Round 4
Ken vs. Quinn
"ACTIVATE ZE MUSIC PLAYER zurnalistika " Zangief bellowed
And with that, Ken and Quinn's match graphic of generic karate stances were immediately forgotten.
A slow, relaxing country twang played over the speakers as Zangief, Quinn, and Rainbow Mika stood side by side.
"You have seen many great duos come through Smash. Ze Ice Climbers, ze Banjo, and Kazooie. But you have not seen wrestling machine of three embodied in one. Like comrade Freebirds in one."
"What does that even me-" Nikki began to ask, but Rainbow Mika cut her off.
"Quinn Marmaduke is a rompin' stompin' child of the city baby! He runs wild and he looks pretty! He is the main man, the stud, 135 pounds of graveyard destruction. He is the master of disaster. He is not an urban cowboy, he is not a drug store cowboy, he is a space cowboy."
If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? Lyrnyrd's Skynyrd's "Free Bird" rang out.
"He is ze sizzling stuff," continued Zangief, "Twisted steel and sex appeal Comrade Nikki, this is what Quinn Marmaduke is! He is so bad you would think he is unreal. He's got more moves than Dee Jay, he is sexier than Ken Masters ever thought he could be!"
But I must keep traveling on now the song continued.
As Quinn shot Zangief a befuddled look, Rainbow Mika continued, "It goes from the bottom of his head to the bottom of his feet. His technique is so fine, so sweet!"
Quinn nodded, "It's Marmaduke Bom-Ba-Ye hours baby. Ken, you may be a master of karate but you don't know how to style and profile like me. Whatcha gonna do when Quinnamania runs wild on you?"
As Quinn's interview ended, Ken's began. Ken's hands rested behind his head, his expression bemused.
"I've worked with Zangief before, and let me answer your question," Ken began, "I'm nonchalant because I know exactly what they did. They taught him a few suplexes, they crammed all the dumb catchphrases they could into him. All the while, he's forgotten what brought him to the dance. Meanwhile, I've been training with Ryu and Chun-Li, and no, I'm not gonna bring them in for the interview like chaperones."
\ "Any final words?" asked Nikki.
"I'll admit, the kid has some amazing self-preservation skills, but unlike in the Super Battle Royal Slam, there'll be no ring apron to roll to. Just you, me, and some items. I hope you bring your best."
The interview faded away, the feed now showing Cranky and 9-Volt behind the commentary desk.
"Ken with a pretty thorough dissection of Quinn there! As the kids say, you love to see it!" Cranky laughed.
"Or a dissection of what he thinks is going on," mumbled 9-Volt.
"I'll tell ya what, that rasslin' stuff has gotten to his head! He thinks he's a bigger star than he is, which is why he was caught in a classified area yesterday," ranted the old ape.
9-Volt rolled his eyes, "Can we please focus on the matches and not the interpersonal drama of the Smashers?"
"We'll let Futaba take that one," Cranky said, "What do you think Oracle?"
"Ken is underestimating how good Quinn is at picking up new moves and stuff," Futaba said matter-of-factly, "The little Mii that could will win! Nyeh heh heh heh!"
"Banana bird above, that laugh…" Cranky groaned.
"Alright, let's throw it on down to entrances."
The dulcet tones of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" picked off right where they'd left off, as cheers were met with an undercurrent of boos. Zangief was first in line, strutting to the song, followed by a much more serious Quinn, while Rainbow Mika brought up the rear. No sooner did the trio make it to their side of the main stage did the lights go red.
"What is this?" demanded Cranky.
A strobe effect began to intermittently cast the arena in darkness. Breathy gothic chanting followed by a rhythmic drumbeat began to play over the speakers. A ring of fire went alight at the exit to Tunnel B. As the drums picked up, an elevator brought Ken, Ryu, and Chun-Li to the surface.
"Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li embodied their own wrestling style entrance here, paying tribute to a certain trio famous for their gothic lifestyle," 9-Volt explained
As the three stepped over the ring of fire, making the rest of their entrance, Cranky gagged.
"We aren't on cable television you little twerp," he grumbled, "We can say 'vampires' ya know."
9-Volt mumbled to himself as the core three Street Fighters made it to their side of the stage, the lights returning to normal and the entourages being teleported away.
Despite their showy entrances, Mills' introductions saw each competitor snap into their combat stances. Unusually, Quinn got more boos than he had all the tournament.
In the Smashers' Box, Rosalina frowned.
"And," she sighed, "That's my fault."
"I mean, if getting the drop on DK meant breaking into a top-secret area, I woulda helped Luigi do it," Daisy said assuredly, "Chin up. You helped out your man, That's what people who are in love do!"
Rosalina's change from being pale as porcelain to fire engine red was immediate.
"In love?" she squeaked.
"Dude, don't act surprised," huffed Daisy, "It's plain to see! You clearly are most social when you're around him, and the Lumas take to him better than they do most of us!"
The Luma at Rosalina chirped in agreement as the video board selected Omega Suzaku Castle. A small smile tugged at Rosalina's face as she watched the fighters shake hands and disappear.
Stage: Suzaku Castle
Rules: 5-Stock, items high
Music "Needle" (Capcom vs SNK)
3
Quinn dive-bombed onto the stage, striking his fighting stance.
2
Ken casually strode onto the stage
1
"Finally! Some good music in this sumbitch! You ready kid!"
Quinn kept his expression neutral.
GO!
The two charged each other as so many had before, Quinn, jumped, flying right into an uppercut.
"You still remember how this works, or did wrestling rot your brain?" mocked Ken.
Without missing a beat, Quinn assumed a familiar stance.
"EXPLODING KICK!" he cried.
Despite all the pomp and circumstance, the signature move caught an unsuspecting Ken on the jaw. He staggered backward. Quinn smiled.
"SUPLEX!"
Lurching forward, Quinn took Ken into the air, slamming him down headfirst.
"You'd think with as many years in the fighting business as he has," Cranky mused as Ken staggered to his feet, "He'd know not to jaw jack!"
Ken jumped, leaving him open for another Suplex by Quinn.
"It looks like," Quinn chuckled, "Quinn might be taking Master Masters to Suplex-"
"Do you want to be eaten alive by an angry Minnesotan? If so I suggest you keep your mouth shut!"
"If you're watching somehow, sorry Mister Lesnar," whimpered 9-Volt as the fighters circled each other.
In the chaos, the first item of the match had fallen, a Smoke Bomb. Quinn grabbed it and tossed it in Ken's direction.
"HADOKEN!" cried Ken.
The blue fireball the Street Fighter conjured stopped the Smoke Ball in its tracks, falling in the very center of the field of battle. Without hesitation, Quinn charged into the smoke. When he was sure Ken couldn't see him, he emerged, catching Ken unaware with two uppercuts.
"You still know how this works?" Quinn asked in a mocking nasally voice.
Despite Smash Stadium's boos, Ken chuckled.
"Heh, fair," was all he had to say.
Quinn took a lightning-fast thrust kick to the jaw but managed to duck out of the way of the follow-up Shoryuken. The descent left Ken open for the taken. A simple knee followed by another knocked Ken off stage, but the wily veteran easily jumped back.
"Oooh and another couple of strikes by Quinn and Ken are on the defensive," 9-Volt narrated.
Quinn turned his back, priming an Exploding Kick. Before Ken could ponder why Quinn had turned his back to him, the Mii Brawler had lurched in his direction, latching onto his waist and hitting him with four German Suplexes.
"And a classic misdirect by Quinn leads to some premiere graps!" Cranky called.
Ken rolled away from the smackdown all too predictably, Quinn lurched forward, hitting his signature Suplex and sending Ken to the Blast Zone.
Ken: 4
Quinn: 5
"Is this looking to be a complete roflstomp like the last match?" 9-Volt asked the cloud rhetorically.
As Ken jumped off the Revival Platform, assuming his fighting stance as if nothing had happened, Cranky chuckled, "You can only pull misdirects as Quinn did once, and the kid knows that. Not what I woulda have done for sure, but being in the lead this early has proven to be the deciding factor before."
Ken and Quinn once again charged each other. Their first round of kicks clashed, but Ken took control with a barrage of axe kicks. A Bomber fell from the sky and right into Ken's hands. The stunned Quinn was no match for the resulting explosion, and to the Blast Zone, he went!
Ken: 4
Quinn: 4
Quinn fumbled in his jump off of the Revival Platform, leaving him on his knees, and open to a barrage of punting kicks from Ken. Wrestling his Mii opponent to the ground, Ken drove a single fist into his stomach. Through the pain, Quinn saw a Golden Hammer drop from the sky and onto the opposite side of the field.
"Heh," Ken flipped his blond locks, "You'd think if anyone knew how to do this Revival Platform shit, it'd be you."
In response, Quinn rolled to his feet, backflipping to the opposite end of the battlefield and retrieving the Golden Hammer. As the frantic music played, and Quinn compulsively swung the hammer faster than physically possible, a worried Ken fired as many Hadokens as he could. But Ken marched on, activating a Party Ball in the process, and eventually hammering Ken and sending them to the Blast Zone!
Ken: 3
Quinn: 4
As Ken appeared on the Revival Platform, the Party Ball opened. A payload of Bomb-ombs fell onto Quinn, causing him to drop the Hammer, falling to a knee in pain as the weapon disappeared.
"Ouch," 9-Volt said through gritted teeth, "That's a free 50 percent damage for Ken right there!"
Cranky laughed as Quinn ducked and dove out of the way of a barrage of kicks from Ken.
"Only in Smash right?" he said bemusedly.
As Quinn withered in pain, Ken casually strode left. At the tip of the battlefield, a Pokeball appeared. Picking it up, Ken wound a pitch, throwing it right at Quinn's head. Being beamed in the head along with the flashing light saw Quinn's vision blur. When he recentered, a Pyukumuku lay before him, its non-expressive eyes staring a hole into his very soul.
"Shit," groaned Quinn.
Quinn managed to block the first pounding fist of the bizarre Pokemon, but the second broke his guard, leaving him open for four more slams of a ghostly hand before the Pokemon saw fit to disappear, waving to its adoring public.
"Motherfucker," Quinn whined, spitting out blood.
In the ensuing chaos, Ken broke open a box, holding two items in his hand, a Black Hole, and yet another Pokeball. Ken through them both down. As Quinn felt himself pulled into the force of nature's center, he could only cry out as Abomasnow appeared. The Pokemon roared, ensnaring Quinn in a Blizzard from which he could not escape from.
"Huh," Ken grunted, casting his gaze skyward, "Look at that."
Sure enough, a Smash Ball mosied into the proceedings. The Abomasnow did all the hard work, its Ice Punch delivering the Ball's power, which Ken received, his arms crossed lazily.
"Look!" 9-Volt gasped, "The Black Hole is disappearing!"
Quinn dropped from the clutches of the Black Hole just as Abomasnow disappeared, leaving Ken open to a barrage of punches from the gnarled and pissed Mii Brawler. Quinn grabbed Ken by the throat, tossing him up…into a Lightning Bolt, shrinking Quinn to the size of a pea. Ken meanwhile, floated down leisurely, cocking his fist back.
"SHINRYUKEN!" Ken bellowed.
A pillar of fire erupted, carrying the pint-sized Marmaduke to the top, and spitting him out into the top Blast Zone!
Ken: 3
Quinn: 3
"I don't think I would have taken that stock if you weren't tiny," Ken admitted as Quinn jumped off the Revival Platform,
Quinn charged, taking Ken by the waist and rushing them both off stage. The two traded kicks and jumps, hanging in the air as they clashed.
"Shoryuken!" Ken shouted.
Ken barrelled through Quinn with his signature uppercut, jumping to the stage, and throwing down a Pokeball that had appeared during their air battle.
"CHESPIN," purred the sentient chestnut.
In an effort to get back onto the stage, Quinn jumped into a hail of bullet seeds. With each, dogged attempt to reach solid ground, the explosions rocked him more and more.
"What is it with you and explosions today kid?" Ken laughed, "You've gotta be the unluckiest guy this round."
Quinn jumped higher, landing on Ken's shoulders. Before it could even register with Ken, Quinn had twisted and grabbed Ken's neck with his legs.
"POISONRANA!"Quinn announced.
Flipping Ken backward, and spiking him on the ground, Ken stood up but was clearly groggy. An onslaught of punches and kicks befell Ken.
Meanwhile, in the Smashers Box, everyone cheered, impressed by the dangerous wrestling move. Stood amongst the cheering onlookers were Ryu and Chun-Li, their arms crossed.
"No doubt Zangief is crying about how proud Comrade Meteorito Jr is."
Chun-Li smiled, "No doubt at all."
On the Suzaku Castle stage, Ken had begun to block.
"Ah, so you're still with us?" chuckled Quinn.
A front kick to the chest staggered Quinn but didn't knock him down.
"Never left baby," growled Ken, "Bring it."
"SUPLEX!" Quinn shouted.
Ken grinned. He was ready.
"SHORYUKEN!"
He measured Quinn as he fell from the fiery uppercut.
"TATSUMAKI!"
The spinning kick caught Quinn, but the extra spins left his leg open to be grabbed. Quinn simply jumped with his other leg, shifting his weight into a kick with his free foot.
"You think you're the only one who learned things from Gief? I got some bad news for ya kid," gloated Ken as Quinn collapsed.
Quinn immediately kipped up, charging for his signature move.
"EXPLODING KICK!"
Ken shifted to avoid the blow, but very quickly realized that he wasn't what the sunglasses-clad Brawler wasn't aiming for when the light of a Smash Ball enveloped Quinn/
"That sure struck the surfer boy dumb!" Cranky hooted as Quinn unloaded with unanswered punches.
"Ken's already high damage is climbing, and it's only a matter of time before the big one.
"FINAL RUSH!" Quinn screamed.
A superpowered bevy of punches and kicks crescendoed in a clubbing blow, bouncing Ken's limp form off of the floor like a basketball and into the top Blast Zone!
Ken: 2
Quinn 3
Ken dove from the platform. His teeth gritted he snapped into his fighting stance before Quinn could even blink.
"SHORYUKEN!"
Quinn's muscles felt like jelly as soon as he was launched into the air. He was practically a punching bag for Ken, who jumped into the air after him.
"SHORYUKEN!" he shouted.
Another uppercut connected, this time with his stomach. The wind knocked out of him with no control of his muscles meant that he was easy to knock into the top Blast Zone!
Ken: 2
Quinn: 2
Quinn stayed on the Revival Platform for a moment, surveying the bevy of items that had fallen at Ken's feet.
"Take a picture kiddo," Ken chided," It'll last longer."
"Nobody's gonna want a picture of you after I'm done with this," Quinn growled.
Ken's smile widened, "I like the fire! Maybe you've got some interview skills after all.
Quinn jumped from the Revival platform, picking up a Mine. He threw it underhand, it locking into the ground a step away.
"Heh, you think that's gonna spook me!" Ken laughed, getting into an all-too-familiar position, "HADO-"
Out of habit, Ken stepped with his planter's foot right onto the Mine. In the chaos of the explosion, Quinn tossed down his next desired item, a Pokeball. Throwing it down, the incomprehensible cry of a Lunala rang out as the Alolan moon deity flew over Ken.
"Damn it," seethed the blonde.
Quinn placed his hands on his hips in satisfaction as Lunala pummeled Ken with several beams of moonlight. Quinn saw the mounting mix of horror and frustration on Ken's face that he himself had experienced earlier, finally laughing as a Shoryuken to get back on stage was thwarted by a final blast of Moonlight, spiking Masters into the bottom Blast Zone!
Ken: 1
Quinn:2
Mid-descent from the Revival Platform, Ken grabbed a falling Master Ball.
"Two can play at this game!" shouted Ken.
He spiked the Pokeball down. The roar of Solgaleo pierced the air. Quinn froze, leaving him open for a flurry of kicks, which left him open for Salgelo's bursts of fire! Despite being within touching distance of the right Blast Zone, Quinn somersaulted back to the stage, twisting his body, and landing in a pose not unlike a superhero as he touched down on the wooden floor.
The two charged, laying into each other.
"How are you still breathing?" Ken cried.
"Corkscrew moonsault," Quinn grunted, "Mika taught me it."
An elbow landed, but Ken didn't flinch. A shadowy aura enveloped him.
"Oh no," groaned the Mii.
"FOCUS KICK!" shouted Ken
Quinn's legs buckled underneath him as Ken's foot connected with his jaw. Ken watched a Golden Hammer fall from the sky as Quinn collapsed completely.
"Sucks to be you kid," he shrugged.
He darted across the stage, picking up the Golden Hammer. Quinn kipped up, roaring at a completely unphased Ken, taking the barrage of Golden Hammer blows and being knocked to the Blast Zone for his efforts.
"So much for Strong Style, or whatever nonsense that is," Cranky chuckled.
"Oh, will you be serious?" moaned 9-Volt.
Ken: 1
Quinn:1
Quinn jumped from the Revival Platform as soon as Ken's Golden Hammer disappeared. But, the veteran fighter was ready, catching him in his signature Hell Wheel grab! But upon the release, Quinn rolled through it, flipping onto his feet. Ken charged, but Quinn jumped into the air, twisting his body so that his feet clashed with Ken's head.
"PELE KICK!" cheered Zangief from the Street Fighter box, "Comrade Styles would weep with joy!"
Ken didn't stagger for long, the shadowy aura enveloping him again, "Focus ki-"
Quinn channeled his chi, parrying the blow. Another kick was blocked, Quinn holding the foot in the air. Ken attempted to jump and twist, but Quinn ducked, maintaining his hold on the foot, and wrenching at the ankle.
"WOAH BROTHER!" incineroar roared over the Smashers' Box's clamoring, "SUBMISSION WRESTLING IN SMASH, NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY!"
Wherever Ken rolled to break free, Quinn rolled with him, maintaining an upright stance and grip on the ankle, while Ken, on his belly, could only crawl. Dragging himself with one hand, Ken pulled himself over the edge of Suzaku Castle. Much to his shock, Quinn kept his grip. Only as they began to fall did Quinn release the hold.
"Ken isn't done!" 9-Volt cried.
Indeed, the Street Fighter had twisted his body, cocking his fist back for a Shoryuken. Before a flame could ignite, Quinn clasped his hands, hammering Ken down into the Blast Zone!
GAME!
In the Smash Mansion Courtyard Quinn rapidly jabbed the air, grinning as the splash screen cemented his victory.
QUINN WINS!
Before he could relish in the victory, a Wire Frame barked to him, "You're being teleported to Tunnel A with Ken, Miss Kanzuki's orders!"
In the blink of an eye, he stood in the tunnel. Quinn immediately found the gaze of Karin, who Mister Zero held the mic for. Behind them, the entire Street Fighter contingent stood, Ken, included.
"With Ken eliminated from the tournament," Karin began, "Quinn Marmaduke, you are the official representative of the Street Fighter contingent."
Karin gripped Quinn's hand into a handshake, camera bulbs flashing as the rest of the Street Fighters applauded.
"We are a group unified Mister Red," warned Karin, "So bring your best Pokemon training partners to the field for the next 8 days. You will need them."
Quinn was hoisted on Zangief's shoulders, the merry band of fighters parading up the tunnel together.
As soon as they were off camera, the majority of the Street Fighters teleported back to the luxury box, leaving only Ryu Ken, Chun-Li, Zangief, and Mika with Quinn.
"I am so proud, my pupil," Zangief said, "But we must be headed back to our seats. Farewell for now comrade."
Zangief stepped through a portal, Mika patting Quinn on the back, "Yeah, good job kid. You really proved me wrong."
Quinn could only nod as the buxom wrestler followed her mentor through the portal.
The Street Fighter contingent of Smash stepped through the portal, each taking a turn raising Quinn's arm in victory as the other Smashers applauded
"Don't forget young man," Mario lectured, walking up to the quartet, "You're still grounded for a day, and after that, I've booked you for a fight against an outsider, one of the Smashcraft R people who really wanted to test your mettle, and I think we're-a gonna put it on TV."
"Really?" Quinn asked, "Against who?"
"Kazuya Mishima."
Quinn's breath left him as the intermission bell rang.