Round 1
Chrom vs. Mister Game and Watch
"Salutations all, I am Chrom, and my opponent is Mister Game and Watch," the pre-recorded Chrom explained, waving at the camera.
"So how do you feel about him? He is definitely beyond what The Order of Heroes usually fights," Nikki asked.
Chrom nodded, "And you'd be right! But, I've been watching a lot of the footage in preparation for this exact moment. I know that watching a fight and being in one is completely different, but I've been waiting for this ever since I failed my entrance test last tournament. My daughter and son-in-law have jokingly come to calling me the biggest fan of Smash Brothers in existence."
"Alright," Nikki chuckled, "Considering that, other than maybe the Koopa Kingdom, you Yilissians have the largest family unit in the tournament, including Marth. Any worries about fighting them?"
"No," Chrom barked, "We've all fought before, so I know there will be no hesitation when the time comes. However, this will be more pleasant than the usual circumstances. That aside, the only person I'm truly interested in going on and one with is Captain Falcon. We have unfinished business, my friend, and I'll get to you by any means necessary," the warrior pointed at the camera.
Nikki giggled, "Alright Chrom, that's all the questions I had, thanks for your time."
"Thank you for yours, ma'am."
Game and Watch's ambling pose played for a second time, the man himself sat in the interview chair, breathing heavily.
"I am MISTER Game and Watch, and my opponent is that buffoon Chrom," growled the 2D man.
"You seem to hate everyone in this tournament, why is that?"
"Because, they don't respect my accomplishments!" snapped the old man, "The throne atop the Nintendo mountain belongs to me, as without my accomplishments young lady, none of this would be here. And time and time again, I have been pontificated by these entitled young people who use pretty graphics to get by. Well, Miss Nikki, I have been training to improve my moveset, and when I lock in the new and improved Ball, the first, most effective move in the history of this tournament, victory will be MINE!"
"That said, is there anyone who you're looking forward to fighting in the tournament?"
"My compatriot Pacman, that foolish hippie for one. I am also looking forward to fighting my roommate, Subject Zero. Oh, and young master Sephiroth deserves a spanking or two, for what he did to me. Heartless Angel, bah, takes no effort. A "boss move," what nonsense is that. In my day, there weren't even bosses. The only bosses were how often you could complete the task at…"
Nikki made a cut gesture, and the camera was back on Cranky and 9-Volt, the former of whom was grinning ear to ear. The latter simply rolled his eyes, "Look, I love Game and Watch as much as the next guy, I've got all the handhelds along my room wall, but I am not looking forward to this.
"What?" Cranky chided, a twinkle in his eyes, "You aren't looking forward to singing the gospel of the only smart person in this outfit. Everything MISTER Game and Watch says is right!"
"God Futaba, say something so I can get some reprieve.
"You've got all the Game and Watch models! That's so cool! I might have to come over to your place to play them. The only one I have is Dad's old one, but he won't let me go for the full set, says LCD games like that aren't worth it especially when I have so many other games," Futaba rambled, before her eyes grew wide, "Oh right, who's winning! So, as much as I too love me some Game and Watch, Chrom getting in here was the biggest piece of justice I can imagine, so I hope he wins!"
"Alright, let's throw it down to entrances!" 9-Volt proclaimed
A heroic orchestra began to play. When the choir kicked in, Chrom stepped out of the tunnel, the flag of Ylisse held high as he marched to centerstage, waving the flag triumphantly to the cheers of his subjects and many others, eventually giving the flag to a stagehand and assuming his combat stance.
"So you're the music research guy, but I assume that's the national anthem of Ylisse?" Cranky inquired.
"Yep," 9-Volt affirmed, "The remix is pretty dope too."
The music slowed to a stop replaced by Game and Watch's all-too-familiar bleeps and bloops. The featureless man jogged to center stage as quickly as he appeared out of the tunnel.
"Mister Game and Watch is the fighter we know the least about, so I don't know where this song comes from. Cranky, sit down!" 9-Volt shrieked, pulling his partner down out of his standing ovation by the shoulders/
Mills appeared between the two combatants, somehow shouting over Mister Game and Watch's rambling, "And now, the following match is a first-round match in the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate tournament! The winner of this match will face Pit in the next round. Introducing first, in the corner to my left, he comes to us from the Fire Emblem universe, he is The Exalted One of Ylisse, he is Chrom!"
Chrom gave a regal wave to the crowd, blushing at the raucous cheers.
"Introducing, in the corner to my right. He comes to us from the world inside a Game and Watch, He is the Master of Two Dimensions, he is MISTER Game and Watch!"
The polite applause of the crowd drowned out Mr. Game and Watch's manic ramblings about the importance of referring to elders by their honorifics.
"Now, if Chrom wins the coin toss, the stage will be Arena Ferox, if Mister Game and Watch wins, the arena will be Flat Zone X. Call i-"
"You can call it young man," rambled Game and Watch, cutting off Chrom, "I never understood your newfangled coins anyway."
"Um… heads will do I suppose."
"Tails!"
"YES! I'm going to tan your hide on the sacred battleground whippersnapper!" cheered Game and Watch.
"You know the rules by now gentlemen, two stocks, items medium. Smashers, are you ready?"
While Chrom curtly nodded, Mister Game and Watch continued to exfoliate the virtues of his home, but the blue-haired swordsman was too busy clutching his sword for dear life. Passing into the darkness and watching the stage terraform as the teleportation circle saw him in, Chrom immediately felt sick to his stomach. Shaking the feeling away as quickly as it came, he readied his sword.
3
2
Mister Game and Watch's visage appeared on the other side of the arena, the old man seemingly ambling into it. Chrom shook his head, breathing in heavily. At least in his most demented fight with Grima, the laws of the universe still applied…
1
GO!
The two Smashers charged one another, Chrom dodging to the side as his opponent slid towards him, having dawned some kind of helm in the process. However, as quickly as it appeared, the accessory was gone. Again, he ran and slid, not even coming close to contacting with him. Chrom stepped forward, mid-motion on his dominant arm, to close the gap. But, a strange device for taming a beast appeared in Game and Watch's arms, clocking him. In shock, Chrom's body defaulted to his training sessions with the many mages in his company, fall back, look for an opening later. Chrom dodged three attacks, a sliding head bash, some sort of attack with an air-pumping mechanism, and another helmeted dash. Quicker than the Exalt could react, however, he had been grabbed by the throat. Before he could even curse falling for such simple feints, Game and Watch had heaved him above his head, and every bone in the swordsman's body broke. The remaining part of his body that remained, his perhaps his brain, was juggled around, and leisurely tossed to the side, for the stock!
Chrom: 1
Mister Game and Watch: 2
Smashers Box
"WOW! Chrom got reduced to his stock icon, unbelievable!" Cranky's voice screamed.
"Is this what Game and Watch meant when he said he'd been improving the ball move," 9-Volt added.
Lucina, who had been stunned with shock, bit her lip as Chrom appeared upon the revival platform. Chrom's hand trembled upon the hilt. The woman glanced over, worryingly at her beloved, Robin, whose forehead was wrinkled in thought. Casting a quick glance around the room, Lucina saw that most of the conversation was centered around the now-dreaded Ball. Lucina leaned to her right, whispering in Robin's ear, "You see it too?"
Robin nodded, leaning his head in now to whisper, "Yes, whatever happened was so unpleasant, it shook him."
"A worrying departure from character indeed," Lucina nodded, still whispering, "But he'll fight back."
Robin simply nodded as Chrom jumped off the revival platform.
Flat Zone X
Game and Watch had grabbed a Black Hole as it appeared. Briefly wincing as it activated, then relaxing at the realization that Game and Watch had thrown it mere millimeters too high, Chrom set to work as the paper-thin man balked at his faux pas. A Dancing Blade that ended in an upward thrust followed well into an Aether. Chrom was stuck in the Black Hole for all of two seconds before it dissipated. Chrom couldn't help but grin, as he stared down at his usually loud-mouthed had been too struck dumb by the combination to do anything.
Maybe this is mine to win, thought Chrom, striking Game and Watch with a wide horizontal blow as a Bumper appeared.
Chrom's confident grin turned into a smile, The crazy man was off stage! Chrom's arm tensed, ready to throw the bumper, its securement in the air, figured the swordsman, would be an easy knockout. But, the wild man jumped up, shattering his plan to pieces. Frustratingly chucking the odd tool offstage, the ground beneath him transformed from pavement to dirt. The change in scenery had also prompted a change in platforms. Mister Game and Watch had stuck a comically large key through a platform that had appeared, but the old warrior didn't seem frustrated. In fact, that somehow spurred his confidence, as he began to mumble under his breath. Both men jumped to a platform to the lower left of the one upon which Game and Watch stood, Chrom pivoted in mid-air as the key once again embedded itself in the space where he would've stood. Only on the ground for a brief second, Chrom leaped into the air, again and again knocking Game and Watch further up with somersaulting upward sword slashes. Just as Chrom began to internally bemoan that he had failed to knock away the man, he came spiraling down with a key.
"Appreciate the classics now whippersnapper!? Do you!?" howled Game and Watch.
"NO!" Chrom bellowed.
That seemed to bewilder Game and Watch, as quick Flare Blade was enough to knock him away
Chrom: 1
Mister Game and Watch: 1
"Donkey Kong Junior is a classic you miscreant," Game and Watch crowed as soon as he appeared on the revival platform, "But if you don't fear the action-adventure platformer, you will now,"
Chrom raised an eyebrow, feeling something collide with his head. Something…metal…from above. Chrom looked up. Metal tools were falling from the sky! Game and Watch dove into him with his helm once, then twice when Chrom tried to use the unwelcome momentum to change direction. Immediately, he felt his feet sliding out from under him. Chrom's feet scrambled when he tried to walk, and his knees locked up out of fear when he tried to jump. Of course, The Smash Ball would appear at the worst possible time. Only able to scratch Mister Game and Watch as he leaped about for the Smash Ball himself, Chrom once again found himself cursing when the Smash Ball's mysterious power enveloped the man fighting him. The frightening octopus he transformed into grabbed him with one of its tentacles moving with the single-minded ferocity that reminded Chrom of one of his wife's Pegasi's vault towards oats. Luckily, the grip was lazy and easy to free himself from well before the thing carried him off stage.
Two pieces of the Daybreak flopped onto the stage, the two Smashers crisscrossing one another to grab the pieces. Chrom suddenly felt a pang of cold fear go up to his neck.
Why did I take my eye off him like that? growled Chrom.
Chrom turned right into another helmeted attack, knocking him off stage. The prince was able to scream, "Sorry!" before he was sent to the healing room.
GAME!
In the Smash Mansion courtyard, Mister Game and Watch happily juggled balls, a grin etched on his ever-changing simple figure.
MISTER GAME AND WATCH WINS!
Rita stuck a microphone into Chrom's face, who was applauding, but had a faraway look in his eyes, "Chrom, what…?"
"I let a fear of the unknown get to me!" barked Chrom, eyes wide with anger, "And if I'm to be an asset to this league, I shan't let it get to me again!"
Mister Zero was next, walking gingerly up to Mister Game and Watch, who seemed transfixed on the palms of his hands.
"Mister Game and Watch," said the green-haired man, "Congratulations on your first win since…"
"You're incorrect young man," snarled Game and Watch, condescension dripping out of every syllable. "I've been the champion of Smash Brothers since 1980. I never lost the championship, as I've been saying all these years. That pretty boy Roy took my rightful ascension to the thrown away from me in 2001, and now here I stand having defeated one of his lowly trainees. I beat the man that represents your society of easy-as-pie games. I beat him so I can scrutinize you into video game playing competence, and synchronize you back into good, challenging games again!"
"Um…Cranky and…"
Game and Watched snatched the microphone from him.
"I'll take on anybody!" screeched Mister Game and Watch.
A moment passed as Game and Watch stared into the camera.
"Anybody at all ladies and gentlemen," sneered Game and Watch, his tone hushed and deadly seriously. "I FEEL LIKE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!"
Mister Game and Watch ambled away, kicking the door open to the Smashers Box, "I'M. YOUR. CHAMPIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!" he screamed.
Uncharacteristically, the normally supportive Smashers turned to boos. The Fire Emblem contingent and Captain Falcon, all who had huddled around a despondent looking Chrom simply shot him dirty looks.
"Bah, young people," growled the two-dimensional one, flopping childishly into one of the seats in the back.
In the time it took for Game and Watch's ramblings to cease, the roulette had already landed on…
"CORRIN VERSUS CLOUD!"
A pause hung over the Fire Emblem contingent, all flying into wishes of prosperity for the upcoming fight ahead, to which the raven-haired princess quietly thanked the group. On her way to the middle of the room, Corrin stopped to meet the rest of DLC, ending the usual group huddle with a warm hug from Terry, her cheeks ending the trip much redder than when she began.
Meanwhile, Cloud had immediately whipped out an old-looking cell phone, its age indicated not by the condition of the phone, which was spectacular, but the fact that he had to flip it open to reveal a number pad. Cloud spoke softly into it, nodding to the admin team. At the front of the room, Tifa Lockhart appeared, gripping an equally old cell phone. The couple hugged in the front of the room while Corrin made her way up.
"Corrin," Shulk explained, "You're in Tunnel A, Cloud and Tifa, you're in Tunnel B."
Cloud nodded, extending a hand, "Good luck Corrin," he said.
"You too," whispered the princess, shaking it.
And with that, the two began the long walk down their respective tunnels.
(AN: FFN analytics indicate that, in just 12 days, my fic has been viewed just about 1,000 times, 900 in the US alone! Wow, that's nuts! You people are crazy, but beloved by me for taking the time to read my admitedly mediocre tournament fic again and again! That said, I know it's fallen out of custom to openly ask for reviews in ANs, but PLEASE REVIEW! I wanna know what y'all, especially my repeat viewers, are thinking as they read. Also, do you want to join a Discord full of Smash Bros enthusiasts like you? The invite code is QYdhYnM. Join us!)