Round 1

Diddy Kong vs. Lucas.

In his match graphic, Diddy's signature hat was flipped backward, and his eyes were adorned with sunglasses. He rocked back and forth making hand signs as he mimed rapping. A quick cut to his tourney highlights later, and Diddy lay across the back of the interview seat, grinning ear to ear, his posture as lazy as ever.

"Hoo hah," Diddy yipped in his old catchphrase, "I'm Diddy!"

"Back into your Tiger Island frame of mind, I see," Nikki observed, amusement in her voice.

Diddy nodded, "Yeah! With all them watching, and Banjo in the tournament, it's hard not to feel the vibe you know?"

"I do," Nikki affirmed, "So what do you think of Lucas?"

"I'm actually kinda scared to fight him honestly. We fought side by side in Subspace for a bit, and that kid is powerful, probably more so than Ness. But I've outsmarted powerful people before by sticking and moving, so it's not a complete wash."

"Right. Who would you ideally like to fight in the tournament?"

"King K. Rool, no question. All of his goofy gadgets are no match for me in Smash. This could be my opportunity to put him through the wringer."

Meanwhile, in the present, Travis Touchdown barked, "Yeah, that aged well," to the giggles of some of the other Smashers watching.

As Diddy bounded off camera after being dismissed by Nikki, Lucas' highlight video began to play, miming pulling a sword from the ground in his match graphic. His highlight video played, and now he was Nikki's next subject. His posture rigid and attentive, his eyes wider than usual, he spoke.

"I'm…I'm Lucas. And my opponent is… Diddy Kong,"

"Don't be nervous, we'll get through this," Nikki's usual snapping tone now motherly and warm.

Lucas nodded rapidly, "O-okay."

"So, what do you think about Diddy?"

"He's always been nice to me, and he's fun to watch in these tournaments. A lot of my techniques account for rushing enemies though, so I feel confident. Plus my mom, dad, and brother are in the crowd this time."

"Yeah, that must be one heck of a motivator," agreed Nikki, "So who are you looking forward to fighting?"

"Well, like I said my family is in the crowd this time."

"Right…"

"And so I want to fight everyone, I want to win, show 'em what I can do."

"That's the spirit! You're all finished."

Lucas breathed a sigh of relief, his rigid posture slumping, "Thanks for putting up with me during that. I just…hate public speaking."

"No I get it, thanks for your time," encouraged Nikki as Lucas rose out of the chair and walked off camera.

"Futaba, what's your prediction?" asked 9-Volt as Cranky opened up his mouth to speak.

"Hey! What happened to the commandment of respect your elders?"

"I'm not gonna let you disrespect my co-workers, people with anxiety, or your own nephew on air," 9-Volt snapped.

"Well damn," Cranky muttered.

"ANYWAY!" Futaba shouted as she appeared on screen, "Mother 3 is the only piece of media that's made me cry like a baby so I'm predicting Lucas."

"I mean, Mother 3 kicks butt." Cranky shrugged.

"Did you just praise a game?" gawked 9-Volt and Futaba simultaneously.

"I said what I said you whippersnappers, Mother 3 is a good game. Too bad the Americans are too stupid to understand its intricate themes."

"And there it is," 9-Volt sighed, please throw down to entrances."

A bouncy, tropical xylophone song played over the arena speakers. It was only when that was replaced by a slide guitar, and that by a fiddle did Diddy Kong come spiraling out of Tunnel A aboard a small, red approximation of a propeller plane.

"Bah, Tiger Island nonsense," Cranky grumbled.

"What? Diddy Kong Racing is a hidden gem on the N64, which is why he's using the title theme."

"The only reason why these younguns have to be in spin-off games is because they're so second rate most of the time. In my day, we didn't even have spin-off games."

Diddy landed the prop plane, throwing his arms up in jubilee, the cheering crowd reciprocated the gesture. As Diddy stepped out, the plane disappearing as he did, a soft, chiming tune played as Lucas stepped out of the tunnel pointing up to approximately where his family's VIP suite would be and jogging, completely devoid of fanfare.

"Judging by the music, which is A Letter For You, My Sweet, Lucas is using the alternate version of his deceased parents as motivation, much like Edelgard did earlier."

"And as we saw in that fight, even motivation doesn't account for the random nonsense of Smash," Cranky quipped.

The two were in the center of the arena, Mills Frame popping up between them. The following contest is a Round 1 Match in the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Tournament. The winner of this match will face either Ike or Red in Round 2. Introducing first, to my left, he comes to us from the Rare Archipelago in the Mario Universe. He is THE Video Game Hero, he is Diddy Kong!"

"Ugh, you'd think somebody'd put the kibosh on that nickname," groaned 9-Volt.

"I can't help it that everyone respects the ability it takes to get all the Video Game Hero Coins in Donkey Kong Country 2 except for you," sneered the elder ape, "Plus 'The Acrobat," sounds like a half-assed wrestling nickname."

Diddy Kong, meanwhile, had just come to a stop from using his Rocket Barrell to wave at all the people personally, which got a huge reaction from everyone, especially the children in attendance.

"Introducing next, to my right, es to us from the Earthbound universe-"

"Acktually it's the Mother Series," a nasal voice somehow projected above the crowd noise. Boos occurred.

Shaking his head, Mills continued, "He is the Boy from Nowhere, he is LUCAS!"

Lucas waved shyly to universal cheers.

"Now, if Diddy Kong wins the coin toss the stage will be Jungle Japes Melee. If Lucas wins the coin toss the stage will be Magicant. Smashers call it.

As the coin was flicked into the air Lucas closed his eyes. Lucas had learned this from Ness, who had learned it from Poo. The inner workings of reality seemed to come alive in his mind's eyes. Mills' steady mechanical heart, Diddy's rapid heart.

The coin's trajectory unveiled itself as if it was an object in a flipbook, its trajectory to the ground at Mills' feet mapped out in eerie silver after-images. Snake had once told him that people compulsively began a coin flip with the heads side up. So he counted the flips.

One.

Two.

Three

Four

"HEADS!" Lucas shouted

Diddy reeled back in shock. Had it only been a few seconds?

"HEADS!" Mills confirmed.

All of the uncertainty faded. His muscles steeled, Mills instructions blurring into the background. Now, Diddy and Lucas stood in the black void, the rules appearing as text as the arena faded into being.

Rules: 2-stock, items medium

Stage; Magicant

Music Magicant (3DS)

As the announcer counted down, Diddy flew in with his Rocket Barrel pack. Diddy's eyes widened as Lucas charged in on a…table? Diddy had technically been colleagues with him for years and had never thought to ask what that thing was? Diddy cast that thought away. And then, the magic word.

GO!

Diddy immediately flipped forward, intending to latch onto his face and pummel him. Instead, he found himself flipping into a rising blast of PSI Shocked as he was, Diddy immediately brought both of his fists down, pressing them into Lucas' skull. Jumping up again with a mischievous chitter, Diddy prepped for another wallop, only to dive into the same technique.

Diddy's eyes widened upon a glance at his communicator. He stood at 50 percent to Lucas' twelve.

Lucas, meanwhile, was given pause by the emotional rollercoaster watching Diddy's expression. From shock to a mischievous smile. And then, the nonsense began, Diddy leaped to and fro, leaping through the air too fast for Lucas to catch, the chimp passing him like a ship in the night far too many times for his comfort, Diddy only pausing crack him in the jaw, which transitioned into a cartwheel into some playful jabs with his lower paws.

And then it happened. Diddy paused. They both knew it. Diddy's eyes widened in realization. Lucas smirked. Channeling PSI through his finger, with a flick, Diddy was sent to the rightmost platform, in such disarray that he used the Rocketbarrell Pack to clear a jump Little Mac could have cleared unabated. Lucas observed his simian opponent as he clung to a ledge. The stiff muscle seemed to loosen. Hanging on a ledge, cartwheeling through the air, that's where this daredevil felt at home.

And he would not lose sight of him again.

Diddy front-flipped off of the ledge, into the air, cartwheeling needlessly. Thanks to many pitching and hitting drills with Ness, Lucas was an expert at keeping his eye on a juking target, whether that be a wreckless video game hero or a PSI-assisted curveball.

As all things did, Diddy came down, right into a homerun swing of his trusty stick. The result was that Diddy flew back first into a tomato that had inexplicably grown on the left-most platform. Diddy must've seen Lucas' surprise, because he pushed off of the tomato grabbing Lucas faster than he could react, throwing him right into the path of a barrel that had spawned on top of the tomato and immediately begun rolling down.

Lucas heard the click of Diddy affixing a Franklin Badge to himself, but still, he grinned. The all too familiar shadow that suddenly cast over the proceedings was his salvation.

Jumping and now able to cast a glance back, his suspicions were confirmed. A Flying Man stoically bounced in a fighting stance, waiting to lend his virtual life to whoever touched him first.

Lucas reached out, clapping the Flying Man on the arm. Like a button being pressed on an implement of murder, the Flying Man flew into action, rocketing like a superhero towards Diddy. The clever competitor saw it coming though, jumping out of the way just in time, only to be hit with a flying kick pumped with PSI power for his effort. The newly formed team charged, only to be caught in a barrage of punches from all four paws as Diddy cartwheeled beneath them.

"By George, Diddy might overcome this bull!" Cranky shouted.

Channeling his PSI power to his feet, the stomp he unleashed upon Diddy's head sent him bouncing off the floor and into the air, up into the PSI eruption technique from earlier, sending him into the upper blast zone.

Diddy: 1

Lucas:2

Diddy leaped off of the Revival Platform immediately, faking the Flying Man into a dive, only to leap to the platform on the right at the last minute, dodging the yellow creature's attempt to throw kicks at him from below.

"PK Thunder!" Lucas cried.

Diddy could barely growl in frustration before a ball of lightning hit him, and then another. The Flying Man finally jumped up to meet him, but Diddy's hands were faster, hitting him with rapid punches from all four paws.

The third PK Thunder didn't matter. He could do this.

The Flying Man seemed reluctant now, staying on the base platforming, leaving Diddy's only mission to block the incoming PK Thunders. A fourth, fifth, and six, all met his communicator's shield. Diddy growled as he messed up the timing on the seventh, the shock staggering him down to the base platform. Dodging another eruption and dropkicking the Flying Man simultaneously as it tried to weave around him, the bizarre creature shrieked a dying cry as it went into the blast zone.

"Look a Smash Ball!" 9-Volt cried.

As if he had heard him, Diddy jumped to the odd castle structure below them, cartwheeling.

"Brilliant, he's keeping Lucas away and working over the Smash Ball!"

Unfortunately, nobody saw the Smart Bomb spawn at that moment.

The explosion was fierce and large, evaporating the Smash Ball and tacking on the dreaded numbers in damage for Diddy. At that moment, a Pokeball appeared, along with another Flying Man, who stood at the fresh grave of its sibling. Both Smashers dove for the Pokeball, Lucas grabbing it first and throwing it down. This time and Oshawott appeared, surfing into Diddy, nearly taking him down to the lower-left corner of the Blast Zone. Confident, Diddy revved up his Rocketbarrell pack, ready to shoot for the stars.

And then, the tomato, which had been rotting through the platform, gave way.

Diddy could only look up as a ton of rotting vegetables conked him on the head, driving him to the Blast Zone.

GAME!

Lucas had found an uneven tile in the Mansion courtyard. He began to poke at it with a stick as the camera drones buzzed in with no warning.

"HUH?" Lucas cried as the splash screen declared his victory.

LUCAS WINS!

Meanwhile, Diddy clapped wildly. Rita, pinching her nose, as Diddy now smelled of rotting tomato, appeared with the microphone.

"Tough loss out there. It looked like the Flying Man threw you through a loop."

Diddy hung his head, "Yeah, but don't discredit Lucas. He's a powerhouse. Whether he's up against Ragnell or Charizard's Flare Blitz, it'll be a hell of a Round 2! Congrats kid!" Diddy finished, pointing the finger guns at the camera.

Meanwhile, Mister Zero stood, microphone at the ready with Lucas, "Great win! What're your thoughts!"

Lucas nodded, "As long as I've got my family with me, I can do anything. Ike, Red, I'm fighting for them, and unfortunately, that means going through you."

Lucas marched up the tunnel, to the cheers of the friendly Smashers. Toon Link, Cuphead, and Ness nudged their way through the crowd, lifting up Lucas into a group hug.

"Only a couple more wins till our…"

"Rematch I know," snapped Lucas.

"You did great out there man! You've gotten even better since we tried out Squad Strike. I'm convinced any one of us could take this."

Cuphead laughed, "But you have to get past me first, ya cowlicked ragamuffin," he teased, leaning forward to punch Lucas on the arm.

Lucas giggled, trying to force every muscle in his face not to wince at the pain.

Then he heard giggles mixed with cries of disgust.

For a fleeting, spine-chilling moment, Lucas thought he was the source of the disturbance. But in reality, it was Diddy, who had bashfully made his way up the tunnel reeking of rotten tomato.

"Oh God," Ryuji moaned, choking back vomit.

"I know I know," Diddy snapped, "Don't rub it in. Hey boss, can I port out of here and get a shower."

"Granted," Mario said, not breaking from a conversation with some production Wire Frames elsewhere in the stadium.

"Hey before I go. Luke?" asked Diddy.

"Yeah?" Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"That thing you rode in on, what's it called?"

"The Mister Saturn Coffee Table."

Diddy cackled, casting Mario the thumbs up, and in a blue flash, the chimp was gone.

"Alright, we fixed our issue up here. Hit the randomizer," ordered Mario.

The sixteen remaining fights flashed on the screen, finally settling on...

"MARTH VERSUS LUCINA."

Marth cast a glance back at Lucina as he set down his production headset, "Best of luck to you granddaughter. Let's see who benefited from our training the most. I trust we will abide by the rules we agreed to previously?"

"Yes," Lucina proclaimed, standing up triumphantly, "Battlefield Castle Siege, no items."

"Good," Marth said, walking down Tunnel A without another word.

Immediately, Lucina turned to Marth, clasping both his hands.

"You can do this," Robin declared, his voice deadly serious.

Pecking Robin on the lips, Lucina turned to Chrom.

"There is no one I would trust to carry on the legacy of Ylisse and the bloodline of The Hero King in my absence than you, my daughter. You have this. You've trained so hard, you have this."

Lucina nodded, breaking from Robin's grasp and walking down Tunnel B...