Round 6: Day Zero

As soon as Quinn teleported into the Mansion, he felt a commotion brush past him, Sephiroth was making his usual brisk strides towards the door, but Terry followed swiftly behind.

"Hey!" Terry barked, "What the hell was that interview man?"

"Terry, babe," pleaded Corrin, following behind.

"I don't even talk that way about Geese, and he killed my pops," Terry continued.

"I finally got what I wanted," Sephiroth said, "And now nothing is going to stand in my way. Wario taught me that."

"What about us?" Terry said, "I thought we were friends."

Sephiroth had his hand on the door's handle, casting a sneer back at Terry, "You made me weak."

With that, Sephiroth pulled open the door, striding out of the mansion and onto the roof as the mighty oaken door slammed shut, its gold handle wobbling at the force.

The entire Mansion was silent, save a victorious snort from Wario. The Hungry Wolf turned on his heel, locking eyes with Wario.

"OH THAT'S IT!" he said.

Quinn immediately leaped into action, locking Terry in a full nelson, his arms spread, and pressure applied to his neck.

"Save it for the ring big guy," Quinn grunted as Terry tried to break the hold, "Save it for the ring."

Wario scoffed, "I'll be out of your hair soon nimrod. I'd sooner eat broccoli than eat Mario's mom's cooking. Me an' Mona have reservations at the Honeybee Inn anyway. Later losers."

Waddling backward, Wario typed a code into his watch, stepping into the portal that opened up for him. As soon as the portal closed the Mansion's occupants began to mutter amongst themselves.

"Would rather eat broccoli, ha!" Miss Trainer laughed the loudest.

Terry thrust both elbows into Quinn's ribs, breaking the hold and marching towards the buffet line, grumbling the whole way. Quinn started to follow the chatty horde to the buffet line, but he felt a gloved hand clasp his shoulder. Quinn wheeled around, seeing Luigi was the culprit.

"Get your team together. We need to have a sit-down."

Quinn cast glances around. Sans was already seated with Mario and Peach towards the center of the dining room table.

"Ah," Luigi shrugged, "Perhaps word travels faster than I thought."

For the rest of the line, Quinn stood as straight as a soldier. Casting his eyes to where Team Luigi and his team gathered, he figured they must've gotten the memo because they'd all filled out the center seats of the dining room table. Not even Luigi's attempts to break the silence with fun facts about the Italian food on display did anything to break the Mii fighter from his own thoughts about what he was walking into. Sticking with some garlic bread and mostaccioli, Quinn took his seat with his team.

"So what do you think he wants?" Quinn asked Terry, the two watching him and Daisy giggle amongst each other as they piled their bowls of spaghetti high.

"I hope it's to double team Sephiroth's team," he grumbled, "Idiot deserves to go through the whole gamut if he wants to win this thing,"

"No offense," Sonic said, "But it doesn't take a detective to see that he was bad to the bone."

"But you gotta believe in people man," Terry insisted, "Neighborhoods, crime stats, none of that changes until you extend an olive branch, show folks that it can be better if we all work together, systems and people alike."

"Some people are so corruptible that even a change of heart wouldn't help," Morgana said sagely, "I think Sephiroth is one of those."

"Yeah," Terry said, watching Cloud briskly take his plate outside, "I just wish Cloud's old wounds hadn't been reopened."

Quinn briefly searched out Rosalina, chatting happily with Captain Olimar, before Daisy and Luigi began their walk to the table.

"What is the purpose of this meeting?" Altair demanded.

"To let you know that there'll be no collusion between our teams Quinn," Luigi announced, "There isn't a call for it, and in the worst-case scenario, we'll be able to test ourselves against him if it comes to that."

Quinn nodded, "Yeah. Team Quinn, we are meeting for training at sunrise tomorrow. I'm gonna go talk to Cloud."

"Yeah, same with us," Luigi nodded to his team.

As the teams began to chatter amongst each other, Quinn stood, grabbed his plate, and followed Cloud out of the Mansion. He journeyed down the walkway to the park, where Cloud and his friends sat.

"Look," snapped Cloud as soon as he saw him, "If you're trying to get me to train with you or your damn team-"

"No," Quinn shook his head, "Just checking in to see if you're okay."

Cloud's eyes softened, "I will be if I put my mind to it. Thank you."

Quinn took a seat on the vacant park bench in the sitting circle, slowly eating his food.

"So, you and Luigi were not the guys I had pegged for this," Yuffie pouted, "Messed up my bets real bad, Sephiroth winning making it even worse."

"Not mine!" boasted Barrett, "Terry talked me into it."

Quinn brightened, "He did?"

"Yeah," Barrett nodded, "Guy's believed in ya since the beginning."

"Wow," Quinn blurted.

The group sat in silence, Quinn looking across the circle of benches to see Cloud in a meditative stance, Tifa rubbing his shoulders.

"Quinn," Aerith broke the silence, "If you do get your hands on Sephiroth in some kind of way, please kick his ass for me."

"Not the time babe," Zack said.

Aerith's demeanor softened, "Yeah…I just… sorry Cloud."

Cloud cast a thumbs up at the group without opening his eyes.

The group sat in silence, enjoying the cold fall day. Yuffie was again the one to break the silence.

"Aw man, the Splatoween decorations are already down. Looks like winter holiday ones are already up."

"Gift Day," muttered Cloud.

"When is that?" Tifa asked.

"Last day of the tournament like the last tourney."

"Damn, the time is just flying by," Quinn said, "Who even won the Splatoween thing?"

"Torri's team," Yuffie said, "That's the one thing I've bet on correctly all tournament." she said, "Significantly less money for that one."

"I oughta congratulate her sometime," Quinn said, "We got invited to Smash together."

"I already had her lined up for Coffee with Cait," Reeve said, "You wanna come on too?"

"That'll be cool," Jessie joked, "It'll be better than the fiasco with Gruntilda."

Reeve sighed, "Yeah. I've kept it mundane since then with guests, but the ratings have suffered since then. Give me until after your team battle, and we'll be crawling in ratings."

"If I were you I'd have Cloud on a bunch, it seems like he'd be a ratings get," Quinn suggested.

That earned a grin from a still-meditating Cloud. Reeve laughed too.

"I already talk to him all the time," Reeve insisted, "Plus, he's already on board for that special Off the Hook episode right?"

"Yep," Cloud sighed, "Interviews with the people who lost last round, me, Red, and Ganondorf."

Wedge could only gag at the prospect.

"Yeah," Biggs nodded to his longtime friend, "I hate the idea too."

"It won't be a big deal," Cloud said, "We'll all go to Nintendoland after."

"Live for your friends, family, and the future," Red XIII nodded, "Just as the elders said."

Cloud nodded back, "Yep."

Suddenly something occurred to Quinn, "I hate to invite myself, but Rosalina might like to go too, and she might be more comfortable in a big group."

Aerith audibly gasped, while Tifa smirked, "It'll be fine with me."

"I've wanted to meet Rosalina for a while," Aerith explained, "But it's a bit rude to ask your friend to bring your co-workers along."

"I mean," Quinn shrugged, "Master Hart used to tell us how the old timers used to party together. I guess the roster's expanded in so many directions that different cliques inevitably form."

"Yeah," Cloud said, "Roster's too big."

Quinn nodded absent-mindedly, the Mii and the AVALANCHE contingent watching the sunset in silence. Suddenly, the doors to the Mansion burst open. As soon as they did, Quinn could hear Terry shriek.

"OH MY GOD, I FOUND IT!"

"What did you find?" Quinn and Cloud asked simultaneously, both trying to eye the bottle Terry had in his hand.

"Arby's vodka," cheered Terry, now within distance of the seated sunset watchers.

"The hell is an Arby's?" asked Tifa.

"GET SERIOUS! ARBY'S IS ONLY THE MOST DELICIOUS WAY TO GET A ROAST BEEF SANDWICH IN SOUTHTOWN!"

Terry rummaged through his jacket pocket, pulling out a shot glass, "We're all about to take our shots inside, but you can hang out here if you want."

Quinn and Cloud looked at each other, grinned, and stood simultaneously, following Terry into the Mansion. Everyone except Sephiroth sat around the table, with Mario animatedly telling a story at the head.

"So I looked at the guy and I said, 'What did ya smoke that parmesan cheese with, cigarette smoke?"

Some laughed, some didn't, but it was enough of a courtholder that Quinn took an occupied seat between Ness and Lucas without anyone noticing.

"Now," Mario said, "I'd like to propose a toast, to fine friends, and finer siblings in arms when Conker's evil bares down."

Murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the expansive dining room.

"Salute!" Luigi cheered, raising his glass.

"Smash Bom-Ba-Ye!" Incineroar bellowed, raising his.

The cheers were parroted by each Smasher as they took their shot.

"Why didn't we get vodka?" grumbled Ness, taking a shot of what smelled to Quinn like sparkling grape juice.

"Because the legal drinking age in Smash City is 18," Miss Trainer, the person in the seat to Ness' right, explained, "Besides, excessive consumption of alcohol, especially as a minor, can lead to symptoms such as…"

"It's twenty years in the future for some of you people," barked Ness, "Give me a break."

"Trust me, Ness," Quinn added, "None of those drugs are very cool. My roommate does everything under the sun, and all it does is make you dumb."

Ness shrugged, "I hear enough dumb thoughts as it is, I guess I don't want to produce them."

"Correct Ness," Miss Trainer chirped, "Shall we do some yoga before bedtime."

Both Ness and Lucas nodded.

"You're welcome to join as well Quinn," the yoga instructor said.

Quinn quickly scanned his usual social haunts. Cloud had immediately retreated back outside after taking his shot, and the AVALANCHE crew didn't seem too intent on talking. Terry talked animatedly with Ryu and Ken, Corrin on one arm, the bottle of vodka tucked under the other. A red-faced Rosalina spoke with the rest of the heroic Mario contingent at the head of the table, while Sans talked Altair's off a few seats away.

"Yeah," Quinn nodded, "Yeah, I think I will."

And so, the foursome retreated to the Wii Fit Studio stage, Miss Trainer making the stage flare to life with a few quick keystrokes.

Miss Trainer softly communicated poses, and the boys followed them. But while the Earthbound duo seemed to find the routine relaxing, Quinn couldn't help but feel dread. He didn't know how, but Sephiroth watched him. And he'd be watching tomorrow two as the teams prepared.

"Quinn?" asked a concerned Miss Trainer, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Quinn blurted, "Just worried about the crew battle is all."

"Remember the basic tenets of Yoga," Miss Trainer instructed, "Mindfulness is key. Remember to focus on your muscles, for they are the things you have the most control over."

Quinn closed his eyes. The choking feeling of being watched loomed, but yet, Quinn pressed on, comforted by the fact that his team would do the very same in two days.