Round 2

Cuphead vs. Goro Akechi

The swaying hips of Cuphead contrasted greatly with Akechi's wild dancing as the match graphic appeared.

"Cuphead is quite the hero," Akechi began, "But he must understand two things, Fighting Joker is my only aim, and I'm still a little cross from having to deal with Porky's cowardice. And I plan to vent this frustration onto our milky friend,"

Quinn felt a chill go up his spine. Akechi could be sickeningly sweet and seemed to be turning it up more and more as the tournament progressed, making it all the more jarring when the mask slipped.

Akechi bid Nikki adieu, standing up and walking out. Now Cuphead was on screen, looking startled.

"Wow, the detective boy sure wrapped up his interview quick huh? Well, um, geez whiz, what do I say about Akechi? Fella's powerful I'll give him that, but I have to believe I've got this, I have to,"

Cuphead also stood up, running out of the room.

"Seems, like our competitors are jazzed to get this over with," 9-Volt announced.

"Akechi wants bloodlust. Cuphead can feel it, and is nervous," was Cranky's matter-of-fact response.

"Well aren't you self-assured," teased 9-Volt, "Luckily we've got somebody that has all the scoops. Oracle?"

"As uneasy as our working relationship is," Futaba began, "I've seen Akechi get crossed in a competition like that idiot Porky did to him, and if Cuphead thought his journey to beat The Devil was Nintendo Hard, he has no idea the sheer amount of petty vengeance that's coming."

"Oh God," shivered 9-Volt. "Well, let's throw it to entrances,"

Akechi made the walk to Will Power. His posture and movements were formal, but his eyes appeared manic and angry. Not even Cuphead's entrance, the boy stepping out of a ghostly visage of himself, seemed to perturb the disgraced Detective Prince. To his credit, Cuphead's smile never faltered, even as Akechi bore a hole in him through the introductions. The duo turned to the giant video board, revealing the stage to be the Jungle level from Contra.

"Yes!" Ness cheered, "It's a scrolling stage!" He's got this!"

"You forget that Akechi has access to Tetrakam and Makaragam at all times," Joker warned.

"So? Fox has a reflector and that's never stopped anyone from stomping his ass on the scrolling stages, no offense Fox."

"No offense taken," Fox said, saluting the boy from Onett without turning to look at him.

"At all times," Joker repeated, "And Cuphead has all projectiles, so.."

"Quiet, the match is starting," hissed Peach.

Sure enough, Cuphead's personal announcer announced the match's beginning.

"I'll take that bet if you're in a betting mood. Let's say a grand," boasted Ness.

"Not even going into Smash coin territory? Whatever, you're on," Joker declared with a grin.
With the backing track of the jungle theme from the NES version of Contra, the match had begun, the competitors charging at each other. As Joker had predicted, Akechi closed the gap quickly, walloping Cuphead with the Chaos Orbits that he had produced seconds ago. The sudden onslaught from the weapons he had fired shocked the sentient cup into stillness. Even more shocking was when Akechi walloped Cuphead with a single boot, knocking him into the ever-advancing Blast Zone.

The room erupted in shock as the score of Cuphead's two stocks to Akechi's three appeared on screen. This did not seem to jar Cuphead, as he jumped into a roll, his body glowing pink, Akechi had jumped to meet him, activating Tetrakam, the two bouncing off one another in a stalemate of counters,

Suddenly, Cuphead wailed, an explosion indicating he'd been thrown through the top Blast Zone.

"What the…" demanded Doc Louis.

The uproarious laughter of Wario cut through the room, "I was fascinated when I saw air grapples being done, so I instructed Goro to do it. And-a, like-a everything-a I say-a, IT-A PAID OFF!"

"I thought he didn't train," Travis protested, "At least, that's what the cup said,"

"Do you think he needs to?" sneered Wario.

Cuphead's paltry attempts at defense, shooting his Peashooter bolts at a running Akechi, didn't curb the Persona user's warpath. In dodging his own projectiles, he left himself open for several beam sword slashes. A boot to the chest quickly followed by another made sure Cuphead's third visit to the Blast Zone was quick.

GAME!

"Je-sus," groaned Ryuji, "He didn't even have to use Loki. That was all Robin Hood man,"

"WA HA HA!" cheered Wario, "My-a favorite-a kind of action, WARIO FAMILY WA-FFICE-A VERSUS WARIO FAMILY WA-FFICE1'

"Wait, does he have Sepiroth?" asked Ann.

"If he can get passed me," muttered Jin.

"YEAH! WHAT TALL DARK AND DEVILISH SAID!" Daxter shouted.

"Yep!" Mario answered, not even looking up from the monitors on the production desk.

"Mario," Clank droned, "Does that not leave an uneven amount of matches for Round 3,"

"Nah," Shulk blurted, "Last of ya's to qualify for round 3 are gonna be in a 3-way,"

"And we love three ways don't ya buddy?" teased Daxter, as Jak glared at his companion.

While all that had been going on, Quinn had been watching the interviews intently.

"An unexpected quick loss ends things for you Cuphead, despite predictions that you may be able to take the tournament?"

"Yeah I know," snapped Cuphead, "And I'm sorry to all the people that I let down. I hadn't trained against somebody with a reflector and I got walloped for it."

With those words, the cup marched off camera. Meanwhile, Akechi had a Cheshire Cat-like smile on his face, his eyes completely devoid of emotions.

"Joker," Akechi hissed, "I'm coming for you. I don't care if my opponent or Sephiroth, or if by some miracle, it's Jin Kazama. I will advance to the next round. You'd best do the same Joker because this tournament is the safest environment in which we will ever find one another."

As Akechi came up the tunnel, the applause was a meek set from the rest of the Wa-ffice, the rest of the Smashers seemingly too fearful to draw his ire.

"Sephiroth, Jin Kazama, you are next."

Sephiroth immediately disappeared, leaving a few black feathers behind.

"WOO! GO JIN!" bellowed Daxter.

"Yeah Jin, good luck," Ratchet added.

"I won't need it," Jin grunted, walking down Tunnel B.