbed Samus by the throat.
He lifted her up and held her in his outstretched hand. His ring began to glow. Fox reached for his laser, forgetting it had fallen into the lava below him. The energy from the ring shot out in long, thin lines of white light. These strands of light began to wrap around Samus, who struggled to free herself from Pyra's iron grip. She lashed out at him with her free hand and kept beating into his head. But Pyra wasn't letting go.
She had to stop when the strands of energy began to constrict her. They wrapped around her arms and legs and head, crushing her. Soon, Ira began to see Samus shrink and the strands of energy expand. Pyra's hand flew open and erupted with energy. All Fox could hear was Samus's scream as the energy consumed her.
When the scream stopped, as if the needle was pulled off a record, Pyra pulled his hand back, retracting the energy back to his palm. He closed his fingers around the energy and his hand began to shake. The energy shot up his arm, engulfing first his torso, then his other limbs.
His whole body became white with the energy. He shook as the energy left his body and retreated to the ring. Another of the eight panels began to glow and slowly fade, revealing another small emblem and face. This time, they were both of Samus and rested next to Captain Falcon.
Pyra took a deep breath before turning to where Fox was struggling to get back up. He knelt down and looked at Fox. Fox was holding onto the rim of the hole with both hands. Pyra shook his head back and forth, slowly.
"Just give it up," he said. "The tournament is as good as mine. There is nothing you can do to stop me now."
Then he stood and turned away. Fox let go of the ledge and dropped several feet before starting a Fire Fox. He charge up and shot out of the hole, landing away from Pyra. He turned to Pyra and saw as he flicked his arm back and let loose a punch.
But this punch wasn't directed at anyone. His fist struck the air and stopped. From the ring, a portal began to open. When it was large enough for Pyra to walk through, he pulled his fist away. He gave Fox a smile before jumping through. Fox ran towards the portal, but it had closed before he could reach it.
Fox stopped and swore. Now what? It was just by sure chance that they had both come to Brin Star. Now he had no idea where else to turn. He certainly didn't get what he wanted when he came here.
A leaf blew into his face. Fox brushed it away. How the hell was he supposed to track Pyra now? He didn't have… Leaf? What was a leaf doing here? He turned to watch the leaf as it began to fall down a pit. Fox ran over, did his illusion dash and grabbed the leaf before it could fall.
He held the leaf in his hands. It was definitely not from Brin Star. Where it was from, he couldn't figure out standing there. But it had to have come from the portal. Something must have blown it through.
He kept the leaf close as he headed back to his Arwing.