Round 2

Peach vs. Daisy

Whether it be Peach's flirtatious kiss blown to the camera or Daisy's stern expression her hands up, ready for a fight. The differences between the two princesses were plain to see in the match graphic.

"Gawd," Daisy was first on-screen, slouched in the interview chair, "I've known Peach for as long as I can remember."

Peach appeared next, sitting rigidly upright in the interview chair, "I've known Daisy since we were newborns. Our parents were friends, and their parents before them."

A baby picture of Peach and Daisy in a playpen, pacifiers in mouth, looking quizzically up at the camera appeared on the screen.

"I owe Daisy a lot," continued Peach, "She showed me how to live a little, to let loose. I don't think I would've fallen for Mario if she hadn't offered this perspective."

"I owe Peach a lot," Daisy's image cut in, "If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have met The Bros, which means no Luigi. Oh yeah, and she showed me how to be a better politician. I guess that's important too."

"Sports have always been something she's excelled at. Needless to say, when I heard she's finally been offered a spot in Smash. I was thrilled!" Peach jubilantly explained.

"Smash has been a dream come true," was Daisy's rebuttal, "But…I wish the critiques that I'm not putting the effort in, that I'm only here to have fun with Luigi would stop."

"Truth be told," Peach nodded, "She's been putting in the training, much more than I expected."

Peach tapped her chin, grinning sinisterly.

"But," Peach warned, "Perhaps I've taught you only some of what I know? This is the one sport where I'm the experienced one, not you."

"She's always been jealous of how good I am at sports," Daisy shrugged, "Tennis, golf, you name it. She's been tryin' to get in my head about Smash, but as usual, my raw talent is going to win out."

"It takes more than raw talent to do this my dear, and you'll find this out when we step into the ring today."

Peach's final decree is what the audience heard before Cranky and 9-Volt appeared on screen, "Two friends with a lot of deep-seated issues to work out. Seven Stars, do you think me and 15-Volt get like that when we play Nintendo?" 9-Volt fretted.

"This of course implies 15-Volt has more than two brain cells to rub together," snarked the elder Kong.

"Hey! Futaba, get us outta here before I say something I shouldn't to this geezer."

The camera cut to Futaba who was mid chuckle, "It's Daisy. If Peach is the pastel icon, Daisy's the icon for all the little girls who grew up chillin' with the boys, so I gotta go for her."

9-Volt chuckled back, "Okay, let's throw it down to entrances."

The soothing melody of Princess Peach's Castle played, but a different Peach emerged. Absent was the royal wave, the general sunny disposition. In its place was a deadly serious expression and a march towards the center ring with purpose.

"Woah," 9-Volt shuddered, "Peach looks ready to throw down,"

"If I had a B-tier princess like Daisy riding my coattails I'd be ready to give out some hands myself," Cranky groused.

"What is with you?" balked 9-Volt, in a tone so shrill it muted the cheers of the crowd.

"If you're only in the spinoff games, you're what the kids call 'mid.' I don't make the rules."

As if on cue, the Sarasalandian folk tune began to blare over the speakers. Much like Peach, Princess Daisy marched to the center ring, ignoring the rabid cheers of not only her constituents but millions of others. The two stared holes in the other as Mills appeared between them.

"The following contest is a Round 2 match in the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Tournament! Introducing first, the woman to my left she comes to us from the Mario Universe. She is the Princess of Toadstools, she is PEACH!"

The staredown remained unbroken as Mills moved on.

"And introducing to my right," he continued, "She also comes to us from the Mario Universe, she is Sarasaland's Chipper Princess, she is DAISY!"

The staredown continued. Not even the video board cycling through the stages, landing on the Mushroom Kingdom 64 arena broke their concentration on each other.

"The rules are 3-stock, items medium. Smashers, are you ready?"

"Yes," came their curt, hissing responses.

With that, they disappeared.

Stage: Mushroom Kingdom (64)

Rules: 3-Stock, items medium

Music "Koopa's Road" by GaMetal

3

The two princesses appeared in flashes of light, one pink and one yellow, completely devoid of any of the usual crowd pandering, their gazes unbroken.

2

The silence was so cold that it cut through the crowd.

1

In the Smashers' Box, Quinn shot a glance over at Luigi, the only person in the room who appeared to be smiling.

GO!
Daisy immediately settled into a squat, while Peach jumped the gap. Both plucked a Turnip from the ground. Peach's bore an unsettling small-eyed smiling face, while Daisy's was just the regular face. Peach cocked her arm back, causing Daisy to hurriedly throw her turnip. Peach shifted her body to avoid it, throwing her freshly significantly meatier turnip, netting her 21 percent damage in the process.

"Dude, not cool!" Daisy shouted.

Peach chuckled, "Why do you think I taught you how to block projectiles with projectiles?"

"YOU'LL PAY!" shouted Daisy

Lunging forward, Daisy clocked Peach on the jaw, the blond only staggering.

"C'mon," Peach beckoned, "Where are the hands of stone I felt in Tokyo, hm?"

"I'd like to see you hit me any harder?" Daisy shot back.

"Is that an invitation?"

"It is!"

To drive the point home, Daisy stuck her neck out, motioning to her chin. Peach reeled back, throwing all her weight behind her fist. The pop as fist connected with flesh was palpable, but Daisy only staggered. Before Peach could even move, Daisy had charged her again, this time hitting her with a magic-addled shove. As Peach was shot backward, Daisy plucked a turnip from the ground, throwing it, but Peach's hand instinctually shot up to grab it. Unfortunately, she threw it back at Daisy too quickly, the nutritious yet deadly vegetable slipping out of her hand as she threw it, causing it to disappear limply at Daisy's feet in a puff of smoke.

"Oh c'mon," Daisy chided, pulling a turnip herself, "You're better than that."

She tossed the turn up, charging as it bonked Peach, shoving her away, and catching the turnip before it hit the ground.

"Ta-da!" Daisy bowed mockingly.

For her complacency, Daisy received a face full of Peach Bomber.

"How many times must I tell you?" Peach tutted, "Ladies do not bow, they curtsy."

Daisy had finally lost her footing, splaying out over a pipe. Peach jumped into the air, kicking at her friend's prone form, but the brunette wasted no time getting back up, grabbing Peach and, after a volley of slaps, thrusted her hips at her to complete the combination.

"Bow is just a synonym for curtsy!" protested Daisy.

The two charged each other, neither giving way to an onslaught of slaps.

Meanwhile, in the Smashers' Box, Quinn looked over at Luigi.

"Are they always like this? At least, behind the scenes?" he asked the plumber in green.

Luigi laughed, "You wouldn't think so, just seeing 'em out and about, but when it comes to anything competitive, yeah."

A Peach Bomber broke the slap fest, but Daisy countered the blow with a magic-embellished upward palm thrust as Peach closed the gap. More slaps were exchanged in quick succession, Daisy gaining the upper hand this time. Now it was Daisy's turn to execute the fluttering kicks, and Peach's turn to use the same upward palm thrust to stop the assault.

"Daisy might know all of Peach's moves," Cranky declared, "But Peach is the master!"

Now, the two were staring each other down, having manifested golf clubs. Both were poised to swing, but neither moved. Peach swung first, Daisy ducking down and swinging at her from a squatted position, sending her into the Blast Zone.

"You were saying?" 9-Volt smugly asked

"Oh shut up," was Cranky's response.

Peach: 2

Daisy: 3

"Man, Daisy could probably golf better drunk than I could in top physical condition!" 9-Volt muttered.

"Don't give the higher-ups ideas, or else that'll be the next Mario sports game," muttered Cranky.

As Peach ran to meet Daisy, she silently went down the pipe, appearing at the leftmost pipe on the stage. Briefly staring up at the oh-so-tempting POW block, she shook her head, instead choosing to slide underneath the platform and beckoning a furious Peach forward. More punches were exchanged before Daisy blocked one with her palms, an orange magic blast staggering Peach backward. Peach activated her Smash Shield, and Daisy walloped it with a frying pan she pulled from nowhere. Peach channeled her chi, parrying the move, and once again marching forward. Daisy produced and tossed a turnip, but some fluttering kicks in the air disintegrated the hapless veggie.

"FORE!" Daisy yelled.

Peach's eyes widened as she realized the flutter kicks had left her open. Wacked with a golf club, Peach fell to the ground, springing up immediately, only for Daisy to pick up and throw a box at her. Daisy caught the box's contents, an Assist Trophy, with alarm ease. She held the Assist Trophy upright and…

"SURPRISE!" cheered the Squid Sisters.

"Oh no," Cranky shuddered, "Not again."

They teleported to the center of the stage, the Blast Zone closing in as they sang their song.

A Steel Diver spawned, Peach grabbing out of the air, but Daisy had slapped it out of her hand before she could even think to fire it. A kick away and some wild firing by Daisy did not falter Peach, who persisted forward.

"Alright," Daisy shouted, spiking the missile launcher down, "That's how you wanna do it?"

"HAH!" Peach chortled, jumping at the last second.

Volleyball spiking Peach down, Daisy landed in front of her, golf club primed waiting for the Blast Zone to be as claustrophobic as it was ever going to be.

"FORE!" Daisy called again, swinging the golf club, and sending her friend into the Blast Zone.

Peach: 1

Daisy: 3

"Do you see why I hate that Assist Trophy? Do you?" Cranky ranted so loudly that he clipped the mic.

"Git gud." countered 9-Volt

"What?"

"Git gud."

"I am not putting up with 100 more chapters of this nonsense!" Cranky declared.

"Even if what you said made any sense whatsoever, what kind of book is 100 chapters long?" 9-Volt asked.

Cranky's answer was immediate, "A bad one."

Daisy picked up the Steel Diver, firing at Peach, each of the four missiles hitting directly. Nevertheless, Peach pressed on. Daisy plucked a turnip, this one with a cartoonish, eyes closed smile, lobbing at Peach. Despite the direct hit, Peach soldiered on, fists raised.

"Ya know," Daisy smiled, raising her fists in turn, "I really like it when this side comes out of ya. I think the pink and pastels are a front when deep down you really wish you could be like me. You really wish you could punch away your problems, but old man Toadsworth'd be disappointed in you."

Peach furled back to sock her once again, throwing her body weight into it…

A Smash Ball appeared. As did Buckenberry.

"NO!" Peach screamed as her fist connected.

Paralytic spores sprayed all over her and the Smash Ball. Princess Peach could only watch as the power of a Final Smash enveloped Daisy. Kicking her legs in a cancan style with a goofy smile on her face, Peach managed a flip of the bird before she fell asleep. Once again, Daisy unsheathed her golf club.

"FORE!" she cried for the third time.

With a satisfying smack, Peach was in the Blast Zone.

GAME!

Smashers' Box

"YES! WAHOO!" cheered Luigi, "This is gonna be fun now!"

Quinn raised an eyebrow, "Peach wouldn't have been?"

"Smash is literally Daisy's favorite thing-a, and she's always wanted to compete against me. Bless Peach, but Smash is in Daisy's blood just about, and it would be an honor to compete against her, no matter what happens."
Luigi's joyous mood melted as soon as a garlic-covered glove slapped him on the shoulder.

"You like-a to win don'tcha? We wanna keep-a dat win streak don't we?"

"I mean, I can't say it wouldn't be nice." Luigi whispered, watching Daisy's ballet spin on the Smash Mansion courtyard, the letters "DAISY WINS!" appearing on screen.

"All-a propositions aside, you owe me a favor for the six-man training you dragged me outta bed for on the beginning of dis. And unlike your girl, you don't insist on taking my brother away from me."

"Peach insisted on touching up her makeup before the interview, so we have a delay," ROB informed Mario

The leader of the Smashers laughed, "Yep, fine. Anything for my-a girl."

"Wouldn't Daisy owe you a favor as well? She was in on that too."

Wario licked his lips so slowly and so deliberately that the spines of anyone in eyesight ran cold.

"That comes-a later," Wario purred, holding out a hand, "Welcome to the Wah-ffice, at least for now."

Luigi limply shook the hand of the CEO, who laughed uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Mister Zero stood in between Daisy and Peach.

"We're here for a…" Mister Zero paused, "Very special interview."

Peach immediately knelt down, clasping Daisy's hand in hers.

"Daisy of Sarasaland," Peach began, "You bested me in combat, and so, therefore, I bequeath unto you, the title of Queen of Smash."

"Aw…thanks boo!" Daisy blushed, "And…um…no hard feelings about the mud slung, like usual?"

Peach laughed as she stood up, "Absolutely not. Most of it was true, and quite frankly, things I needed to hear"

"Well good!" remarked Daisy cheerily, "Whelp, next round the Queen of Smash fights the king. Weegee, I can't put into words how forward I'm looking to tussling with you. Even if I go out on a loss, there's no one I'd rather lose to. See you out there hunnybuns!"

She gave the camera the 'V for Victory" sign, both princesses skipping arm and arm up the tunnel. Immediately, both princesses found their beaus, each getting a hug. While Mario had the presence of mind to laugh and softly congratulate his beloved, Luigi was stunned silent.

"What's the matter, baby?" Daisy asked, confused, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Luigi muttered something so softly no one caught it.

"What was that? You have to speak up."

"Wario cashed in his favor," Luigi muttered, "As of today, I'm a member of the Wa-ffice until the next round."

Daisy's elated expression twisted into one of disgust, "What about mine?"

"He said that comes later," jittered Luigi.

"Oh God, I know what that means. Mona wants to watch doesn't she?"

Wario's bellowing laugh nearly shook the Smashers' Box off its hinges, "My-a princess is a fox, and Daddy'd do anything for her."

"Wario I swear to the Seven Stars if you ever say that again I'm disqualifying the rest of your office." Mario seethed.

"You're just mad because-a you and blondie are so-a vanilla in-a private! WA HA HA!"

Mario began to roll up his sleeve just as Mikey quacked, "Zelda, you're in Tunnel A. ICs, you're in Tunnel B."

Quietly thanking all three Links for their well wishes, Zelda strode up to the front of the room, while the Ice Climbers confidently marched, Nana in the lead.

"Oh? You're taking point this time Nana?" inquired Zelda.

"Yeh," both Ice Climbers said simultaneously.

"Duly noted!" Zelda's assessment was cheery, "Back-to-back girl power is never a bad thing."

"Yeah, whatever. Good luck to you," Nana crassly said, heading down Tunnel B, while Zelda shrugged and headed down Tunnel B.

"Shit, we're just short of 3,000 words. Either way, the next hundred chapters are gonna be nuts. The Aura Channeler better watch out," Sans observed.

"Are you talking about me? Do you threaten me?" hissed Lucario.

"No it's…you wouldn't understand," the skeleton hesitated, "This isn't gonna get that long anyway,"

Lucario growled, "What isn't?"

"This,"

"What do you mean by "this"?" Lucario demanded.

"This," Sans blurted, his tone much more insistent.

"I… never mind," Lucario grunted.