Round 2

Sephiroth vs. Jin Kazama

Sephiroth's stoic glare occupied one side of the match graphic, while Jin simply put his hands up on the other.

The interview began with Jin, slouched in the interview chair.

"You know," Jin mused, "I had some misgivings about giving into the Mishima style of heritage, but as things stand now I'm glad I did."

\ "Why?" asked Nikki.

"Because evil begets evil. In order to fight Sephiroth, I need to cast away all urges of good… all teachings of my mother."

Now, Sephiroth's interview was on screen, "I find it quite humorous that Jin believes giving into the darkness will help him. I was brought back from the dead and given a chance to settle my score with Cloud. No act of the heaven or hell your world seems to believe in will save you."

"For the good of the people of Cloud's world, I must eliminate you," Jin growled, "Much like I eliminated two gods to save my world."

"Which you did at great sacrifice to your world's population the second time,"

"Yes," Jin snapped, "So imagine what I'm willing to do to Sephiroth to get passed him."
Now, Cranky and 9-Volt looked into the camera live from Smash Stadium.

"Threatening words from our next contestants," said 9-Volt, "Oracle, who you got, or do I even have to ask?"

"Sephiroth," bluntly stated Futaba, "Jin'll give him a run for his money for sure, but how do you stop someone like him?"

"An interesting question no doubt, hopefully, one we'll get to answer as we go down to entrances.

As Jin's heavy, but rhythmically pleasing theme from the third King of Iron Fist Tournament hit the speakers, boos were peppered in with female cheers as the former dictator jogged down to the center ring.

"Oh boy," Cranky spat, "Emo devil boy versus emo angel boy, my favorite. At least the people from their universes boo them because they know what utter maniacs they are. Some of these universes where they've picked up fans are beyond help."

The bells tolled, heralding the arrival of Sephiroth, as females all over the city-sized arena shrieked.

"See what I mean?" Cranky said, "You look pretty, and you've got the whole multiverse of stupidity in your hands."

As Sepiroth floated down from the sky, 9-Volt gulped, "Would you say that to his face?"

Cranky's response was quick, cracked by fear, "Nah, I've got better things to do than wait for some stupid cinematic attack."

A chaotic mix of pining cheers and hate-filled boos took over the stadium which such ferocity it drowned out Mills Frames' introduction. Even being in the center of a den of noise didn't seem to break the glares of contempt they had cast on each other. As it had 23 other times, the giant video screen scrolled through stages, eventually landing on the Omega version of Suzaku Castle!

"Wow!" 9-Volt cried, "Our first randomly selected Omega stage!"

"Yeah, usually our boring competitors agree amongst their boring selves to use these, but this is the exception " quipped Cranky.

"WILL YOU STOP?" 9-Volt retorted.

By the time the commentary team had finished bickering, the devil and the angel had disappeared.

Stage: Suzaku Castle (Omega Form)

Rules: 3-stock, items medium

Music Guile Theme (Type B)

3

Sephiroth appeared on stage in a blast of darkness.

2

Jin flew down to the wooden stage in his Devil form

1

Red devil power surged off of Jin. Sephiroth clutched his sword tight.

GO!

Jin was quick enough to immediately bring up his Smash Shield to defend against Sephiroth's first move, a simple Fire Spell. However, by the time the blast dissipated, Sephiroth already had clocked Jin with a running fist imbued with darkness.

The Smashers' Box was a flutter.

"It's like I was sayin' he's doomed!" cried Daxter over the noise.

Jin rolled away from Sephiroth's follow-up attack, a downward stab with Masamune. Kipping back up, a sharp, quick elbow seemed to jar the One Winged Angel, and Jin immediately backpedaled. Desperate snaps of his fingers meant that blasts of Shadow Flare erupted toward Jin, only for the blasts to die seconds later.

"Enough," growled Sephiroth.

He launched forward, catching an unaware Jin with Shadow Flare for the first time. This did not deter Jin, however, as an uppercut so fast it was almost invisible to the naked eye rocked Sephiroth's jaw.
"Not an easily intimidated man is Jin Kazama!" hooted Cranky.

Jin followed the swordsman with the silver hair into the air, knocking him back down with a downward thrusting punch. Sepiroth scrambled, only to be hit with a hook punch to the body, followed by a boot to the chest. Using Octoslash to maneuver through the air, Sephiroth missed the ledge by a fingertip as he fell to the Blast Zone.

"OH MY GOD, HE'S GOT IT! LIKE I SAID ALL ALONG!" screamed Daxter.
Even being finally pelted with the three bolts of Shadow Flare didn't seem to eliminate the smug grin from Jin Kazama's face.

Sephiroth: 2

Jin Kazama: 3

Sephiroth landed in arms reach of Jin. Parrying the next punch, Sephiroth knocked Jin into the air with an arch-shaped swing of his sword. Sephiroth launched a blast of Firaga up after him, which connected with the stunned martial artist. But Jin controlled his descent, slamming his full body weight into Sephiroth.

"Don't think anyone's brave enough to throw themselves at the One-Winged Angel like Jin just did,"

"Or, as some of us call it, stupidity," blurted Cranky Kong.

Both fighters scrambled back up, with Jin once again hitting a hook punch, backpedaling as an item dropped, a Ray Gun. Firing his new weapon five times, he then sent Sephiroth into the air with another uppercut. However, the swordsman recovered quickly, thrusting his sword down into his fresh Smash Shield, puncturing it.

"WHAT? HOW?" shrieked Cranky.

The seed of a Healing Pod fell into Sephiroth's waiting arms, healing as he carved Jin apart with Octoslash, sending him careening toward the Blast Zone.

Sephiroth: 2

Jin Kazama: 2

Sephiroth jumped down from the Revival Platform. Kazama meanwhile, charged, curling his fist and letting it spark with electricity, only to hit Sephiroth with a bicycle kick, popping him up into the air.

"Ha! Beautiful feint by the karate boy!" cheered Cranky.

A downward, falling thrust of Masamune followed by a single cleaving sword slice sent Jin to the left of the stage.

"It looks like Sephiroth is now used to Jin's quick feet," 9-Volt announced.

Wings sprouted from Jin, his rapid launch now halted into a lazy float. He shot a triage of lasers from his eyes and forehead, striking Sephiroth.

"And yet, he will not be denied!" Cranky called.

Jin landed on the platform just as Sephiroth flew to meet him, driving a solid foot into Sephiroth's chest, and knocking him back. Using his Smash Shield to tank through Octoslash didn't save him from an arch-shaped swipe of the sword. However, Jin once again launched himself downward colliding with Sephiroth again. This time, Sephiroth was the first back into his fighting stance, swinging his sword as hard as he could, only for Jin to parry the blow.

"YEAH! Keep that lumberin' bastard on his toes!" cheered Daxter from the Smashers' Box.

Quickly transforming into his Devil form, Jin slid across the battlefield, driving a punch into Sephiroth's chest.

"See?" Daxter bragged, climbing on Jak's head to make eye contact with a thoroughly unimpressed Krystal, "I taught the kid everything he knows."

Meanwhile, Jin was peppering Sephiroth with the famous Mishimas ten-string, the uppercut knocking Sephiroth into the air. As he had before, he tilted his momentum into the same technique that had killed Aerith once upon a time.

Jin simply stepped back, picking up a Super Scope

Having charged a blast for a few seconds as Sephiroth landed, he fired. Sephiroth staggered back. Again, Jin charged the weapon and fired, only for Scintilla to block it, followed by an Octoslash as the hexagons shattered.

"And Sephiroth takes out a fresh Smash Ball in the middle of all that!" 9-Volt informed the crowd.

"Blah, lucky shot," Cranky muttered.

The new alarming power at play didn't seem to bother Jin Kazama, firing the Super Scope on its weakest, but most rapid setting. However, a slash cut through all of it, engulfing the entire arena in a blast of brilliant light. When the light dissipated, Jin stood in a void and Sephiroth floated above him, his large visage covered in alien wings, his left arm even replaced by a black one.

"Cloud, is that…?" Mario asked.

"Yep, his Safer form," Cloud nodded.

As Sephiroth's power rippled through a new galaxy the power of the Final Smash had helped create, Mario, gulped, his skin turning white, "Mama mia,"

The powerful blast settled in the short-lived galaxy's sun, erupting onto Jin, who was thrown from the hellscape only dizzy.

"HA! Wuss lucked out," howled Wolf.

"No, he didn't," Cloud growled.

And so, Sephiroth charged Giga Flare, flicking it into the open air onto a defenseless Jin. The blast sent Jin to the Blast Zone with an immediacy not yet seen.

Sephiroth: 2

Jin Kazama: 1

Jin was on the attack immediately after leaving the Revival Platform, clocking Sephiroth with a trio of ducking punches to the stomach. An electricity-backed uppercut was parried.

"Oh no," groaned Daxter.

An upward cleave sent Jin flying as Sephiroth picked up an Assist Trophy.

"SURPRISE!" squealed the Squid Sisters.

Jin unsheathed his wings, flying down. Unfortunately, Sephiroth was prepared, clasping the Mishima heir's throat into his waiting hand. Jin struggled against it, throwing a few weak kicks at Sephiroth's outer thighs, but he lost consciousness amidst the upbeat pop music, throwing him into the shrinking Blast Zone.

GAME!

"He's lit more of the forest on fire, not in Nibelheim shape mind you," Shulk shouted from the production desk.

Mario rolled his eyes, "Oh great, an improvement-a. Send the camera drones there then."

"Got it," came Shulk's snappy reply.

Amidst a roaring forest fire, Sephiroth stood, his gaze as icy as always.

"Hm, I almost enjoyed myself," the disgraced war hero pondered, walking through a portal out of the forest and into the Smashers Box.

"No interview today, big guy?" Sans snapped.

"Not on your life,"

"One of these days, you will stop acting like a spoiled child. Even if I have to beat it out of you," warned Sans.

"Sans enough," barked Mario.

Mario closed his eyes, breathing in and out slowly as Jin walked up the tunnel.

"Since Mister Kazama also refused to be interviewed, Master Chief, Jak, you're up next.

"Was hoping we wouldn't have to follow mister tall dark and brooding over there, but what can you do?" Daxter asked as Jak stood, heading towards Tunnel A.

Master Chief simply nodded as he marched down Tunnel B.