Logan and Drake were locked in close combat as they attempted to strike each other, the former using his Fenrir Keyblade and pro wrestling moves, and the later his Shark Sword and Combustion Magic. So far, they were locked in a stalemate, thought they managed to land a few hits. Drake swung his sword from the side, prompting Logan to block it with his Keyblade, though he failed to react when Drake brought his free hand to his torso and caused an explosion that knocked him back.
Forcing himself to endure the burning pain, Logan switched Fenrir for Quackpot. "Golden Fireball!" Narrowing his eyes, Drake jumped in the air to avoid being turned into a coin and began charging his own magic energy.
"Stone Rain!" Little, sharp stones manifested around Drake, who sent them flying at Logan. The Owl simply shot another Golden Fireball to turn the stones into little coins.
When Drake went for a dive kick, Logan actually jumped and deliver a devastating knee strike straight to his jaw. "Ouch! That must've hurt!" Scott said with a frown. Taking advantage of his stunned condition, Logan quickly grabbed Drake to hit a German Suplex immediately followed by another knee strike to the face that knocked him far away.
"I see you haven't let your wrestling abilities getting dull in those two years," Drake remarked as he got back to his feet.
"Bro, I'm a pro wrestling coach; wouldn't be smart if I wasn't honing my skills for my students," the Owl chuckled.
The Shark responded with a scoff before focusing his energy. "Flaming Aura!" His body got covered in dark blue flames, which moved to his will. Drake jumped in the air and began bombarding his opponent with raging fireballs.
Logan quickly ran around to avoid the fire attacks, blocking them with Quackpot whenever he had to. "Alright, looks like it's time for me to up my game! Blizzard Form!" A cool wind blew in the fighting zone as Logan turned into his anthropomorphic owl form, his clothes turning light blue. Swinging Quackpot, he sent a strong gust of wind that blew away the incoming fireballs.
"Fighting fire with ice? Are you that clueless or what?" Drake asked in confusion.
"Ice can pull off fire if it's strong enough. You'll see," Logan replied, a grin on his beak.
Drake called multiple floating fireballs and sent them spinning around Logan before closing in, hoping to crush and burn him. In response, the Owl spun on himself and created a cold wind tornado that blew away the fireballs. Not only that, but Logan pushed the tornado so far that it actually reached Drake, sending him to fly and land hard on the ground.
Regardless of the cool pain, Drake turned his Flaming Aura a burning red-orange. "Nitro Charge!"
As his opponent came his way, Logan narrowed his eyes and covered his own feathered body in ice energy. "Winter Crash!"
The two opponents concentrated their energy and rapidly closed in on one another. Their inevitable collision created an explosion of warmth and coldness. Drake managed to land on his feet, whereas Logan planted his talons in the ground to keep his balance. Exchanging a glare, Drake pushed an almost animal-like roar, answered by Logan with a screech before they both got on the offensive again.
In the audience, all of Logan's friends watched the fight unfold with great interest. "What do you think, Gabriel?" Jasiri asked. "Do you think Logan has a chance of winning?"
The raven rubbed his chin with a thoughtful look. "Hard to say... I know that Logan is one of the strongest members of our group - the third, if we make a ranking. But I don't know much about Drake, as I've never seen him in action. I hope Logan knows more and will be able to come up with a strategy."
"He's gonna win." Everybody turned to look at Destiny, who had a bright smile on her face. "There's no doubt about it."
"How can you be so sure, Destiny?" Della asked her whale friend.
"Look at him," she said and pointed her fin at her boyfriend. "That look on his face... It's clear that he's having a lot of fun in this match. When he and Drake fought, two years ago, he was full of self-doubt and anger. But right now, he's acting the exact same way he did during the Hero's Rumble, determined and happy. Nothing can stop him when he's like that."
Della also looked at her human friend and gave a smile. "You're right, Destiny. He won't lose..."
CLING! CLING! CLANG!
Logan and Drake were still locked in a stalemate, clashing blizzard against fire. They had been going at it for about twenty minutes now and were getting drained by all of it. The Owl had cuts and burn marks all over his body, whereas the Shark had bruises and frost in the parts that were no longer covered by his fire. They ended up kicking each other away and traded a glare whilst panting heavily.
"Man, I didn't have that much fun since my match with Tomada in the Power of Three Tournament! Let's keep it going!" Logan beamed and was ready to charge again.
"Wait!" Drake stopped him by rising his hand. He allowed his Flaming Aura to be pulled away and gave Logan a look. "I heard you became the disciple of a god, haven't you? I'd like to see what you can do with these powers, if you don't mind."
"Oh? Sure, if you want." Logan was surprised by such a demand, but complied nonetheless. He turned back to his human form before grabbing Anubis' Khopesh and focusing his energy. His hip tattoo glowed and covered his body in green fire, turning him into his Underdog X form. "Those are the powers of Anubis!" he growled in his grave voice.
"I see, that's most impressive." Drake revealed a trident tattoo on his bicep that he made glow and cover his body. Once the light faded, Drake revealed he had turned into an anthropomorphic kraken creature, keeping his hair and outfit, and was now holding a trident in his hands. "It just so happens I also formed a pact with a god. Have you heard about Poseidon, God of the Seas?"
Logan performed a Sliding Dash that Drake parried with his trident. When the Owl went for a horizontal swing, the Shark expertly ducked and began unleashing a flurry of swings that Logan deflected with his khopesh. Drake attempted to strike his enemy down, but this last one simply ducked the swing and struck him in the back with his khopesh. The Shark briefly staggered, but upon going for another swing, the Owl ducked and jumped on his back for a rear naked choke.
Groaning in anger, Drake flipped to break free and attempted to deliver uppercuts to his jackal opponent. This last one simply avoided them and set his fists on fire to deliver a barrage of raging punches. "Anubis Slash!" He set his khopesh on fire and cut Drake away. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like you haven't fully mastered your powers."
Drake nodded as he got back up and turned back to his human form. "Yeah... Poseidon took me as his disciple very recently... I'll just have to use my other power up! Shark Armor!" The armor appeared over his body again and he brandished his Shark Sword.
Logan quickly dashed forward and clashed Anubis' Khopesh against Drake's sword, creating a mini-explosion. He then pointed his weapon forward and sent a blast of green fire that Drake blocked with his Magic Barrier and raised his hands. "Nitro Storm!" Logan hopped high to avoid the attack and delivered a spinning dive kick to the top of Drake's skull.
The two opponents engaged in yet another sword fight, which the Champion of the Magical World was seemingly winning. He managed to land another cut across Drake's chest, making him stumble to the ground. "Looks like you've reached your limit, Drake. The fight ends now." The jackal was about to deliver one last attack, only to find himself unable to move.
"This match IS over... But not for me..." A sinister grin formed on Drake's face as he got back up and pointed down to a set of tentacles that came out of the ground and grasped Logan's legs, arms and neck, preventing him from moving. "You claimed your victory too soon, and it's gonna be your downfall. Nitro Storm!"
Despite his best efforts, Logan was unable to break free and could only close his eyes as he received the powerful explosion at point-blank. "And, now, I'm gonna honor you with the move I used to defeat the Kraken. 10,000 Volt Strike!" The Shark coursed electricity through the tentacles and struck Logan with it.
"AAAAAARGH!" the Owl bellowed in pain as he felt the volts coursing through his body.
"Oh no!" Leon exclaimed, shocked to see his little brother suffering like this.
"Logan!" Destiny gasped for her boyfriend.
After what felt like an eternity of suffering, the electricity stopped coming. Smoke emanated from Logan's body as he laid limp in the tentacles' grip, covered in burn marks. Drake released him, allowing his body to fall to the ground as his body ended its Underdog X form and returned to normal. "You fought well, better than last time, I'll give you that. You even forced me to use my best moves to win... However, that wasn't enough. Seems like your determination isn't as strong as you thought."
Drake began walking away, Donald and Goofy ready to call the match, when... "You're wrong, Drake..." The Shark stopped in his tracks and turned to see Logan somehow managing to pull himself off the ground and into a sitting position. "It's true that my determination has failed me in the past... That my heart has given up in the past... I'm sorry I disappointed you and all of our friends down..."
"Logan...," Master Yen Sid mumbled as he looked at his student.
"But that doesn't mean I have to give up now! It never did!" Logan suddenly declared in determination. "Yes, my heart can be weak sometimes...but it's not alone! Like one of the most awesome persons I have ever met once said, Iron Man wasn't the only hero to save earth, Luke wasn't the only Jedi, and he wasn't the only Dream Keeper to protect the Magical World! After losing you, I formed bonds that shaped me into the person I am today! Sorry to steal from Sora, but they've become part of my heart, just like I became part of theirs!" He narrowed his eyes. "I refuse to let them down today!"
"Well said, bro!" Leon cheered
"Keep fighting, Logan!" Dastan shouted.
"We're all behind you!" Jim added in agreement.
"Don't let that jerk beat you, kid!" Nigel ordered in anger.
"We know you can do it, kid! Just do the same as you did in the Rumble!" Della yelled to her son figure.
"You're the most awesome teacher I ever had! I know you can dew this!" Dewey exclaimed, throwing a fist in the air.
"Just do like Captain America and keep going until you succeed, buddy!" Scott shouted.
"Remember what Kanan once told me; the true force comes from the bonds we form!" Ezra advised.
"This Drake has nothing on you!" Sprig declared, hopping on the tip of his seat.
"Forget everything Drake has ever said about you; you're just as deserving to be a Dream Keeper as any of your friends, Logan," Destiny said, tears of joy in her eyes.
"COME ON, LOGAN/KID!" Team Dream Keepers all shouted.
Hearing all those words of encouragement brought a powerful warmth to Logan's heart. He turned his head to look at every member of Team Underdog X with a smile and tears in his eyes. "Guys... You've never given up on me, no matter how many times I screwed up. Nobody could ask for better friends in this world or any others..."
"Scott, people may like to laugh at you, but in my eyes, you've always deserved to stand amongst the Avengers. I saw a lot of myself in you because despite your goofy nature, you always had the heart to fight bad guys like Thanos without a second thought. The Avengers are lucky to count you in their ranks."
"Ezra, you may not be the most liked Star Wars character because your show wasn't well-received, but your willingness to make any required sacrifice for your friends makes you a great Jedi. I know that you will change the Galaxy Far, Far Away one day, and I'll do everything to be there when that day comes."
"Jim, all of your life, you've struggled to find out who you truly are. Being abandoned by your father always made you believe that you weren't worth anything, but as Silver said, you have that light in you that can allow you to reach greatness. After all of our adventures together, I can confirm it's true - I'm really happy I got the chance to have you as a friend."
"Dastan, while you only joined the Magical World in 2010, you've been part of my life since my childhood, when my brother and I played your games on our PS2. You may have a rogue attitude, but you're always willing to do what's right, like helping me when I'm at my lowest. I wanna live for as long as possible and see what your reign over your kingdom will be like."
"Sprig, you remind me a lot of Usopp from One Piece in the sense that, in a world filled with people who have mystical powers and advanced technology, you only fight using a slingshot and still manage to win. There are times you are weak and scared, but always willing to stand up for your friends and family. Even if it was for a short period of time, I'm sure Anne feels lucky to have been with you, cause that's exactly how I feel."
"Nigel, I may not approve the things you have done to Blu and all those birds in Rio, but I know it was in a misguided attempt to get love. Just like me, you managed to overcome your darkness by understanding it's possible to get love despite your appearance, and I'm really proud of you for that."
"Dewey, Ducktales is one of my most favorite cartoons ever, so you have no idea how cool it is one of its characters shares my passion for pro wrestling. I've always known what it's like to be a student, but being a teacher is just as wonderful, and I couldn't be any prouder of you."
"Della, your story is a source of inspiration to me. You fought nonstop for years on the moon to return to your friends and family, and prevented a moon invasion through sheer determination. While you may have committed some mistakes here and there since returning, you've always done everything to learn from those mistakes and become a better person. Leon and I have never known our parents, but you've definitely become a mother figure I couldn't be happier to have."
"And Destiny... My gosh, Destiny, you're the best thing that ever happened to me. If I hadn't seen your movie by accident on the day of my birthday, I probably wouldn't be here today. Your adorable, heartwarming nature has always found the way to bring out the best in me - you truly are the best girlfriend anybody could wish for. And right now, I'm gonna pull out all the efforts to be the man you deserve!"
While remaining seated, Logan closed his eyes, pressed his two fists together and took a deep breath. 'Remember what Rafiki taught you... Let go of your fears... Release your guilt and your shame... Lay all your sadness and loss in front of you, and accept them... No more lies or denial... There's no separation; we are all one... Release your bonds...and free yourself from your earthly attachments...'
Upon opening all seven of his chakras, Logan exploded with pure-white energy that towered over him and took the form of an owl. This owl narrowed its eyes at a surprised Drake before opening its wings and wrapping them around Logan for a hug. When Logan stepped out, he was in his Owl Armor, holding Owl Buster in his hand.
"Y-You have another transformation?!" Drake exclaimed in shock.
"Yes, a form I have acquired when I was able to find balance within myself thanks to Rafiki," Logan explained, having more determination in his voice than ever before. "And, believe it or not, but that's not even all!" He began humming a little song, causing a white glow to emanate from his chest and spread around him in the form of white feathers.
Gabriel stood up from his seat and widened his eyes upon seeing this. "Wait a minute! This magic, it couldn't be...?!"
"Exactly! I can use Fantasia, too!" Logan announced with a smile. "When he made me the Dream Keeper of Animal Kingdom, Toren awakened the Fantasia within me. While I struggled to control it at first, finding balance greatly helped to get a hand over its form and nature. I'm now gonna take a note from Gabriel's book and call on the power of music to win!"
Logan's magic began to reach out to his friends. Knowing what they had to do, Destiny floated in front of Team Underdog X with a determined look. "Okay, everyone, let's sing and help Logan use Fantasia!" Her friends all nodded and she began singing the first part:
('The Champion' by Carrie Underwood)
Destiny:
I'll be the last one standing
Two hands in the air, I'm a champion
You'll be looking up at me when it's over
I live for the battle, I'm a soldier, yeah
As Destiny sang, Drake got on the offensive, swinging his sword at Logan, who expertly evaded all his attacks, allowing Fantasia to guide him. Della joined Destiny in the song.
Destiny & Della:
I'm a fighter like Rocky
Put your flag on your back like Ali
Yeah, I'm the greatest, I'm stronger
Paid my dues, can't lose, I'ma own ya, ay
Logan summoned wings on his back and took to the skies to evade Drake. "Nitro Storm!" this last one shouted, sending his attack upwards.
"Balance Firaga!" Logan created a wall of white fire around him to parry the explosion attack.
Destiny & Della:
I've been working my whole life
And now it's do or die
"Everyone! Sing to help Logan!" Destiny called, and soon, every member of Team Underdog X raised their voices.
Team Underdog X:
I am invincible, unbreakable
Unstoppable, unshakable
They knock me down, I get up again
Logan and Drake engaged in close combat, flying everywhere in the skies and clashing their swords. The Owl easily blocked most of the Shark's attacks thanks to Fantasia's power and ended up sending him crashing to the ground with a solid knee strike.
Team Underdog X:
I am the champion, you're gon' know my name
You can't hurt me now, I can't feel the pain
I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win
I am the champion
As soon as he got back to the ground, Drake attempted to catch Logan with a huge water wave that the Owl split in two with Owl Buster. He then went for a clothesline that Logan countered and grabbed him by the head to hit the Cross Rhodes wrestling move.
"Finish the story!" he yelled before chuckling. "Sorry, had to put in a Wrestlemania 40 reference here."
Jim:
When they write my story
They gonna say that I did it for the glory
But don't think that I did it for the fame, yeah
I did it for the love of the game, yeah
Logan blocked an attack from Drake before jumping back and sending blasts of white fire. The Prodigy dodged around Logan's attacks and cut through them with his Shark Sword.
Sprig:
And this is my chance I'm taking
All them old records, I'm breaking
All you people watching on the TV
You go ahead and put your bets on me, ay
"Don't think this little magic trick will be enough to win! I've never lost a singles match and intend to keep it that way!" Drake declared as he began shooting waves at the Owl.
"Well, there's a start for everything, isn't there?" Logan chuckled and flew across the attacks to knock Drake away with a spinning kick to the side.
Jim & Sprig:
I've been waiting my whole life
To see my name in lights
Logan grinned and gave a thumb's up to his friends before engaging Drake in sword fight again.
Team Underdog X:
I am invincible, unbreakable
Unstoppable, unshakable
They knock me down, I get up again
"It's incredible! Logan-san is actually winning!" Lop beamed.
"There's not even the slightest bit of fear or hesitation in his demeanor. I think he might actually be able to pull this up!" Sisu excitedly said. "Let's go, Underdog X!"
Team Underdog X:
I am the champion, you're gon' know my name
You can't hurt me now, I can't feel the pain
I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win
I am the champion, oh-oh
For the next part of the song, both Logan and Drake pulled their swords away and fought in hand-to-hand combat, whilst the Champion sung by himself.
Logan:
The C is for the courage I possess through the trauma (yeah)
H is for the hurt, but it's all for the honor
A is for my attitude working through the patience (hey)
Logan blocked Drake's strikes boxer-style before kicking him back and unleashing a barrage of kicks and strikes that forced the Shark on the defensive.
Logan:
Money comes and goes, so the M is for motivation
Gotta stay consistent, the P is for persevere
The I is for integrity, innovative career (career)
When Logan went for a punch, Drake blocked it and headbutted him straight in the face, turning the fight to his advantage as he delivered more strikes to the Owl.
Logan:
The O is optimistic, open and never shut
And the N is necessary 'cause I'm NEVER givin' up
At the 'NEVER' part, Logan blocked one of Drake's punch and grinned, which the Shark returned. The two then threw a storm of punches, not willing to let the other getting even a millimeter over the other.
Logan:
See, they ask me how I did it, I just did it from the heart
Crushin' the competition, been doing it from the start
They say that every champion is all about his principles
UNDERDOG X!
Destiny smiled at her boyfriend's determination and started singing with more energy than ever before alongside the rest of her friends.
Team Underdog X:
I am invincible, unbreakable
Unstoppable, unshakable
They knock me down, I get up again
Drake jumped back and pointed his sword forward. "Enough messing around! Let's move to the end!" He charged a powerful dark blue energy around himself that took the form of a giant shark. "This is my strongest attack, so send me yours!"
"With pleasure!" Logan also charged his own magic, creating a giant snowy owl around himself. "Let's finish this once and for all!"
Team Underdog X:
I am the champion, you're gon' know my name
You can't hurt me now, I can't feel the pain
I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win
I am the champion
The two rivals clashed with the full extent of their power, neither giving up ground to the other. Soon, a huge swirl of white and blue magic filled the arena, creating a gust of wind that forced the watchers to cover their faces. In the middle of all this, Drake gave a serious glare at his opponent, who responded with a determined smile, tears of happiness flowing from his eyes.
"I'm not holding the sword alone..." He and his beloved whale sang the last part together:
Logan & Destiny:
I am the champion
With the song coming to an end, everybody in the arena was able to look down and check the result. Logan and Drake were both standing on opposite sides, looking at each other in complete silence.
"What happened?" someone asked. "Who won?"
"Logan...," Destiny mumbled with a nervous look on her face.
Time seemed to freeze as the tense moment went on forever. Everybody wanted to know who would fall first and cost their team the victory. The weight of the leaders' injuries slowly caught up to them until...
"Argh!" Logan's Owl Armor faded away, and he collapsed on his knees. He panted heavily and clutched his torso in pain.
"No! You're kidding me!" Jasiri exclaimed, not wanting her friend to lose.
"Wait, Jasiri! Look!" Gabriel said and pointed at Drake.
The Shark's eyes were wide open as he remained immobilized. Soon enough, his Shark Armor started cracking before completely shattering. He then collapsed face-first on the ground. Donald and Goofy quickly went down to check on him before giving their verdict:
"Drake is no longer available to fight! This means that Logan is the winner! And, by extension, the Fellowship of Dreamers wins this match!"
"YEEEEES!" Leon shouted at the top of his lungs for his younger brother.
Everybody in the arena cheered for the Champion of the Magical World, who managed to get back to his feet. He weakly smiled whilst clutching his abdomen and waved to everybody before looking at the unconscious Drake. "That was one of the best fights of my entire life. Thank you, Drake..."
Logan stumbled and almost fell over, but got caught at the last moment. He saw a raven smiling at him. "Easy now, Champion. The match is over, so let's get you to the infirmary." Logan nodded and allowed Gabriel to help him walk by taking his arm over his shoulder. As they walked away, a few seconds of silence passed before the Owl spoke again:
"Gabriel... Thank you... For never giving up on me..."
Author's note: The match has finally come to a close and, unsurprisingly, the Fellowship of Dreamers won! Before you start asking, yes, Logan can use Fantasia. In AvalorianJaquin's story 'Magical World: Jaquin Style', there's a chapter where Toren gives his Dream Keeper title to Logan, which awakens the Fantasia magic in him. I thought this would be the perfect time for him to use it; by defeating Drake's raw strength and talent through the bonds with his friends! I chose the song 'The Champion' by Carrie Underwood as it is one of my best motivational songs ever, and I thought it perfectly fit Logan's journey.
At the time of writing this, I'm in the final weeks of this cegep's session. Don't worry; I'm not skipping classes to write! However, this ultimate showdown between Logan and Drake's teams have been on my mind for a long time, and I want to write it now that I finally have the time and motivation to do so. I did everything to make this match enjoyable for you guys, so I hope it worked!
Next time: Logan, Rachel, Toren, Aline, Jameson, Tomada, Almyra, Roman, Ben and Seth celebrate their victory with their friends, and we finally see if Drake changed his point of view on Logan...