A magnificent swing of his baton and his opponent was struck. So swift was his movements that it could not be dodged and so powerful was his strike that his opponent stumbled back from him. Staggering away the young rabble stumbled back from the blow all the way until he came to the edge of the ring. Then with his feet on the edge, no amount of wailing from his arms could save him, and he toppled over and fell down to the concrete below the ring. The crowds were silent with gasps, but then erupted into cheers and applause.

"Ring out!" the announcer declared "Winner Setzer! The defending champion has done it again!"

Standing atop the square ring, he looked around at the adoring crowd that clamored for him from below. The champion of Twilight Town took a deep bow, crossing his arm across his chest and his coat hanging over his shoulders seeped down with him. When he rose back up, he stood up tall proud and regal. Uncrossing his arms, he let it hang by his side holding the baton as the other perched on his hip.

He looked around and gazed at the crowd beneath him who cheered both for him and the sport.

"Struggle! Setzer!" they cheered the two names seemingly being inseparable from the sport, and it's champion. As they cheered, he looked behind to see the belt, set with a golden buckle and brace which displayed the baton used in the struggle matches. And beside it was a trophy with the same likeness displayed at it's base. But sprouting up from it was as if it was thin waves of water was four blue winding placeholders for four bright crystals all different colors perched at the end of each curve. Green at the lowest, across from it red, blue on the other side above green and slightly over red and yellow at the top, though he preferred it as gold.

They were the wo displays that proved who the strongest in all of Twilight Town was; him.

Setzer eyed the trophy and belt enviously. But still kept up his appearances as he looked to the crowd who wanted more of him.

They may just even get it today.

Though of course all the droning sounded the same to him. From the high pitched whine of the women to the deep bellowing of the men.

But in the midst of it all he heard one that sounded different. One voice that set itself apart from the rest and did not join in harmonizing the symphony. One voice that dared to cry out 'boo'.

Setzer's eyes and head turned to the left side of the stage where the anomaly was heard from. There standing beneath the edge with a perfect view of the ring was a small squat figure among the crowd. Dressed in a suite with a plump round shape and a bulbous nose to match it, he stood there not clapping his hands but seemingly looking at the ring- and it's champion- with almost disinterest.

Setzer moved over to face him, his coat swayed as he turned and it's dangling sleeves bobbed and swayed when he walked over the arena to face him. The short pudgy little man merely stood below him with crossed arms and closed eyes as he looked away from the ring. So he didn't notice it when Setzer came to the edge to stop and a shadow overtook him from above. But when he finally opened his eyes to look at it again, he realized what was before him. Confused at first as he looked around to see where the sun had gone and why the cheering had stopped, but when he looked up to see Setzer bearing down on him he began to shake in fear.

"What was that? Little man?" Setzer asked, dignified yet menacing as he looked down on him "You don't like my fighting?" he questioned and would not let up "Perhaps you'd like to get up here and give it a go yourself?" he offered tossing down the spare baton. The blue bat was flung down and rolled at his feet. All eyes were on him now and the little man seemed uncomfortable with that.

"well-uh- not me." he rolled his hand down and put his ham like hands to his chest "But I've seen better fighting before. And I know someone who can do better too." he said bringing his head back up and puffing his chest out.

The goofy little man's courage seemed to be coming back to him now as he spoke of some great champion.

"Is that so?" Setzer said casually as his stance was just as so. His own baton resting idly on his shoulder "So you can't do better, but you know someone who can." he chuckled scornfully at him "To fold your hand when challenge is before you."

"It's the truth." he slobbered defiantly up at him as he poked his round chest out. If this was some way to bait him into something, Setzer mused on it only for a moment. It could be a bluff. A good one even he could admit as this little fool seemed to believe even what he was saying. But when you bluff you can just as easily be called out.

"Is that so?" Setzer asked rising to call it "Well then," he began, his voice agreeable, charitable even "let's say this. You find this supposed champion of yours and bring him here." he paused rolling the baton along his shoulder and neck "Then we'll truly see what kind of gambler you are and what kind of champion you have."

"No gamble at all." he said now rising to meet Setzer's wager "You'll see." he pointed a thick sausage like finger up to him before he dropped it and droned on "No one's as quick or slick or fights" he began to walked away and count on his fingers at the same time, looking at them and not where he was going "even half as well as Gaswaaa!" The little fool took a step, but instead of pressing his foot on the ground, he landed on the bat causing it to roll under him and his foot went with it. And when his other foot came up to steady himself it only made matters worse because now he had only one foot on the ground. And that foot was still on the bat. He rolled in the air before the bat came out from under him causing him to shoot upright feet first and land on his head.

The comical sight was not lost on anyone there as all began to laugh at his expense. The applause and cheers gave way to it as the small pompous little fool rolled away rubbing his head and stumbled off away from the arena and down an alleyway, only to stumble again or knock into a wall. He was laughed off every step of the way, and it continued even after he had left them completely.

It was only after the he had left them that Setzer spoke and the laughter had died down to he could speak and all listened.

"Hm." he let out "I suppose he was bluffing after all."

"Who do you think that was?" someone from the crowd spoke up.

"A little fool." Setzer said giving his would be challenger a name earning more laughs in the process. Another easy victory "Nothing more." he paused a moment for everyone to take in his joke as he eyed the alleyway he left from. "Well then," he began and turned his back away from it when there was no sign of anything or anyone coming "I think that ends everything for tod-"

"Look!" someone from the crowd cried and Setzer snapped around rather quickly to see who or what it was.

Looking back over his shoulder and all of a sudden from the alleyways he saw the little fool come waddling back to him. But he wasn't alone this time.

"Right this way." he announced goofily as his arms swayed awkwardly by his side and his stomach and nose bobbed as he walked. Setzer couldn't help, but snicker to see this foolish fellow make his way back to him. Whatever he was, you could not fault him for bravery; coming back only to be mocked again.

With a wry, smug grin on his face, Setzer turned to eye him as he came back. But it wasn't he who was important now. He faced them fully as they approached and he looked to the one that the little fool had talked so much of. The crowd seemed ready to continue where they left off, but went deathly silent and even Setzer was shocked by the sight of him. Whatever amusement they though they were going to get out of this, it didn't return with him.

Setzer had thought he had gone to get someone like him. Some oafish bumbling fool who couldn't walk without tripping over himself. But that's not who was here at all.

Devilishly handsome and bursting at the seams with thick muscles from all over his body. He had jet black hair tied in a short ponytail, a gleam in his eyes and smile to go with it. A thick neck held up his head and a jaw cut from stone to show his smile. Poking over one shoulder, Setzer saw arrows and over the other the muzzle of a gun.

The crowd parted for the little man as he lead the way and for the larger one who demanded more room without asking for it and got just that. Then before the stage they stopped side by side.

"Hm?" the larger man pondered aloud as he turned his massive chin up at them and stroked it. He flexed his biceps which he seemed to have enough to spare. His voice soothing and booming all at once. "Well Lefou?" he turned down to the little man who brought him here "What's going on?"

"Oh uh" Lefou began to stammer and slobber "It's right here Gaston." he pointed up to the ring.

"Hm?" he perked up as he began to look up and now he seemed to lock onto Setzer, who looked down onto Gaston with a well hidden suspicion.

"Well," he began the serenity in his voice giving way to slight frustration "what is it?" Lefou began to bumble and babble beneath him.

"Oh well uh-" Lefou began and then started again "It's a tournament where you fight to win these trophies." he spoke as Gaston peered up beyond the arena to see the belt and trophy sitting on them. Setzer's eyes widened in alarm "And everyone makes a big deal about it and I thought that you could do better."

"That's right Lefou!" Gaston declared patted him 'lightly' on the back, but it only ended up sending him to the ground and out of his way he walked closer to and stopped before the arena. Gaston reached his massive arm out to place it onto the ring and then reared down to bound up and land atop it with a hard 'thud'.

Setzer thought he felt the ring shake, but he just steadied his gaze on Gaston who unlike anyone else merely hopped up onto the arena instead of using the stairs.

He rose up atop of the arena and passed by Setzer as if he wasn't there. The arrogance of this one not to acknowledge him. The champion watched this new potential competitor walk passed him to ogle the trophies, his boots stomping as he walked.

His back to everyone else, Gaston bent down to put his hands on his knees and inspected them both.

"Hmm." His deep voice grumbled inquisitively as he leaned forward. He leaned his head up, his round chin looking more rounded in the golden tinted reflection. From there he moved the right side of his face closer. He smiled to himself, wiping his tongue across his teeth as he did. Then he winked and his reflection did back. But it seemed aside from his reflection he was not impressed. "What this?" he asked looking over it, surprised and in disbelief "This is no trophy!" he declared standing back up and waving his hand "There's no way to hang this on a wall!" he waved dismissively "And this," he moved to the belt as he tucked his hands into his own "I've gotten better shines off of my muddy boots." he said before he reared his head back and spit shooting it out of his mouth like a bullet and into a far off pot. His raving however only received a single response.

"I knew you weren't up to the challenge." Setzer spoke coolly and Gaston perked up now turning to face him with some kind of ferocity in his eyes. He had a pretty bad poker face Setzer concluded.

"Challenge?" Gaston repeated "For these?" he nodded off to them "Hardly." he scoffed and rolled his massive boulder shoulders "A prize not worth the challenge."

"These trophies are awarded to the champion of the Struggle tournament." Setzer told him "Only the greatest in all of Twilight Town can win them." Now Gaston's face seemed to lighten up.

"Then they belong to Gaston!" he declared reversing his previous statement as soon as he had made it. To amplify his boast Gaston brought his hands up to pound them on his chest, leading to a hard thumping sound as he did.

"Hardly." Setzer told him off simply and Gaston face curled towards him "You see the tournament is over. And it's winner stands before you." A smirk widened across his face as Gaston grew more and more frustrated at him "You don't let someone come to the table after everyone's folded. Why don't you come back next summer and give it a try, that is if you're on time." he chuckled at the end for extra emphasis. This time however, no one laughed with him.

A sly malicious grin came over his new would be opponent "Oh I see," Gaston propped his hands to his hips eyeing Setzer up and down "too afraid to fight."

Everything went deathly silent after his statement. Even Setzer himself.

Setzer wordlessly scanned the crowd. Gaston was boasting no doubt, but perhaps like his little friend he was able to back this boast up.

"Why fight for what I have already won." Setzer talked down to him even as they faced off against each other.

"He offered me the challenge Gaston!" Lefou then called out from beneath the ring. Setzer couldn't help but show it as his eyes widened in shock as Gaston's eyes rolled over to Lefou who only seemed to bolster his previous statement. Even the crowd looking to Lefou now recalled Setzer had thrown the baton at him without any hesitation. Yet now he did not offer the same to Gaston. Perhaps he was only willing to fight when he knew he'd win, given the stark differences between the two newcomers and his treatment of them. With a smug smile beneath his eyes Gaston further pushed back at the Champion.

"Afraid to loose it seems." Gaston declared pointing to him. Setzer's face steadied back into his usual calm demeanor even if he felt apprehension, but he tempered that with his gaze on Gaston "And loose it you would. Because no one beats Gaston." he said bringing his arms up to flex them both.

The crowd remained silent. But Setzer could see their eyes on him waiting to see what their champion would do. Would he wave off this imposter? Deny the challenge out of fear of losing? Or would he prove him true and wait for next year to face him.

"Afraid? Of you? " the revulsion growing in his voice the more he saw and spoke of him "Hardly." he repeated Gaston's words from before.

"Then prove it." Gaston lowered his arms and puffed out his chest. Setzer eyed the crowd whose eyes were wide as they leaned in with anticipation; it showing in their eyes in a way he never saw before. It seems he had called the bluff twice and lost. But he could still win the pot.

"Very well." he said regally allowing Gaston to partake in his sport "My life is a chip in your pile. Ante up." The crowd then cheered in unrelenting excitement as Gaston was passed a baton.

He eyed it curiously wondering what to do with his arrows and gun. he shrugged his shoulders letting them fall off his back as he grabbed the gun with his free hand and his arrows in their quiver dangled from the strap around his forearm. Despite his movements his eyes remained on Setzer the entire time and the champion remained staring right back at him never breaking eye contact.

"Here." Gaston called as he discarded it all as he tossed it to Lefou who tried and failed to catch it, only ending up being buried under it as it landed on top of him. Gaston's eyes went to the blue baton and he eyed it as if it were a sword he held in one hand.

"Let the Struggle exhibition final match begin!" the announcer declared "Champion Setzer versus Challenger Gaston!"

The two eyed each other across the ring. Everything was on the line for Setzer. He would have to win all over again. But a greater victory yields a greater reward.

Gaston then raised his baton high in the sky, showing off his powerful arms in the process "This'll be over quickly!" he boasted "No one struggles like Gaston!" he declared, but then lowered the baton back and leaned forward "Not that I've ever had to struggle." he clarified, leaning in to wink at Setzer.

Character Appearances: Setzer(FF6), Gaston and Lefou(Beauty and the Beast)