"Hello, and welcome to Channel Fore News!" said a Pianta on television. "I'm Freddy Fairway, and today I'll be discussing a hip new golf tournament: the Super Rush Open!"

A graphic appeared beside him, showing two stick figures holding golf clubs. "Now you may be wondering: What's so super about this tournament? Where's the rush when you're playing golf? And why do we have to call everything super?"

There was a brief pause. "...I don't actually have an answer for that last question, but I do have one for the first two! Ladies and gentlekoopas, I'd like to introduce you to Speed Golf!"

The two stick figures each struck a golf ball, ran after it, and repeated the process. "In Speed Golf, there's no such thing as turns! Everyone takes shots at the same time, and after each swing, you book it to the ball and hit it again! First person to get their ball into the hole wins!"

One stick figure stood triumphantly by a golf flag, while the other fell to its knees in defeat. "It's all the majesty of golf combined with all the thrill of foot racing! What's not to love? Sign up for the Super Rush Open today and get your rush on! You won't regret it!"


Numerous Golf Ball Related Injuries Later...

"H-hello again, folks..." Freddy said sadly. "Due to a string of... accidents during the Super Rush Open, Speed Golf has officially been banned. As a result, I am sorry to say that the Open is now closed."

Ella—who was watching the TV from her living room—looked aside and said, "See? I told you it was a dumb idea!"

Neil—who was wearing an eye patch and an icepack—shrugged and said, "Feh. It was fun while it lasted."

Ella rolled her eyes and picked up the remote to change the channel. Before she did, however, Freddy suddenly perked up. "In more uplifting news, next week is the first annual Athlete Meet and Greet! Taking place at the Camelot Athletics Center, professional athletes from every sport under the sun will be attending! It's the perfect get together for fans and players alike, especially if you're a golfer named Ella!"

Freddy hadn't actually said that last part, but it was essentially what Ella had heard. "Neil! We should go to this!"

"Ugh, pass! Only the snooty types go to these things," Neil groused.

Ella frowned. "But you never know who you might run into!"

Neil stared blankly for a moment, then squinted his eyes. "You're hoping Nina will be there, aren't you?"

Ella blinked. "How did you know?"


Many Times Ago...

"Hey Neil, remember Racket Warriors? Nina was really relatable, wasn't she?"

"Sure, I guess?"

"Hey Neil, if Nina and I ever met, do you think we'd be good friends?"

"I dunno, maybe?"

"Hey Neil, could you help me write a letter to-"

"No, wait! Don't tell me! Nina?!"

"What? No, it's for Kid."

"...Oh. Yeah, I'll help with that."

"If it was for Nina though, would you still be willing to help? I'm speaking hypothetically, of course!"

"ARRGH!"


"Call it a hunch," he muttered. "What is it with you and Nina, anyway? Ever since we watched that video, you haven't shut up about her!"

"I can't help it. I just... see myself in her, y'know?"

"So? I see myself in mirrors, but I don't obsess over those."

Ella scowled. "Neil!"

He shook his head. "Okay, real talk. If you go to this thing, and Nina is there, what are you gonna do?"

Ella scratched the back of her head. "I don't have much of a plan," she admitted, "but that's part of the reason I want to try this. My feelings are telling me to do something, and I want to figure out what that something is."

At first Neil glared with disagreement, but then he softened with sympathy. Meekly he asked, "Why do I have to come, though?"

"You don't. But you're my best friend, so it would mean a lot if you did."

A silence passed, with Neil not making eye contact.

"So... will you come?" she asked in a low voice.

Neil sighed into a smile. "Yeah. I will."

Ella sprang forward and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You're welcome," Neil said, returning the embrace. "But promise me you won't do anything stupid, okay? She's a stranger, so don't go all fangirl on her!"

"I promise!"


One week later, Neil and Ella stood before a stone wall with an entrance arc. Engraved upon it were the words, "Camelot Athletics Center," and draped across it was a banner that read, "First Annual Athlete Meet and Greet." After exchanging a nod, the two golfers entered the campus.

Once they were on the grounds, it quickly became apparent that this was no ordinary athletics center. Wherever they looked, Neil and Ella saw courts, courses and fields for practically every sport imaginable. And with a variety of sports came a variety of players. As the duo wandered, they saw Cataquacks playing volleyball, Piranha Plants playing soccer, Dolphins playing water polo, and Gooper Blooper and King Kaliente playing ping-pong.

"Wow. Athletes really do come in all shapes and sizes," said Neil.

"Hey! There's golf!" Ella said, pointing.

Up ahead, a Chargin' Chuck was standing on a golf course. With a swing of his club, he struck the ball, sent it flying onto the green, and scored a hole-in-one. "Yeah! Touchdown!" he hollered.

"...You think maybe he's playing the wrong sport?" Neil murmured.

"Oh... My... Stars..." Ella gasped.

"What is it?"

"Look!"

Neil turned and saw two Humans sitting at a table. One was a muscular man with dark hair and a beard, while the other was a slender woman with blonde hair and prominent blue eyes. "Is... is that...?!"

"It's Kate and Harry! From Racket Warriors!" Ella exclaimed.

"K-K-K-Kate!" Neil stammered.

"If they're here, then Nina must be, too! Come on, let's talk to them!"

"K-K-K-Kate! K-K-K-K-K-!"

Ella seized Neil by the wrist and dragged him to the table. Upon seeing them, Kate and Harry widened their eyes in surprise. "Clay?! Ace?!" Kate exclaimed. "I thought you said you weren't coming?"

"See? I told you they'd come around!" said Harry. "I'm digging the new hairstyles, by the way!"

"Um, I think you have us mixed up with someone else," said Ella. "Our names are Neil and Ella."

"Oh. That's embarrassing," Kate said flatly.

"Still digging the hairstyles," said Harry.

"Anyway, I'm Kate and he's Harry. We're tennis coaches representing the Royal Tennis Academy. I don't suppose you two are racket wielders?"

"Club wielders, actually," said Ella. "And I already know who you are. I saw you on Racket Warriors!"

Kate's face lit up. "Is that so? What did you think of it?"

"Did you like my cameo at the end?" asked Harry.

"Harry, stop acting like you're a celebrity."

Ella grinned. "I loved it! It was very inspiring!"

"The film or the cameo?" asked Harry.

"THE FILM! OBVIOUSLY THE FILM!" Kate snapped. "And thank you, Ella! That means a lot!"

"You're welcome! Say, is Nina around?"

"Of course she is! Last I saw, she was over by the basketball court." She pointed with her thumb. "You should say hi! She's always happy to meet a fan of the film!"

"Well, don't mind if I do!"

Ella pranced off happily, but came to a halt when she realized that Neil wasn't following. "Neil?"

Ella looked back and saw Neil gazing at Kate, his eyes sparkling. Rolling her own eyes, she carried on without a second glance. And he was worried about me, she thought.

"Um, fella? Are you alright?" Kate asked.

Neil didn't answer, his face locked in a dreamy smirk.

"Don't you see, Kate?" asked Harry. "This guy's clearly starstruck!"

"Starstruck, huh?" she giggled. "I guess I have that kind of effect on-"

"By me!" Harry interrupted.

Neil and Kate's pupils shrank. "WHAT?!" they exclaimed simultaneously.

"Don't sweat it, kid! I know I have that kind of effect on people," he said with a thumbs up. "Say, how about I give you a tour of the Center?"

Neil blinked. "I, err, don't know if I..."

"Don't be shy! It's not like I've got anything else going on!"

"Except you totally do?" Kate said with a raised eyebrow. "You're supposed to be tabling with me, remember?"

"I won't be long! Besides, I know you secretly want a break from me."

Kate crossed her arms. "Well... I mean, you're not wrong...

"Then it's settled!"

For the second time that day, Neil found himself being dragged by the wrist. "Come on, Neil! I know just the place to start!"

As Harry pulled him away, Neil stole one last glance at Kate. She gave him a friendly wave and said, "Good luck, Neil! You're gonna need it!"

A single tear rolled down his cheek.


Meanwhile, Ella was approaching the basketball court. A game was in progress—the Dunkin' Donkers vs. the Fantastic Finales. Among the latter, Ella spied a pink-haired Human in a red-and-white robe and silver tiara. Is that a princess? I wonder what kingdom she's from? Ella thought. She then shook her head. Focus, Ella! Kate said Nina would be here, so where is she?

She observed the players carefully. Aside from the robe woman, the only Humans on the court were New Donkers. Clearly Nina wasn't part of the game, so Ella looked amongst the spectators. There were three Shy Guys, a Boo, several Toads, a Paratroopa, two Birdos, a Rabbid who was dressed up as Princess Daisy for some reason, and

A Human.

Ella took her in carefully. The orange-brown pigtails. The green eyes. The blue shirt and skirt. There was no mistaking it. It was her! I was really her!

Ella was about to get closer, but froze mid-step. "Ah, right. I promised Neil I'd play it cool."She took out an Ice Flower and absorbed it, causing the reds on her clothes to turn blue. "There! Now I'm ready!"

She strolled forward, and as she did, Nina turned to face her. "Ace? Is that you?"

"Yes! I mean, no! Err..." Ella took a deep breath. "I'm Ella! It's nice to meet you!" She smiled awkwardly as she offered her hand.

"Um, thanks? It's nice to meet you too!" Nina replied, shaking her hand. "I'm guessing you saw me on Racket Warriors?"

"I did! And I loved it! You remind me a lot of myself!"

Ella had said that last part without thinking. Immediately her face flushed scarlet, but Nina seemed intrigued. "Really? How so?"

"W-well, you had a youthful aspiration to be a tennis champion. It's the same with me and golf. You also had someone to look up to, just like I do with my mentor Kid."

Nina's eyes widened. "Kid? As in, the golfing prodigy Kid?"

"So you've heard of him?"

"Absolutely! I'm not really a golf fan, but that guy's a legend among athletes everywhere! You're lucky to have him as a trainer!"

"Heh, thanks," Ella said sheepishly. "You know, I saw a mini golf course on the way here. You wanna try it out with me?"

Nina scratched the back of her head. "Oh, I dunno. I've never played golf, so I'd probably just make a fool of myself."

"Hey, don't worry! Mini golf is easy to get the hang of, and I'd be happy to show you the ropes!"

Nina smirked. "Alright! Let's do it!"


"So tell me, Neil," asked Harry, "have you ever played tennis?"

"Nope. Can't say I have," Neil replied.

"Well today's your lucky day! Behold!"

Harry motioned at a tennis court, where a Sprixie and a Human had just finished a match. When the Human noticed Neil and Harry, he blinked in surprise. "Clay? Is that you?"

"I made that mistake too," Harry chuckled. "But no, this is a golfer named Neil. Neil? This is my doubles partner, Alex."

"Nice to meet ya," Alex said, tipping his cobalt cap.

"Right back at ya," Neil said, tipping his own cap in return.

"I'm showing him around," said Harry. "While we're at it, I thought we could try a round of tennis!"

"I don't think that's fair," said Neil. "Aren't you guys champions, or something? How am I supposed to win when I've never even held a racket?"

"Don't sweat it, kid! I'll go easy on ya! And you've got plenty of experience swinging a club, so I bet you'd be good at swinging a racket, too!"

"Harry? Golf and tennis are two completely different sports," said Alex. "Just because he's good at one doesn't mean-"

"Oh, pshaw! Golf and tennis aren't that different!" Harry said with a handwave. "I mean, it's all just hitting balls, right?"

Alex narrowed his eyes. "First of all, don't say it like that. Second, I really don't think-"

"So it's settled! Neil? It's you and me!"

Shaking his head, Alex got off the court while Neil and Harry each got a racket. Once they took their places, Harry held up a tennis ball and said, "Your first tennis match is about to start, Neil! Get fired up!"

Neil took out a Fire Flower and absorbed it, causing the blues on his clothes to turn red.

"That's the spirit! Now game on!"

Harry served the ball and Neil struck it with all his might, sending it soaring off the court. Nearby, a Kritter was drinking a cup of Gatorade when the ball hit him in the back of the head, causing him to spit it out onto King Bob-omb's mustache. "My mustache! My beautiful mustache!" the King wailed. "I'm gonna-!"

"Wait, don't tell me!" said the Kritter, "You're gonna blow up. Am I right?"

"N-no! I'm gonna... erm..." He scratched his non-existent chin. "...I'm gonna throw you! Yes, that's right!"

The King tried to grab the Kritter, but the reptile jumped over his hand and kicked him in the face with both feet. "Augh! Why you little- WHOA!"

Before he knew it, the King found himself tilting and rolling backwards. He didn't stop until he hit a table of Gatorade coolers, spilling the drink everywhere and ruining his mustache even further. "...How are you so strong...?"

"All part of being a goalie," the Kritter said with a wink.

"A goalie, eh? Well, catch this!"

The King took out a Bob-omb and punted it through the air. Without thinking, the Kritter sprang upwards and caught it. "Ha! No goal for you, ya Pringles wannabe!" He then looked at the bomb. "...Wait."

BOOM!

"Ha! Take that, you cold-blooded cretin!"

"At least I have blood..."

"I HEARD THAT YOU SCALY LITTLE-!"

As the King and the Kritter went off on each other, Neil, Harry and Alex stared in disturbed fascination.

'You've caused quite a... racket," said Alex.

Neil turned to Harry. "Harry? Whaddya say we play something else?"

Harry nodded. "Good call!"


Nina watched as a Mini Mario swung a tiny putter into a pebble-sized golf ball. He and several other Mini Marios were playing on what must've been the world's smallest golf course.

"This... isn't what I thought you meant by mini golf," Nina murmured. "Are we going to need Mini Mushrooms?"

"This isn't the mini golf course, silly!" Ella giggled. "It's the mini mini golf course! The regular-sized mini golf course is right over there!

Nina blinked. "...Regular-sized mini?"

"Oh, just come on!"

Ella led Nina to the course and set a ball on a tee. She then took a putter and handed it to her. "Here! You first!"

"Um, okay." Nina swung and hit the ball, sending it rolling down a fairway and up a slope. Unfortunately, it failed to reach the peak and rolled back down, coming to a stop a few feet in front of the tee. "Oh, tennis balls. That was terrible."

"Everyone's first swing is terrible," Ella said reassuringly. "You just need to use a little more force, is all."

Nina hit the ball again, and this time it practically flew over the slope. It then rolled towards the hole, but instead of falling in, it hurtled over it and hit a wall. "Whoops. Overshot that one."

"You did. But that was better!"

"Thanks! Can I see how you do it, though?"

"Sure!"

Ella grabbed a club, set a ball, and swung. With stunning precision, the ball rolled over the slope, across the fairway and straight into the hole. "Ta-da!"

Nina's brows rose. "Wow. You made that look really easy."

"I'm an experienced golfer. It's what I do," Ella winked. "People probably think the same thing about you and tennis."

"Fair point," Nina shrugged. "How did you control the ball so well, though?"

"What do you mean?"

"In tennis, we control the ball's direction and destination, which is exactly what you just did. But the difference is that in tennis, the destination is the other side of a net. Your destination was a tiny hole at the end of a sloping pathway—a much trickier target than half a court. And yet you pulled it off in a single hit. What I'm asking is how you did that so effortlessly?"

Ella gave a blank stare. "I... err... never thought of it that way. To be honest, it's mostly automatic at this point. But before I swing, I try to imagine where the ball will go and how the terrain will affect it. I knew gravity would bring the ball to the hole once it was over the slope, so I made my "destination" the tip of the slope so I wouldn't overshoot. The rest is just instinct and practice."

Nina scratched her chin and nodded. "I think I'm starting to get it. Let me try again."

She retrieved her ball and set it, but right when she was about to swing, Ella held up a hand to stop her. "Wait. Widen your feet slightly and bend your knees less. It'll give you more stability."

Nina did as instructed and swung. In a clean motion, the ball rolled through the course and stopped right beside the hole. "Whoa! I almost got it that time!"

"See? What'd I tell ya?"

Nina turned to her with a grin and said, "You're a good teacher!" Ella grinned back, but a strange feeling roused within her. Something about this situation felt off, but she couldn't pin down why. Was it the teacher comment? Yes, that was it. It had sounded backwards. But for what reason?

She had come here to figure out her feelings, but now they had become more confusing than ever!

"Hey, Ella?" asked Nina.

"Yeah?" Ella replied, snapping out of it.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is your ambition?"

"To be a golf champion, of course!"

"I probably should've guessed," Nina chuckled. "But it's good to have goals. I'm still trying to figure out what mine are."

Ella raised her brow. "Haven't you already fulfilled your goals, though? You won the Island Open and you became a coach, so what else is there to do?"

"See, that's the thing: I've been asking myself that same question!" she said with a shy smile. "It's great that I accomplished those things, but I've still got my whole life ahead of me, don't I? I know it looks like I've got everything figured out, but sometimes I feel like I've only scratched the surface!"

Ella's pupils shrank. "That's... uhh..."

Nina giggled and blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get all philosophical on you."

"It's fine! I mean, you're helping people who're going through the same thing, right?"

Nina smirked. "Yeah, I am, aren't I?"

They smiled at each other until they sensed someone approaching. Turning around, they saw a Mini Mario—one that was the size of the real Mario.

"Whoa! I didn't know they made them that big!" Nina exclaimed.

"They don't," said Ella. "He just took a Mega Mushroom."

"...Oh."


"It's time for some volleyball!" Harry hollered. He, Alex and Neil were standing on a sandy court, with Harry and Alex on one side of the net and Neil on the other.

"Neil? You think you've got this?" asked Alex.

"Yup!" Neil replied. "I've actually played volleyball before, so I won't screw up this time!"

"I've never played volleyball," said Harry, "but it has a net like tennis, so I reckon it's close enough."

"Don't I need a teammate, though? Two versus one doesn't seem fair."

"Yeah, you do. I'll go get Kate," said Alex, to which Neil grinned.

"Bah, we don't need Kate! I've got someone better in mind," said Harry, to which Neil frowned. He put his fingers to his lips and whistled; seconds later a Spike came running to the court. "Consider yourselflucky, Neil! Spikes are whizzes at volleyball!"

"...Because they're good at spiking?"

"No, because they practice with actual spikes! See for yourself!"

Harry pointed at the adjacent court. Neil looked aside and saw a bunch of Spikes volleying with a spiked ball. "...Yeesh..."

"Hey, isn't that a little unfair?" asked Alex. "If Neil has a professional on his side, then what chance do we stand?"

"Good point! Let me fix that!"

Harry whistled again, and another Spike came to join him and Alex.

"Dude! Now we have too many players!" Alex griped.

Harry whistled yet again, and a Klepto swooped down, snatched Alex in its talons and carried him off. "HAAAAAARRRRRRYYYYY!"

Neil scratched his head. "Sooooo can we get started now?"

"Absolutely!" Harry was about to serve, but then he froze. "Wait. I just thought of something."

"What is it?"

"We each have a professional on our team, but you've played volleyball before while I have not. That means the odds are against me. So for this game to be fair, I'll have to replace you with someone who has no experience."

Harry whistled in Boom Boom, who proceeded to grab Neil and throw him off the court. He soared through the air and landed in a basket of basketballs right next to Alex. "Sup, Neil?"

"Sup, Alex..."

"There! Now it's fair!" Harry declared. He prepared to serve, only to pause and scratch his chin. "But then again, Boom Boom was born to hit things with his arms, while I was only born to be handsome. Definitely the better of the two skills, but not very helpful in volleyball. I'll have to replace him with someone else who hasn't played volleyball, but also isn't super strong. But what if this person turns out to be weaker than me? Or worse, more handsome?! It might take some time to find the right candidate-"

"Harry!" Alex shouted. "If you keep obsessing over making everything fair, the game will never start!"

Harry squinted his eyes. "He's right. My persnickety attitude is holding everyone back. Which means there's only one way to save the game..."

Harry whistled once more. A Jaxi ran up to him, and he hopped onto its back."...And that's by getting rid of myself! Giddy-up, baby!"

"Dude. I'm not a horse," said the Jaxi.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine. Mush then."

The Jaxi took off at full speed, and as he rode into the distance, Harry yelled, "Ya'll can thank me later!"

Neil winced. "Wh... What just happened?"

"The miracle of sportsmanship," Alex grumbled.


"That was fun!" Nina said to Ella as they walked together. "I feel like I'm a halfway-decent golfer now, thanks to you!"

"Heh, thanks," said Ella. "I suppose it's my turn to try your sport?"

"I actually have something else in mind! Have you ever raced a horse, by any chance?"

"Nope."

"That's good, because I want to try something that's new to both of us. Behold!"

Ella turned and saw a racetrack, a pen full of horses, and a Koopa in a ten-gallon hat. "Howdy, partners!" said Kowboy Koopa. "You two look like you're ready to race some horses!"

"We sure are!" Nina replied. "That is if you're up for it, Ella?"

Ella nodded. "I am! Let's do this!"

Ten minutes later, Nina and Ella were situated on their horses—brown and white respectively. With the crack of a popgun, they rode onto the track. Nina quickly took the lead, and with pulls of her reins, she guided her horse through turns, over hurdles, and around obstacles. Ella meanwhile stayed hot on her tail, successfully mimicking every one of her maneuvers but never actually passing her. This remained so until they crossed the finish line, leaving Nina victorious. "I did it! I won!" she cheered.

"Yeah, you did!" Ella replied, though it came out half-heartedly. She had tried to sound positive, but a part of her didn't understand how Nina dominated the race. Kowboy Koopa must've sensed this, because he walked up to her and said, "Psst, kid? You lost because you ran her race instead of your own!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ella asked as she dismounted her horse.

"You were following her every move. Making the same turns, jumping the same hurdles, picking the same lanes. You were always one step behind, both figuratively and literally!"

Ella scratched her cheek. "Well, when you put it that way..."

"If you want to win a race, you've gotta strike your own path. Make your own turns. Jump your own hurdles. Pick your own lanes. It's not enough to literally take the reins. You've gotta do it figuratively, too!"

Ella thought for a moment. She then smirked, something clicking deep within her. "You're right! I've gotta get back on the saddle—both literally and figuratively!"

"That's the spirit, partner!" he said with a tip of his hat. "Now go tear up that racetrack!"

"Figuratively and literally?"

"Just figuratively this time, please."

"Hey, Nina?" Ella asked. "What do you say to a rematch?"

"You're on!" Nina replied.

Soon they were back at the starting line, and with another crack, they took off again. This time, Ella steered her horse whichever way felt best to her, even if it meant using seemingly obvious routes or slowing down for more control. Kowboy Koopa watched intently as the girls sped through the track and crossed the finish line.

Once again, Nina had won.

"Wow! I did it again!" Nina exclaimed.

"Looks like someone was born to ride!" Ella said, whole-heartedly this time. Despite having lost again, she felt supremely content—accomplished even.

But why?


Kate was sitting at her table when she saw Alex and Neil approaching. "Where's Harry?" she asked.

"He took a Jaxi for a joyride," said Alex. "No sign of him since."

Kate shook her head. "I swear, he just keeps topping himself!"

"Should we be worried about him?" asked Neil. "There's no telling where he might've gone."

"Nah, he's been through worse," said Kate. "Anyway, I'm sorry about whatever Harry put you through. How about you and I have ourselves a relaxing game of chess?"

Neil's eyes glittered. "You? Me? Chess?"

"Um, yes? You do know how to play chess, don't you?"

"Y-yeah, of course! Let's go!"

"Great! The chess area's right this way!"

Kate got up and left while Neil practically floated after her. Alex, not knowing what else to do, took her place at the table. "I wonder how Nina's day is going?" he mumbled. Mere moments later, he saw Nina approaching with Ella. "Huh. Speak of the devil."

"Hi, Alex!" she said with a wave. "Having a good time?"

"Not exactly," he sighed. He then shifted his gaze to Ella. "Hey, are you-"

"No, I am not Ace," Ella said flatly.

Alex narrowed his eyes. "Are you friends with a guy named Neil by any chance?"

Ella blinked. "How did you know?"

"Call it a hunch," he muttered. "Anyway, how's the Meet and Greet been treating you, Nina?"

"It's been great!" Nina replied. "Ella and I have been having a blast trying other sports!"

"Oh, nice. I was doing the same with Neil and Harry, minus the part about having a blast."

"Who's Neil? And what went wrong?" asked Nina.

"He's my best friend and doubles partner," said Ella. "We split up before I ran into you."

"He's also what went wrong," said Alex. "Well, half of what went wrong."

Nina raised her brow. "I'm guessing the other half is Harry?"

"Ding-ding!"

"Where is Neil, anyway?" asked Ella.

"He's playing chess with Kate," Alex replied, pointing over his shoulder. They were both sitting at a chess table, but Neil wasn't playing with Kate so much as staring dreamily at her. "Uh... Are you gonna take your turn?" she asked.

"What about Harry?" asked Nina.

"No clue. Last I saw him, he was riding off on a Jaxi. But I'll bet he's fine. He's been in weirder situations."

"You mean like that one time he stuffed a bunch of Fuzzies in his pants and-"

"I told you to never speak of that!" Alex barked.

Nina snickered. "Anyway, let me introduce you to Ella! She's a golfer, and she studied under Kid!"

Alex's eyes widened. "Kid? As in, the golf champion Kid?"

"That's right!" said Ella.

"Whoa, not bad! I don't suppose you're a champion yourself?"

"Can't say I am. But I'm working on it. Who knows, maybe next year I'll have a fancy trophy to show you!"

Nina snickered again. "You're inspiring, Ella."

"I'm inspiring?" Ella asked, bewildered. "You're the one who's a champion!"

"Well, yeah. But you remind me of a time when the future felt full of possibilities. And hanging out with you makes me feel like it still is, even though I already got my trophy. And you know what? I've got a feeling that whenever you get your trophy, you'll be better at figuring out what to do next than I am!"

Nina's words made Ella's eyes open, in more ways than one. However, before she could respond, she spied someone coming. Kate was dragging Neil by the hand, with the latter bearing a ridiculous grin and lovestruck eyes. "Hey, Ella? I think your friend is broken."

"Duh-huh-huh... We're holding hands..." Neil muttered under his breath.

Ella shook her head, then proceeded to seize him by the collar and shake his head. "Neil! Snap out of it!"

"Whozuh watzit?" Neil babbled. "Oh, hey Ella! Are you in Ice Form?"

"Yep. Are you in Fire Form?"

"Yep. I gotta say, you look chill in those colors!"

"Thanks! You're looking pretty hot yourself!"

Oh, they're definitely doubles partners, Alex thought. "Say, since we're all here, how about we play a sport together?"

"That's a great idea!" said Nina. "But which sport?"

"You should play basketball," said Kate. "It has a net—like tennis—and you score by getting a ball into a hole—like golf. It's the perfect middle ground for golfers and tennisers!"

"Is tenniser even a word?" asked Nina.

"I'm still stuck on that 'middle ground' baloney," said Alex.

"It's less of a hole and more of a hoop," said Ella.

"I like your hair!" said Neil.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Just go have fun. And thank you, Neil."

"You're not coming?" asked Nina.

"Someone has to watch the table, remember? Besides, you can't play basketball with an odd number of people."

"Ugh, fine. Let's go, everyone."

As the quartet walked away, Ella looked at Neil and said, "Well? Aren't you gonna beg her to come with us?"

"Nah, she's right. You can't have a basketball game with five players," said Neil. "I haven't played a real game all day, so the last thing I need is an unfair match. Besides, I don't think I could focus if she was playing."

"Heh. It's nice that you're thinking clearly again."

"What about you, though? Have you figured out those 'feelings' yet?"

"I think I have, actually," Ella said with a wink. "I'll tell you about it after the game."

The four of them arrived at the court and took their places, with the tennis players on one side and the golf players on the other. "So what do you think will go wrong this time, Neil?" Alex asked as he spun the basketball on his finger.

"I don't know, but I look forward to finding out!" Neil replied.

"What're you guys talking about?" Ella asked with an amused smirk.

"Who knows?" said Nina. "Now let's shoot some hoops!"

Alex and Nina grinned, and Neil and Ella grinned back. "GAME ON!" they all cheered.


The late afternoon sun hung low as Neil and Ella walked down a dirt pathway. "Alright, I gotta admit. Even with all the craziness, the Meet and Greet was a lot of fun," said Neil. "Thanks for talking me into it, Ella."

"You're welcome. And thanks again for coming with me," said Ella. "We should go again next year!"

"Yeah, we should! But you still haven't told me what you learned."

"Oh, right. Well, the reason I was fascinated with Nina is that I saw her as the key to my future. A path to be followed."

"Do you still feel that way?"

"I don't. I realize now that I'm the key to my own future. It's okay to be inspired by others, but in the end, it's up to me to carve my own path."

"Now that's what I like to hear," Neil smirked. "Oh, and by the way? I'm really sorry for being so distracted by Kate. I should've spent the day with my best friend, instead of swooning over a lady that I don't even know."

Ella giggled. "Well, I'm glad we both learned a valuable lesson today!" She then glanced down and remembered something. "Hey, you know what's funny? I've been powered up all day, but I've yet to throw a single ice ball!"

"I haven't used my power either!" said Neil. "I feel like we should though... Ooh, I know! Let's have an elemental high five!

Ella nodded. "Let's!"

Neil conjured fire in his palm, and Ella conjured ice in hers. They then swung their hands together, creating an explosion that blew them off their feet and reverted them to normal.

"That... was a bad idea..." Neil groaned.

"Yeah... It was..." Ella muttered.


Later that evening, Kate unlocked the door to her house, walked in, and sat on her couch. She then grabbed a remote and turned her television on. "Hello, and welcome to Channel Fore News! I'm Freddy Fairway, and tonight we'll be discussing the aftermath of the Athlete Meet and Greet! First, our top story: A professional Kritter goalie has been suspended over a rumble with King Bob-omb! Will Boom Boom be taking his place in the upcoming Battle League tournament? Stay tuned and find out!"

As Kate watched the news, Harry popped up from behind the couch and sat next to her. "Sup, Kate?"

"Sup, Harry."