Daisy vs. Bowser
No matter how long Sans lived, he would never forget it. The smell of Altair's LOVE dissipating from his olfactory senses. The aura of the Healing Plant added to his bliss in the complete darkness of the healing room. Before he knew it, he was in the tranquil perpetual spring of the Mansion courtyard. Given the cue to victory pose by a camera done, Sans did all he could think to do, creating an arch of fire above him, then firing several blasts into the open air. He held his pose, his Gaster Blaster in the fire position, while a splash screen effect cemented his win. He appeared up the interview tunnel, Rita standing before him, "Altair refused to be interviewed, so we're stalling for time with Cranky and Volt," the seasoned reporter whispered.
"Alright," Sans nodded.
A few seconds passed, They were given the countdown cue from a Wire Frame, and Rita spoke, "I'm here with the latest smasher to move on to the second round, Sans! What do you have to say for yourself,"
"I have to say, this has been very informative. Far too long have I stood on the sidelines and watched things happen. But, after Altair got KOed I felt something. I'm a hunter, and I'll continue to hunt. Frog ninja, kid, I love ya both, but nothing will stand in my way BECAUUUUUUSE!"
A trombone materialized from nowhere. Sans put it up to his lips.
"SANS, DOES ROCK! SANS, DOES ROCK!" he inexplicably said to the beat of his trombone playing, despite playing the music.
He continued to play until the camera drone flew away. Casting Rita a thumbs up, he walked up the tunnel to the applause of the Smashers. Quinn ebbed his way through the crowd to raise Sans' free hand in victory, to even more applause.
"How's Mister Stabby?" Sans whispered.
"Altair? He's fine. I think he's meditating." Quinn said, gesturing vaguely to the back of the room.
"Ah, cool. Think I oughta treat him to some Grillby's when we get access to the city."
"You've been building up for weeks, can I…" Quinn began.
Suddenly an entirely new voice rang through the crowd, "Ey! RAMEN DELIVERY!"
"Ah, right on time," Sans said.
Snapping his fingers, he appeared at the door they'd all entered the Smashers' Box through. Standing there, with three bowls of Ramen articulately balanced on a strangely noodley arm was a blond woman wearing a beanie and traditional orange Chinese tunic.
"Ni hao! I'm Min-Min, with Mintendo Ramen shop. Are you Sans Le Champion?"
"Is that your last name?" balked Kyoko, to the snickers of the River City crew.
"Nah, just thought it'd be funny to announce myself as that if I won."
"It woulda sucked had you lost," hooted Daxter from somewhere in the mass of Smashers.
"Hey, even I bomb at comedy, not often, but yeah," Sans said, signing his signature.
Rummaging through his pockets, Sans gave her a Smash Coin, "Your tip ma'am."
Min-Min's eyes went as wide a saucers, " Ni shi renzhen de mah? A Smash coin? This is…"
"A million dollars in your currency? I know," Sans laughed, "As a newly minted millionaire myself, I can leave baller tips for service people,"
"O-oh," stammered the young woman, "Thank you so much, It'll be the best Ramen you ever had, I guarantee it!" she said, bowing as Sans took the ramen from her, scuttling out the door.
"Alright-a," Mario's voice boomed, "Thanks to Sans' a-stunt earlier, the next match-up will be Daisy vs. Bowser. Daisy, you're in Tunnel A, Bowser you're in-a Tunnel B.
"You got it future bro-in-law," Daisy cheered, pecking Luigi on the cheek, "Wish me luck Weegee!"
"G-good luck," Luigi blubbered, blushing a fire-truck red.
Meanwhile, Bowser Junior and the Koopalings were attempting to pump Bowser up, "We know what happened before, but now's the time to show her who's boss," squealed Lemmy.
"Yeah! Knock 'em dead pops!" Bowser Junior hollered.
"Erm…right," Bowser muttered as he stomped down the tunnel.
"Alright, we're back on schedule with the match that should've happened last time, Daisy vs Bowser!" 9-Volt explained
Daisy's match card animation, pumping her fist into the air, played as the camera cut to her in the interviewing area from earlier today.
"Yo wassup? I'm Daisy, princess of Sarasaland. My opponent is Bowser."
"Any reservations about fighting your friend Peach's worst enemy in hand-to-hand combat?" came the voice of Nikki.
"Nah," Daisy said, shrugging flippantly, "Bowser and I have a…well, you'll see,"
"I'll see?" asked Nikki
"You'll see," Daisy repeated with a wink.
"Alright then, Anyone you're looking forward to fighting?"
"Well, all of the veterans. I've been watching these tourneys since Weegee gave me the first one of VHS for my birthday! But specifically, Mario, Weegee of course, and of course my sistah from another mistah, Princess Peach!"
"Alright, good luck," Nikki concluded,
Bowser's match card animation, a threatening fist in the direction of the camera, played, with a brief sizzle reel of his previous accomplishments, mostly in Melee.
"So, you're fighting Daisy, someone you're very familiar with," Nikki began, "And she told me…"
Bowser gripped the black table separating them with the full brunt of his claws. Immediately, Bowser's face twisted into a hideous angry snarl.
"SHE'S A LIAR," roared the king, "NOTHING EVER HAPPENED, AND I'M GONNA BEAT HER! THAT BLUE RAT GOT ME THE LAST TWO TIMES, AND THAT'S WHATEVER, BUT I GOTTA BEAT DAISY SO I CAN LOOK GOOD FOR MY KIDS!"
As Bowser got off in a huff, Nikki stammered, "Okay, I guess that's over,"
"Futaba, your thoughts?" 9-Volt announced as the screens showed a brief picture and picture of the combatants' walk down to the arena, Bowser slashing the wall as he walked, getting black paint on his claws.
All eyes were on Futaba now in her part of the studio, "Logic would dictate Bowser. However, Bowser's temper tantrum aside in the Smash realm, these tricky princesses pack a punch, so I gotta go with Daisy."
"Hmm, she might be a smarter girl than I thought," Cranky mused.
"Let's go down to the arena for entrances," commanded 9-Volt.
An Arabian theme played over the speakers as Daisy jogged to the arena, as the Sarasaland and Mushroom Kingdom sections alike lost their minds, eclipsing the mostly positive response of the stadium itself.
"This piece of music is mostly heard in the underground passageways of Sarasaland, as an ode to how the country's early settlers used underground passages to escape the intense heat," 9-Volt explained.
"Huh, so they do teach you stuff in Diamond City's school system," came Cranky's snide reply.
"Will you be serious?" barked 9-Volt.
As Daisy pumped her fist into the air one final time, dreary, threatening organ music began to play. Bowser stepped menacingly into the audience's view from the right tunnel, celebratorily firing a jet of flames from his mouth into the air. Smash stadium heard the reverse of Daisy's entrance, cheers, drowned out by boos.
"The crowd doesn't like Bowser very much," 9-Volt observed.
"Because he's a lame tweener. What self-respectin' villain plays golf with their enemy?" Cranky snapped.
"I mean, your guess is as good as mine, I just thought they'd have more respect for the Koopa National Anthem, made infamous as it was the background the music from their final fight when Bowser hid all the power stars in Peach's paintings" explained 9-Volt.
Bowser got nose to nose with Daisy, who reciprocated the staredown. Using his nostrils to blow smoke into Daisy's eyes, he giggled childishly as she pulled away.
"The following contest is a Round 1 Match in the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate tournament. The winner will face either Peach or Jigglypuff in the next round. Introducing first in the corner to my left. She is Sarasaland's Chipper Princess DAISY!" Mills Frames announced.
The crowd cheered as Daisy cast a thumbs up into the air.
"Introducing in the corner to my right. He is the King of the Koopas, BOWSER!"
Boos erupted in the stadium as the spiked Koopa flipped a double middle claw to the crowd.
"Now, if Daisy wins the coin toss it'll be Peach's Castle 64, if Bowser wins it'll be Mushroom Kingdom U! Call it!"
"HEADS!" Bowser roared.
"TAILS!" announced Mills.
"SHIT," cursed Bowser
"Alright, so the stage is Peach's Castle 64, two stocks, items medium. Smashers, are you ready?"
"I've been ready for 20 years bro!" Daisy yelled.
"Yeah, I guess," Bowser snarled, snorting steam once again.
The two Smashers from the Mario Universe were teleported away.
Stage: Peach's Castle 64
Items: All, Medium
Music: "Inside the Castle Walls" by FamilyJules
Daisy appeared in a burst of flowers, greeting the crowd with a hearty "YOOOO!"
In contrast, Bowser stomped out from a wall of fire.
3
2
1
GO!
Daisy immediately shoved Bowser, channeling some low-level Toad magic into the blow so it knocked him off the wooden plank on which they stood. Bowser immediately pivoted in the air, retracting into his shell to bring his massive weight down spikes first. However, he had missed the blow completely, leaving Daisy open to whack him with a golf club. Bowser fumbled through the air, but regained his footing somewhat, running towards Daisy. However, Daisy ducked down into the second tier of the stage, and when Bowser attempted to follow, the Koopa King received a golf club shot upside the nose for his trouble. Again, Bowser fumbled through the air, regaining his footing. Buckenberry appeared from nowhere to block the Koopa King's advance, but Bowser stopped, waiting until the representation of Daisy's most loyal guard faded, clocking her in the face when she stood up from her crouched guard position. As Daisy slumped to the ground dazed, but not out, Bowser jumped to the top tier of the stage.
"BWAH HA HA! SEE! I'M NOT THE PUSHOVER YOU THOUGHT I WAS! I CAN DO THIS! FIRST I'M GONNA!"
'Bowser fired a jet of flame at nothing.
"AND THEN I'M GONNA…"
Another jet of flame
With an annoyed grunt, Daisy leaped up, casting her hand in the shape of a rainbow, an appropriately colored magical contrail following her movement. Bowser parried the first hit, but not the second. With a surprised grunt, Bowser was once again sent up. Daisy quickly picked up a Boss Galaga that had just appeared, launching it into the air, and launching Bowser with yet another golf club shot. The tiny spaceship followed Bowser, using a colorful tractor beam to pick up the burly king and drag him to the top blast zone. Bowser cried out as the ship dragged him down in the background for a Star KO, but it was too late.
Daisy: 2
Bowser: 1
"WOO HOO!" cheered Daisy
"YAHOO! THAT'S MY-A GAL!" cheered Luigi from within the Smashers' Box, playfully shaking the shoulders of the man in front of him, Fox, who just lightly chuckled.
"Papa…" wailed Bowser Junior as Wario pointed and laughed.
"RARRRRGH! HARLOT!" screamed Bowser, leaping off the healing platform.
Bowser phased through the top platform, swiping a momentarily stunned Daisy in an upward arching movement with his claw, jumped up to meet Daisy, cartwheeling into her with his full weight, and then dropkicking her in mid-air, slumping to the ground.
The King of the Koopas breathed heavily as he stalked towards his prey, "I was afraid of you. I have been since the incident, but I never dreamed I'd have you, like this…" Bowser licked his lips, his eyes now a horrifying pupilless white, burning white with the embers of a fire.
Daisy couldn't recover in time as Bowser bounded over to her, grabbed her, picking her up by the throat
"Peach I've always had some respect for. But you," he hissed, blowing smoke from his nostrils into her face once again, "Your brother trying to marry Peach cost me my hopes and dreams, and then you kick my ass hand-to-hand so bad everyone agreed not to acknowledge as to not hurt my feelings. Now, your brother died in the war with the Panther King, so that took care of that problem, and I always promised Peach and Mustache I'd never lay a hand on you, but in Smash, it's all fair game, and then we can just move on. Now, before my therapy, the worst beating of your life begins, do you have anything to say with that unrefined tongue of yours?"
"C-catch," choked Daisy, now an unhealthy shade of red.
"What was that? I didn't quite get that."
"I said…CATCH."
Headbutting Bowser, she scooted back as the giant king wobbled, and with a perfect pitcher's arm through a Beetle at the Koopa King, which latched onto his throat. The unhinged despot kicked and grunted as it carried him up to the top blast zone, this time splatting him against the camera as he flopped once and for all to the blast zone.
DAISY WINS!
"Unbelievable! Where did she get that?" 9-Volt squealed.
"Musta grabbed it just before Bowser started choking her! Beautiful sleight of hand by the Princess."
"Yeah," 9-Volt pondered, "That said, what was wrong with him?"
Daisy collected herself just long enough to ballet spin and make the peace sign as a splash screen cemented her win.
"We're being informed we're having a medical situation in the back," 9-Volt's voice shook suddenly.
The camera cut to Bowser. As a shaking Mister Zero stood to one side, watching His every orifice dripped with sweat, and his stood head bowed, his claws pressed against the wall, "What in the name of the Seven Stars is happening to me?" Bowser bawled through tears.
Next, the camera cut to a shocked Rita, standing with Daisy and Luigi, the latter of whom had his arms around the former, "What just happened out there?" the interviewer asked.
"I don't know. Bowser looked possessed," Daisy huffed, her breathing still labored.
"Yeah," Luigi agreed, "He was less unhinged as freakin' Giga Bowser-a. But I couldn't be more proud with how you handled things and turned it into a victory."
"Thanks, baby," Daisy wheezed her breathing still labored, "But I woulda not liked to have won on account of my opponent being a raving lunatic. Jiggly, Peach my dear, you'd better give me the match of your life, or else," the Princess of Sarasaland warned as she pulled Luigi off-camera by the hand.
"Alright, intermission time Smashers," said Mario as Bowser staggered in, a Wire Frame under each arm.
"Mustache, I need to be under Doc's medical observation. I don't know what's happening,"
Mario nodded, "I agree. Doc, is your lab prepped?"
"Always is," said Doctor Mario, who broke from his conversation with the Belmonts, "If it's all the same, I'd like Ritcher to come with me. He believes you were possessed and I'd like his expertise if that is what my tests conclude."
Mario nodded, "You got it,"
The Koopalings and Piranha Plant began to crowd around Bowser, Doctor Mario, and Ritcher, a caterwauling of children's fear echoing through the room. Bowser finally knelt, "Guys, I'll be alright. Just gotta go for a check-up, like you guys do with Doctor Goomba Tower occasionally."
"Yes," Doctor Mario agreed, "And if it really is a possession we just have to avoid the trigger,"
"Right," Ritcher joined in, "Like a werewolf has to avoid the full moon!"
"WOAH!" shouted Morton, "PAPA's A WEREWOLF,"
Near simultaneously, Wendy and Bowser Junior slapped Morton in the back of the head, "Shut up numbnuts, he's just takin' a visit to Doctor Goomba Tower essentially like he said."
"Okay," grumbled Morton.
"Just tell Daisy I'm sorry, and give her a big round of applause when she comes in here," Bowser demanded of the onlooking Smashers, his voice cracking,
"Nah, we heard everything," said Daisy and Luigi entered the room, "I know you've had to bottle up a lot of anger over the stuff that went down, and if it's as serious as it sounds, there'll be no hard feelings coming out of this."
Luigi stood silent for a second, and nodded, "Yes. I stand by Daisy 100 percent."
"Thank you, both of you," Bowser's voice warbled, his eyes full of genuine warmth, "I will never forget this," he said as Doctor Mario, himself, and Ritcher teleported away.
"We're announcing the next match, then the intermission as planned," Mario barked.
9-Volt and Cranky quickly announced the declaration of the next match. The randomizer flipped through the remaining match card, until landing on...
"Oh no, it's Sephiroth vs. Team Chaotix," 9-Volt declared, dread in his voice.
"Good thing we're about to go to intermission, it'll give Team Chaotix time to set up funeral arrangements!" Cranky chortled
"I'll have you thrown out of here!"
(AN: For those who haven't seen my profile updates, because of a new job, I'll be taking a bit of a hiatus to get stuff situated there, but after some pre-employment training I feel like I'll be sooner rather than later. I'll still be active on the Super Smash Prose Discord (Invite Code is QYdhYnM) The next chapter will be titled Intermission, which will give winners and losers alike time to reflect. I plan to do this every 10 chapters, just so everyone has some time to breathe. Alright guys, stay safe)