Round 1:
Ike vs. Red
Both Smashers stood in practically the same pose in their match graphics, arms crossed, glaring coldly at the camera. Ike's highlight reel played first, and while it seemed interspliced with feats from both Brawl and Duel, it ended on his clean sweep over Red in Brawl.
"I'm here with Ike Greil for our interview," Nikki accounted, Ike sat arms crossed in the interview chair, "How do you feel about Red."
"I hope he's improved, that's all I'll say."
"Anyone looking you're looking forward to fighting."
"Any new sword wielder I suppose. That Yoshimitsu character looks wilder than any other assassin I've seen.
"Mmhm," Nikki agreed, "Thank you for your time,"
Ike nodded, walking off camera.
Now came Red's turn to cross his arms in his match graphic. After a few more tournament highlights, Red was now seen in the interview chair, his Pokemon at his side
"What do you think of Ike?" asked an off-camera Nikki.
Charizard simply growled.
"I owe him a whipping after Brawl," sneered Ivysaur.
"Yeah, we're way better trained than we were back then!" piped in Squirtle.
"You heard them. Ike, you gave me one of the most embarrassing losses of my career as a Trainer, and it won't happen again."
"Who are you looking forward to fighting!"
"Green!" declared all three Pokemon.
"Yeah," Red chimed in, "We've been training a lot in the forests."
"Away from the cameras?" Nikki asked perplexed.
Red nodded, "Yep, for Green's sake."
"That's not the only thing they've been doing," Charizard sniggered.
"Charizard, quiet, Squirtle is just a child!" Ivysaur barked.
"You mean when they were play wrestling in the bushes?" Squirtle cocked his head to the side.
"Yes, play wrestling. That's exactly what they were doing," blurted the grass Pokemon.
"O-kay," Nikki blurted back, "That's all I need, thanks for your time guys."
Red flashed the peace sign nonchalantly, while the rest of the Pokemon nodded their thanks back.
"Oh boy," Cranky sarcastically flounced, "The overrepresented force meets the indescribably boring object."
9-Volt rolled his eyes, "It really has been all day with this, hasn't it? Futaba, I'm assuming you're going with Red right?"
"Yep. Gave me a hell of a time in Heart Gold Soul Silver,"
"You got both games?" Cranky shrieked, "Spoiled, impudent child. At least in my day, we had the decency to bundle Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Junior together."
"Ten more matches. Just ten more matches" moaned Futaba.
"I'm counting down myself," admitted 9-Volt.
Taking a deep breath he declared, "Let's throw down to entrances!"
The drums of war followed by yet another heroic orchestra played as Ike jogged to center stage.
"Woah, look at his eyes!" 9-Volt yelped.
"Yeah, an intense a look as I've ever seen. But that's Ike for ya," offered Cranky.
"Yeah, if I had my own ballad about how I took down an evil emperor like 'Ike's theme', the song that's playing right now, I'd be fired up too,"
Ike's theme gave way to dissonant notes. A small drum roll gave way to intense synth and guitar. Out of the tunnel came Charizard, Red on his back, the duo swooping up to pose for fans in the monolithic Smash Stadium.
"Seven Stars, somebody do a welfare check on poor Futaba," joked 9-Volt, "This is the champion's theme from Heart Gold/Soul Silver."
"Blah, no boss is too powerful if you grind, that's why I'm saying you kids have it easy," ranted Cranky.
As soon as Charizard touched down, his trainer stepping off of his back, Mills Frames appeared through the floor.
"The following contest," Mills began, "Is a Round 1 Match of the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Tournament! The winner of this bout will face Lucas in Round 2! Introducing first, to my left. He comes to us from the Fire Emblem universe, he is the Leader of the Greil Mercenaries, he is IKE!
Thrusting one arm into the air, the human cheers were drowned out by the roars, squawks, and celebratory hiss of the Laguz tribes in attendance.
"Now, if Ike wins the c-"
Ike held up a hand, "I defer. Marth and Lucina already chose Omega Castle Seige, so I believe the fans would appreciate it if we fought on the Kalos Pokemon League stage. Correct?" The Radiant Legend gestured to the fans.
The audience cheered back.
"Alright," Red agreed with a nod.
"Okay, so you all know the rules. 2-stocks, items medium. Smashers, are you ready?"
Both nodded, baring a hole in the other. And at that moment, they disappeared.
Stage: Kalos Pokemon League
Rules: 2-Stock, items medium
Music: Battle (Trainer) (Pokemon Sun and Moon)
3
Ike appeared in the usual Fire Emblem crest flourish
2
Already on a platform in the background, Red shouted launched a Pokeball at the stage. Squirtle erupted from the blue light.
1
Ike raised an eyebrow, readying his grip on his sword.
GO!
Squirtle summoned water around him, surfing it to bridge the gap between himself and Ike, who stood stark still. With all his might, he launched into a dropkick. Sinking to his knees upon the impact to his chest, Ike cast a horizontal slice. In one move, Ike had down 14 percent damage, while Squirtle's flourish only did eight percent.
"Your move Red," Ike icily growled.
"We've got this guys," Red assured his team, "Squirtle, Withdraw like we practiced."
Squirtle jumped on stage, retreating into his shell and spinning towards Ike. Ike, meanwhile held his sword over his head, ready to cleave down at the careening Pokemon. Just as Ike swung his sword, the spinning shell skidded to a halt, riding up Ike's sword, and unleashing yet another dropkick maneuver, leaping off of Ike's sword just as he staggered, and careening back into him from behind, clipping his ankles and riding over his back as he fell forward.
"Ha, not bad," Ike smirked, propping
An Ore Club fell from the sky between the two Smashers Ike extending his long arms.
"Oh Arceus," Red and Squirtle whispered together.
Standing up as he did, Ike waved the ancient weapon forward, a tornado launching forward into Squirtle as the stage changed from a blue chapel to a grey one As Squirtle was being creamed by the tornado, an approximation of an Aegislash fell from the sky, also stabbing Squirtle.
"Banana Bird, if that little thing didn't have bad luck, it'd have no luck at all," Cranky lamented.
"It's Whitney's Miltank all over again!" wailed 9-Volt.
Meanwhile, as Ike jumped to the other side of the Aegislash, a metal pool began to form right where Squirtle was standing. His feet paddling in the thick pool, Squirtle became all metal. Ike's eyes widened for just a second, but that was enough time for Squirtle to take the advantage. A quartet of kicks followed by being picked up and launched with two tiny turtle fists into the air saw Squirtle bridge the damage gap between himself and Ike. A cartwheel from the youngest of Red's trio saw Ike lurch backward into an Assist Trophy. This time, it was Knuckles.
"Yo!" greeted the red echidna.
Ike was smacked by a rising pillar of water, and Squirtle was jarred from his position by a Homing Attack from Knuckles.
Ike sighed, surveying the situation. He saw that he was cornered thanks to the second Aegislash that he had forgotten.
A volley of kicks and neck-extending headbutts piled on the damage. The fact that Ike was suddenly metal himself didn't even matter. Only the pain and Knuckles' pained grunts existed in his mind. Knuckles was taken by the Aegislashes' exits. Ike again sighed, knowing he himself would have as well were he not metal. A Homing Attack by the guardian of The Master Emerald was for naught, running into yet another pillar of water. As the Assist Trophy cried out in death, rocketing towards the Blast Zone. The stage changed, and the metal melted off of them. Squirtle tried to capitalize with a headbutt, but Ike blocked it using his communicator's shield, slicing his sword above his head in an arc for the KO!
Ike: 2
Red: 1
"You know," Ike cast a cold glance towards Red, "If you keep trying to best me with that tiny thing, you'll lose."
Red simply, perplexingly, nodded.
"GO FOR IT CHARIZARD!" he demanded
Throwing the Pokeball into the air, it erupted, immediately Flare Blitzing inro Ike's direction, who clutching the ammunition-dry Ore Club, managed to tank the mighty blow.
"FLARE BLITZ PARTAYYYYY!" hollered 9-Volt.
"Hip hip hooray for super armor," Cranky cheered sarcastically.
Ike threw the Ore Club up into the air, the bonk on the head it gave Charizard stopping the Flare Blitz onslaught for only a second, but a third Flare Blitz guaranteed Ike's date with the Blast Zone!
Ike: 1
Red: 1
Ike jumped from the Revival Platform, swinging his sword wildly at Charizard. Wordlessly, Red retracted Charizard, releasing Squirtle. The crafty turtle dodging Ike's cleaving sword swings easily, grabbing another Ore Club.
"Does the algorithm favor Ore Clubs or something? Geez Laweeae," Cranky growled.
The stage was now the water area of the Kalos Pokemon League. Ike found himself being clocked with the Ore Club and the victim of a motherload of tornadoes that had erupted onto him. Now, he was dangerously close to death as he staggered up the left most ramp. The middle stage erupted into a whirlpool, swallowing a spawning box whole.
Ike smirked. Squirtle had let up.
Big mistake thought the commander
Ike swung his sword down.
'Squirtle, return," barked Red.
Ike felt his muscles tense as he swung down on nothing. Briefly pondering if the Pokeball before him was somehow invincible, Ivysaur appeared from the Pokeball, shooting a blast of paralytic spore onto the Smash Ball that appeared as he did. Shaking the errant thoughts from his head, Ike sliced both Ivysaur and the ball, but the ancient Seed Pokemon recovered quickly, whipping his vines onto the ball, breaking it.
"TAKE THAT!" Red immediately declared, "Triple Finish!"
Hydro Pump, Solar Beam, and Fire Blast found their way to Ike in a threesome of pain, Ike pushed to the Blast Zone in one final eruption.
GAME!
On the Smash Mansion Courtyard, Ivysaur had tackled Red to the ground and began to lick him.
Red giggled, "Yes yes, we did it Ivysaur." he pleaded.
With that, the splash screen cemented what had happened.
RED WINS!
Meanwhile, in the lower-right quadrant of the screen, Ike sat, arms crossed in a deep frown. Rita walked up to him, mic in hand, and the screen transitioned away from Red corralling his Ivysaur and onto them.
"Some might call this an upset, based on Brawl."
"I admire those Pokemon trainers, I really do," Ike mused, "Perhaps I can learn a lesson from Mister Red, always work to be the very best, even in times of peace. Red, I let up multiple times during the fight, and that's no one's fault but my own. You earned it young man. Celebrate it, enjoy it, and I look forward to seeing the rest of your performances."
Now Red was being interviewed by Mister Zero, "Red, what a win! Your though-"
Red simply held out a hand, walking towards the tunnel.
Red opened the door to the Smashers' Box, stepping immediately into a hug from Green.
"Good work," she said, "But you've got to work harder if you want to get to a match between us."
Red blushed, "But I really had Ike with that flash Pokemon change…"
"Watch a master at work when my match comes up," she said, with a wink.
"Wow, we're confident aren't we?" Dark Pit shouted, to the laughter of some of the villains.
"I really hope you learned how to fight as good as you talk trash. The performance last tourney left a lot be desired."
"Why you..." hissed Dark Pit.
"Well, she's got a point," offered Palutena, Pit giggling all the way.
The now-trademark shushing from Peach marked the start of the randomizer, the match to be done after intermission. The randomizer landed on…
"GRENINJA VERSUS QUINN!"
"Fuck," Quinn blurted a little too loudly, to the laughter of about half the room.
"Hmph," said Greninja, "We will see if you are as skilled as your sensei Bromeister or if you are just a lucky flounce."
"And who's thought of you since the 3DS Lord Jerkwad?" Sans shouted.
"I do not know what nonsense you speak, but I must defeat him if his sensei is unavailable, your jabs will not deter me."
"Yeah, enjoy your filler arc while it lasts Naruto," Sans snapped.
"Sans please don't," quivered Quinn.
"The sales numbers don't lie, Pokemon X and Y sucked ass," the skeleton doubled down.
"I pitied you," Greninja began, "But now, I'll be taking my frustrations out on you little tadpole,"
"Gee, thanks Sans," Quinned muttered.
"Gotta stir the pot sometimes. It's Promotion 101. You'll do fine kid."
"Alright," Mario announced, "Intermission, then the last ten matches, then I'll go out and announce the first match, then you're all dismissed. Hang in there Smashers, we're almost done."
As the Smashers' Box erupted into a near-simultaneous cheer, the intermission message went up on screen in Smash Stadium.
(AN: This'll probably be my last post before Christmas. The way you can make my holiday is to either read, review, or join the Super Smash Prose Discord. Invite code is QYdhYnM)