Chapter 16: Let the Games Begin

Luigi walked back towards the lobby with both hands in his pockets, embarrassed. The sounds of his own footstep echoing throughout the empty hall was his only comfort. When he arrived back in the reception area, Luigi noticed Isabelle giving Yoshi a sympathetic pat on the wrist. The dinosaur was crestfallen.

"Didn't pass either, huh?" Luigi asked.

Yoshi responded with a sad nod.

"Yoshi told me everything," Isabelle said. "What happened to you?"

Luigi adjusted his cap, blushing. "You don't want to know. One of the most embarrassing moments of my life."

"Worse than the pink racoon suit?" Yoshi asked.

If Luigi's face was any redder, it would've flown off his head like a rocket. With his hand, he made the 'cut it out' gesture to the dinosaur. Isabelle did her best not to laugh.

"Pink racoon suit?" Isabelle asked, her curiosity walking up the stairs of fascination.

"Well, erm…I mean, it was an accident! I grabbed the Princess' Tanooki Suit by mistake, and…and…"

"I DID IT!"

Everyone looked to see Sora running towards them in absolute joy. Saved by the big yellow shoes, Luigi thought, as his embarrassment drained into a sink of relief. Sora started recounting his battle against the lizard, rambling just as fast an auctioneer. The group couldn't keep up with the string of sentence flying through one ear and out the other.

"Slow down, Sora!" Isabelle said. "There's too much excitement here!"

Realizing his mistake, Sora took a deep breath and rubbed his head apologetically. "Can't help it. It was fun! And I bet it'll only get better once the tournament starts! Oh, speaking of: how'd you two do?"

Luigi felt a weight of guilt crush his stomach. Sora was happy; he hated to ruin the moment, but knew holding off the bad news would make things worse. He tried to speak, but was interrupted by someone else.

"Perfect timing," Professor Oak said as he entered the room. He was holding a clipboard. "I have the results of your test."

"Yeah, about that…" Luigi started to say.

"All three of you passed," Oak said. "Congratulations!"

Sora pumped his fist in excitement. He knew they had what it took to compete. There was never a doubt. Everyone else, however, turned to each other with shocked, concerned expressions. Right now, they should've been on their way out the door, feeling a blister on their skin from defeat. How did this happen? Someone made a mistake. Or, at least, they hoped it was nothing more than a mistake.

Pikachu, who had been watching the event unfold, felt Sora's cheers rattle in his stomach with excitement. Although he wasn't sure why Sora was so ecstatic, he felt happy for him

"This is going to be great!" Sora said. "We're going to be champions for sure!"

Oak smiled. "Perhaps I've misjudged you. Hopefully I'll be able to see what you can do out in the field."

"You bet," Sora said with a confident smirk.

"The tournament will begin in a little bit," Oak said. "I'll have someone escort you to the arena. Best of luck!"

As Oak took his leave, Luigi tried to catch his attention, only to be interrupted by Sora.

"I have a feeling that fire lizard I fought was just a 'warm up,' eh?" he said with a grin.

Luigi did everything in his power to ignore that pun by tossing it out of his ear like trash. Bigger problems were afoot. He could've run after the professor, but something irrational kept his feet stuck to the ground. What was it? He glanced at Sora. Something about that glowing smile put everyone else in a good mood, and he didn't want to close it like the shutters of a beaming window.

But, at the same time, it was wrong to keep this vital information a secret; and that could lead to everlasting consequences.

"We've got a problem," Luigi said with a grim tone in his voice.

He explained everything. As Luigi predicted, Sora's smile was shut behind his lips. He was hit by a vicious breeze of mixed emotions. Not just disappointment, but suspicion. He struggled to find a rational explanation for this occurrence.

"This can't be right," Sora said. "The guys that tested you two would've told the professor, right?"

Isabelle had a startling speculation. "Unless they WANT you to enter!"

"How?" Luigi asked. "No one knew were coming." He paused, pondering Isabelle's words. "I think."

"Does this mean we no taking part?" Yoshi asked, disappointed.

Luigi looked at Sora and Yoshi. They were both saddened over the revelation. Any sane person would've contacted the staff and explained the situation. But, still, that taste for victory tickled at Luigi's tongue, and spread down his throat. And he knew Sora and Yoshi shared his sentiments. Still, he was weary. Were the Heartless involved somehow? He hated to think it. But the desire to compete borrowed deeper into his stomach like an infectious worm. They wouldn't get another chance.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," Luigi said. "Probably have a lot of time to kill, still. But let's make sure to keep our eyes out for anything suspicious. Understood?"

Sora felt the excitement return to him. "Got it! Thanks! We're gonna have a blast!"

"Me can't wait!" Yoshi said.

Luigi hoped he wouldn't regret this decision.

It was impossible to explain the emotions Sora was feeling as they walked out into the arena. Avid fans filled every bleacher, cheering and applauding the three newcomers. Their tumultuous voices rumbled beneath Sora's feet. With each step he took towards the center, the cheering grew louder, channeling out any pressing thoughts that crushed his mind. Right now, he felt fervent; he felt like he could take on the world. That's the power of an audience.

Amongst the disarray of jubilation, Sora spotted Isabelle sitting in the crowd, holding the smallest flag in her paw, waving it back and forth. Her voice was drowned out from the crowd, but Sora could hear it in his head: it was small, meek, but encouraging.

Sometimes Isabelle was too precious for this world.

Sora turned to see how his friends were dealing with the crowd. Luigi's usual timid expression was present, but he managed to muster an awkward wave. Turning to Yoshi, he was doing the exact opposite: he was blowing kisses to the audience, completely enthralling them with his charm. Sora gestured Luigi to gander at this spectacle.

"Yoshi's public!" Yoshi said. "Me love all of you!"

Sora grinned. "So he doesn't just eat ham – he is one, too."

"Got that right," Luigi said.

When they reached the center, the group saw their opponent appear from the other side of the arena. He was a boy somewhat younger than Sora, wearing a safari hat and holding a net. The boy appeared reserved, not even flinching from the smallest applause. He glared at his opposition with large, intense eyes. Something about his mannerisms was off-putting.

Sora squinted his eyes. "Is that guy carrying a net?"

"Maybe it his secret weapon," Yoshi said.

Luigi snorted. "Sure. His secret weapon is to make us apart of his collection."

A referee walked between the combatants holding two flags. The audience's cheers were soon subdued by an overzealous announcer.

"And welcome, ladies, gentlemen, and Pokéfans everywhere, to the first ever Human vs. Pokémon Competition!"

He paused to let the audience resume their roaring cheers.

"It's a heated battle against two of Mother Nature's greatest creations!" the announcer said. "Which team has what it takes to conquer the preliminary rounds? Let's find out!"

The referee lifted his flags. "Commence battle!"

Sora's group assumed their battle positions. The boy, whose name was Jimmy, pulled out three Poké Balls, and held them up to his lips.

"Now, my slimy little friends," he said with an eerie tone in his voice; "let's show them why insects are the true master race."

Jimmy hadn't even summoned a Pokémon yet, and Luigi was already feeling nervous from this guy's presence. Jimmy released his three Pokémon from their respective Poké Balls. The first one was a purple butterfly; the second was a giant wasp with two stingers on its front forelegs; and the last was a bipedal mantis with white scythes on its forearms.

"Oh, it's Butterfree, Beedrill, and Scyther!" the announcer said.

The insects hovered over their master's head, with their sights sets on Sora and his friends.

Yoshi gulped. "They looked scary."

"We can take them!" Sora said.

"Hope you're right," Luigi said. "Because Yoshi and I's first battles went swimmingly, after all."

"Remember, victory!" Sora said with encouragement

Jimmy commanded his insects to attack. Sora and his friends picked a designated Pokémon to fight. Yoshi against Beedrill; Luigi against Butterfree; and Sora against Scyther. The crowd rose from their bleachers in uproarious acclamation.

Isabelle cupped her hands, shouting, "Get those icky bugs!"

While everyone was distracted by the incredible battle, Pikachu snuck in through the crowd and found a corner to conceal himself. He looked down to watch the events unfold.

Butterfree flapped its powerful wings, producing a wind that managed to send Luigi flying towards the wall. Thankfully he was able to press his feet against it, and then landed on the ground. Upon flapping its wings again, Butterfree unleashed a blade of air. Luigi leaned back to avoid getting sliced. Next, Butterfree flew over Luigi's head, and tried sprinkling him with white powder. He rolled away just in time. The audience above him were not as fortunate, as the it lulled them into a peaceful sleep.

"Sorry, I'm a big enough sleeper as it is," Luigi said. "I don't need your supplements!"

Butterfree engulfed itself in a pink aura, and fired a beam straight at Luigi. He leaped left to dodge it. Butterfree unleashed another air slash from its wings; Luigi channeled every ounce of strength to break the blade in half with his hammer. He leaped at the Pokémon and planted a Fire spell straight in its chest; Butterfree spun back from the impact, and felt a burning sensation consume its body in agony. All it could do was screech in response; it twisted and turned, trying to lessen the overwhelming pain.

"It's super effective!" the announcer said.

Jimmy glared at the announcer's booth in anger. "Don't tell him that!"

With a smirk, Luigi hit Butterfree with another Fire Spell, weakening it further; then, he leaped above the Pokémon and slammed it into the ground with his hammer.

"BAM! That worked perfectly!" the announcer said.

Luigi also glanced up at the announcer's booth, frowning. "I foresee this guy getting on my nerves quickly."

Butterfree tried standing up, but it collapsed from the injuries. Fatigue had chained the Pokémon to the ground. It was no longer able to fight. Luigi brushed the sweat from his hair; this wasn't too bad, he thought. But his moment of reprise was interrupted by Yoshi's cries for help.

"It in my eyes! It in my eyes!"

Luigi turned to see Beedrill swinging its stingers at the dinosaur's face. At one point, Beedril thrust both stingers inward, forcing Yoshi to turn into an egg, and roll backwards; to his dismay, he hit the wall. The Pokémon swooped in for a strike, but Luigi set him ablaze with his Fire, making the insect flail around from the burns.

"Hit him now!" Luigi said.

Yoshi grabbed the Pokémon with his tongue, pulled it towards him, and headbutted the creature in the face. As it flew back, Yoshi reformed into an egg; Luigi ran behind him and held his hammer like a golf club.

"Okie-dokie look out!" Luigi said. "FOUR!"

Luigi knocked the egg straight into the Beedrill's chest, sending it crashing into Butterfree. The Pokémon soon joined its comrade in an exhausted sleep. With two bugs out of the way, Luigi and Yoshi hurry to help Sora.

Scyther swung its left arm at Sora, but he parried the attack, pushing it back slightly. It tried striking with its right, but Sora deflected again. As it flew back, Sora went on the offense by leaping into the air and bringing his blade straight down on the insect. Scyther crossed its arms to block the attack. Releasing its back arm from the hold, it tried to swing at him, and Sora hopped back to doge the strike.

Sora charged up his energy attack and launched spiraling projectiles at the Pokémon. It flew around the arena, dodging every projectile, and then sliced through the last one with ease. A miniature explosion brightened the sky.

Scyther emerged from the smoke and rammed Sora straight into a wall.

Isabelle stood up in surprise. "Oh, no! Stay strong, Sora!"

Pikachu couldn't agree more. Scyther prepared to finish him off, but it was hit in the head by one of Yoshi's eggs. The Pokémon glanced over its shoulder and saw his friends coming to help. Using a free arm, it swung a vertical air slash, forcing the two to dive onto their stomachs. Nothing would get in its way of victory.

Except for, maybe, an obvious distraction.

Sora smirked as he thrust his hand into its chest, unleashing a Fire spell, which sent the creature reeling. Yoshi appeared from the side, ramming his head straight into its hip. Next, Luigi swung his hammer at its torso, making it spin around from the impact. The Pokémon's vision was a twister of disoriented colors.

And it got worse, as Sora slashed right across Scyther's chest. Pain poured through every inch of the creature's body; it stumbled around, never taking its eyes of the trio. But, despite incredible will power, its muscles collapsed faster than a building, and fainted in front of the crowd. Jimmy was dumbstruck; for each Pokémon that fainted, it like a piece of spirit had been punched in the stomach.

"Noooo!" Jimmy said. "My precious little bugs! Don't worry; one day we will squash every enemy in our path."

After examining the unconscious Pokémon, the referee raised his flag towards Sora's group.

"Bug Catcher Jimmy's Pokémon are unable to battle! Victory goes to Team Gonzales the Second!"

The silence exploded into a nuclear bomb of cheers. Deep within the chaos, Isabelle sat back in her seat, exhaling in relief. Her emotions were engaged in a dogfight of excitement and anxiety. It was so intense. And, despite how overwhelming it felt, she was having a good time; it was an entertaining experience. Most importantly, she was proud of her friends. In her heart, she believed in them. Whenever they worked together, the impossible became nothing more than a minor inconvenience that'd be squashed like an ant.

Although excited to win their first match, something odd caught Sora and Yoshi's attention from the referee's sentence, and it was stuck in their heads like scotch tape.

Sora and Yoshi faced each other, saying, "Gonzales the Second!?"

It didn't take a rocket scientist to infer the origin of that name. They both glared at Luigi, who rubbed his arm, nervous.

"Soooo, remember when that staff member needed me to give some information before the match?" Luigi asked with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, that included a team name. I thought I'd surprise you guys."

Sora frowned. "Right. Because coming up with a name for a TEAM totally isn't a GROUP thing."

"You just trying to copy Mario's fighter name from Glitz Pit," Yoshi said.

Every pour on Luigi's face spelled the words guilty.

"Hey, it's a trade off!" Luigi said, defensive. "I'd go along with your little tournament while I get to name our team. Seems fair."

Sora was prepared to give a whole lecture when Professor Oak walked up to them, looking pleased.

"Nicely done, boys," Oak said. "Those were some strong Pokémon you faced out there."

The professor's compliment was enough to sooth Sora's aggravation for the moment, and replace it with pride.

"See? We can handle these Pokémon, no problem!" Sora said, patting his chest.

Oak chuckled. "Now, now. You shouldn't let over confidence be the driving force in this competition. You have yet to experience the truly potent Pokémon. You may even face a legendary. Few can survive against its unparallel might."

Sora became as enthused as the audience. Maybe even more so. Legendary Pokémon? He couldn't even begin to comprehend its appearance. All he could imagine was of elegant beast standing before him: its majestic fur glistened in the sunlight, and it stood ten feet over Sora like an eagle rising into the sky.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Luigi wasn't on the same wavelength. In fact, he seemed rather terrified at the professor's statement; and then he turned to Sora with a peeved expression, as if he was ready to chastise him and call it quits.

Sora sighed in defeat; in order to keep Luigi happy, he'd have to make a compromise. "Okay. We can keep the name."

Luigi formed a wide smile that brightened the vicinity. Good, Sora thought; it quelled his anxiety for now. While not happy about the team name, Sora was ecstatic to win their first match. And he planned to keep this streak running down a racetrack until it crossed the finish line, jumping up and down as it received the trophy of pride.

The announcer called for the next two combatants to enter the arena. Sora and his friends decided to spectate from the sidelines, not only for the entertainment, but to learn about their opponents' fighting style.

"Our first combatant hails from parts unknown," the announcer said. "A man of few words, but he speaks loudly with his sword: please give it up for Cloud Strife!"

Cloud strolled into the arena. He was unlike any person Sora had seen before. His cold, aloof stare sent a bitter chill throughout the arena. Even the audience wasn't sure what to make of him. His flowing red cape rustled in the wind, filling the stunned silence of the arena. He donned a purple suit with brown boots. In his left hand he wore a metal claw; also, on his left shoulder was a metal pad.

In his right hand he held a sword that was probably as big as himself; it was wrapped in bandages. Akin to Sora, he had spiky hair, although his was a light blonde. His motionless blue eyes glared right at Sora and his friends as he walked by them. The chill intensified in their spines, and started encircling their hearts.

In some respects, Cloud reminded Sora of Riku; he had that similar detached demeanor. Though Riku felt like a person you could approach and engage in a meaningful conversation. There was something intimidating about Cloud, like a ravenous animal locked in a cage: he kept his emotions bottled up, and if you tried touching him, he'd bite back with a vengeance.

Still, he was competing in the tournament. It was all fun and games, right? Isn't that what entering entailed?

Sora put on a cheerful expression and said, "Good luck out there!"

Cloud remained silent as he took his gaze off the trio, and continued towards the center of the ring.

"What's that guy's problem?" Luigi asked.

"An interesting young man," Oak said. "As you no doubt can tell, he's very reserved. Heard he passed his exam with ease."

"I bet. He looks tough," Sora said. "Let's see if we can learn anything from this guy."

Sora and Luigi started heading towards the sidelines. Soon, they realized Yoshi wasn't among the group, and turned to see him still staring at Cloud. The swordsman left a depressing trail that brushed against Yoshi's scales. Somehow, Yoshi could sense nothing but suffering from within him. And those feelings seemed to expand with each step taken.

"Such emptiness in his eyes," Yoshi said.

Sora called Yoshi again, who snapped out of his thoughts, and rejoined the others. The audience's excitement started to regrow like fresh vegetation as Cloud's opponent emerged from the other side of the arena. He was a muscular man wearing a Karate Gi, and took big steps towards his opponent.

"Just try to contain your excitement for this next match, folks," the announcer said. "The legendary Karate King and his Pokémon have graced our stadium. Put your hands together for the one, and only: Kiyo!"

Cheers once again dominated the stadium. This guy seems like a big deal, Sora thought. Everyone in the audience was going ballistic. Probably a celebrity in this world. Either way, Sora had a feeling this fight would be interesting: an unknown swordsman against a Karate Champion. He couldn't wait to see the referee wave those flags.

Luigi gulped. "They both seem tough. Wonder who's going to win? Cause either way, we're gonna lose."

"C'mon," Sora said. "The fight hasn't even started yet. How bad can they be?"

The match began. Kiyo stared into Cloud's unblinking eyes. As a martial artist, his thoughts were calm like a gentle stream, but strong like a boulder. However, upon staring into Cloud's ominous blue eyes, that same chill started to turn that stream into a sheet of ice. But Kiyo's burning resolve kept it at bay.

There was something unusual about this young man, he thought.

"I come to this tournament as a man of honor," Kiyo said. "While I have two Pokémon in my possession, I will start with only one."

"Don't waste my time," Cloud said in a low, almost monotone, voice.

Kiyo was surprised by Cloud's blunt, and rude, statement. The audience murmured to each other, hit by that same lightning bolt of surprise. A single man wanted to take on two Pokémon simultaneously! The idea seemed ludicrous. But, hidden within that dry voice, a small drop of confidence could be heard. Sora felt the tension congest the air.

"Well, this young fighter seems bold," the announcer said. "But will Kiyo go all out with a full-on assault?"

Another fight had ensued within Kiyo's mind, putting his honor before reason to the test. He felt it was immoral to give himself the advantage. But he also didn't want to deny his opponent's request. Respect was always important, regardless of who was staring you in the face.

"Are you sure about this?" Kiyo asked. "Not that I doubt your abilities, but I have trained my Pokémon for years."

"Don't need your life story," Cloud said with a callous tone in his voice. "Get on with it."

Kiyo frowned in disgust. "You lack respect. And that's something I do not take lightly. So be it! I'll end this quickly! Go!"

He summed his two Pokémon – both were humanoid in appearance. One's specialty was on kicking, while the other was on punching. With a strong, commanding voice, Kiyo ordered them to attack. Cloud remained still as the Pokémon ran straight for them. Everyone leaned so far out of their seats; any moment they would land headfirst onto the ground.

Cloud swung his giant sword.

The air stopped circulating.

Voices were silent.

Both Pokémon collapsed onto the center of the ring. The frozen stream formed in Kiyo's mind shattered in an instant. Kiyo ran over to his Pokémon, picked both up in his arms, and cradled them in despair. Only his voice echoed throughout the arena. Everyone else gaped at the sight, trying to process every detail they witnessed.

The announcer was the first to recover from the shock. "Oh, um, and there goes the battle!"

Still, not a voice was uttered. Cloud walked out of the arena, leaving behind fragments of confusion for the audience. Sora had never seen such a display of speed and power. For a fleeting moment, Sora wasn't sure if he could fight Cloud. It seemed impossible. But then he remembered that Luigi and Yoshi were with him. He didn't have to face the daunting battle alone.

He glanced at Luigi, who was terrified beyond all belief. Well, he needed to convince Luigi of that positive mentality first.

The plumber stood up and looked over at Cloud. "Sir, can I join your team? I'll hand wash your cape for you!"

"Luigi!" Sora said in annoyance.

"You're crazy if you think I'm going to fight HIM!" Luigi said, the volume of his voice peaking from anxiety.

"Listen, I don't blame you," Sora said. "That was brutal. But maybe if we keep watching his matches, we can find a weakness. Besides, it's supposed to be a fun competition. I'd imagine they wouldn't want anyone casualties."

Luigi glared at Sora in disbelief. "You can't be serious right now."

"C'mon, man," Sora said in a reassuring tone. "We can do it. Remember what I said earlier about victory? We play to win."

"Yeah?" Luigi asked with a raised, skeptical eyebrow. "Well, here's another fun fact about the word victory: there's no 'me' in it."

Professor Oak, who had been listening from the side, said, "Gentlemen, it's still early in the competition. Who knows what'll happen? Maybe he'll get eliminated. Please, stay. I'd hate to see you drop out now. I can assure you that we're determined to make this a fun, safe event for everyone."

Luigi glared at Sora and Yoshi, who were giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes ever imagined. They were insane to pursue this further. And, he was, too. Not only for them, but to obtain that championship status like his brother.

"There is a possibility," Luigi said, grasping at thin straws for comfort. "Alright, I'll stay. Let's see where this goes."

The trio smashed their way through a concrete wall of competitors. Many of them contained Pokémon that tried reforming the wall, but Sora's group would knock it down again. Everyone in the crowd became fond of these newcomers. Their teamwork was unique in execution, making every battle a sight to behold. Nothing was choreographed; every strategy was genuine.

Sora was amazed by the Pokémon they encountered. Some couldn't even be properly described. During one fight, Yoshi was up against a bipedal creature with soft, pink skin, a round head, large tail, and a long tongue. Yoshi watched, unimpressed, as its tongue tried to strike him, but he moved backwards.

With a sympathetic shake of his head, he said, "No. Just, no. Stop trying."

Yoshi stuck out his tongue, which extended about halfway across the arena. The Pokémon's jaw dropped in shock, feeling inadequate. It walked over to stare at a wall, reevaluating its life choices.

Another battle saw them facing a humanoid Pokémon that resembled a clown. Luigi tried to attack it, but he ran into an invisible barrier. Confused, he glanced back at the Pokémon; it was making various hand gestures at him. Luigi's ears turned bright red in anger (apparently, he understood sign language), and clenched his teeth; any moment they would've shattered from the rage.

"What did you call my mama!?" Luigi asked, livid.

Through sheer willpower, he leaped through the barrier and tackled the Pokémon to the ground. Sora and Yoshi hurried over to restrain him.

"Le calze di tua marde puzzano!" Luigi shouted in his native language.

"Do I even want to know what he said?" Sora asked.

Yoshi shrugged. "Me couldn't tell. Yoshi no speak Pig Latin."

"Yoshi, that's not…never mind." Sora shook his head in defeat.

Their next battle pitted them against stronger, larger Pokémon. Still, the sheer girth of their teamwork overwhelmed even the most stalwart of adversaries. After obtaining their victory, the crowd went ballistic with excitement. Even Luigi had to admit, it felt good to receive so much attention. It made him feel important again; he could rise from the dark corridors of his brother's shadow.

Sora was enjoying every minute of the tournament. It made him forget his troubles. Although he wished Riku and Kairi were by his side, so they could share this triumphant moment together. But Luigi and Yoshi sufficed; he could never imagine being by himself. Victory was best celebrated with friends, and he hoped to always experience that feeling.

While lounging in the reception area, Professor Oak approached the trio with a pleasant smile. "You three are doing splendidly! Very impressed by the progress you're making. If only he were here to watch your battles; he'd love it!"

"Who's that?" Sora asked.

"Red. He's a world renown Pokémon Champion. Has bested the toughest trainers in battle. There's no other person quite like him. Too bad he's on top of Mt. Silver training his Pokémon."

Intrigue danced on Sora's face. "For what?"

Before Oak could answer, the announcer called for Sora and his friends to proceed towards the ring.

Yoshi rose to his feet with an eager glow in his eyes. "Less talking, more winning!"

Realizing it didn't matter now, Sora followed suit, and they headed for the arena.

"And this is it, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer said. "Whoever wins this match advances to the finals against the mighty Cloud Strife!"

Luigi winced; he wished that last sentence heard was an audio glitch. He almost didn't want to continue; they've watched Cloud's matches, which were over in mere seconds. What chance did they have to even last a minute? Again, he saw that trophy hovering towards his arms. Exhaling, he walked towards the center of the ring.

Waiting for them was a boy younger than Sora. He wore a red baseball cap with a stripe in the middle, green fingerless gloves, and a short sleeved blue vest. Something was unsettling about their opponent; his eyes were concealed by the cap's visor. He stood motionless; there wasn't even a twitch. He was immobile like a tree, ready to ensnare a hapless wanderer into its branches.

"It's Team Gonzales the Second versus Pokémon Trainer Ash," the announcer said. "And with that outfit, Ash seems like a seasoned trainer. Probably knows the name of every Pokémon. What will he have in store for Team Gonzales? Well, why don't we find out right now!"

After the referee announced the match, Sora's group assumed their battle positions. Still, Ash wouldn't budge an inch. Sora wanted to ask if he was okay – only to be interrupted by a familiar sensation crawling through his skin. It was ice cold, making his hairs stand up on end. He knew that feeling anywhere.

Because it was the same chill he felt on his island.

Ash morphed into a purple mass, shrunk in size, and became a Shadow Heartless. The crowd started chattering over each other in complete bafflement. Pikachu let out a soft growl, recognizing the Heartless' repugnant scent. It was like inhaling hot garbage; the smell was so strong that it made you nauseous.

"Aw, man!" Sora said in disappointment. "Not now!"

No one in the audience moved; their minds were overcome with hundreds of questions.

One woman asked, "Who's that Pokémon?"

Flying Heartless appeared parallel to the Shadow. They hissed at the nervous crowd, dialing up their feelings to panic.

"It's…oh, who the heck cares!? RUN!" a man said.

The crowd started to scatter like cockroaches. Fearing the unknown can make the human animal irrational. And right now, they were stumbling over each other, trying to find the exit. The announcer advised everyone to remain calm, but fear had clogged their ears. Only Isabelle remained seated. Pikachu was too concerned about his new friends to abandon them. After all, they answered his call for help; it was wrong not to return the gesture.

Oak was the only one brave enough to run out into the arena.

"What's going on?" Oak asked. "What are those things?"

"Bad news," Sora said. "But leave them to us! Just make sure everyone else is safe! We're not letting a few bad eggs cancel this tournament!"

Oak could see the confidence blazing in Sora's eyes. Given how well they've performed so far, the professor had a feeling these three could defeat these intruders. With a compliant nod, Oak left the arena to assist the staff in getting the crowd under control. Sora prepared his Keyblade for battle.

"You guys are total buzzkills!" Sora said to the Heartless; he was aggravated. "Let us have some fun!"

"And I'm sure they'll take your complaint straight to upper management," Luigi said.

Sora narrowed his eyes in response. "Really? Sarcasm now?"

"Sarcasm always," Luigi said. Sora continued to stare at him. "What!? It's my coping mechanism!"

"Well, let me show you mine then!" Sora leaped into the air and struck down the Shadow.

Fighting the Heartless had become mundane for the group. Especially after battling various Pokémon with unique abilities. The Heartless they fought included the usual roster, and it didn't take long before the last one was slain. Sora sighed; reality had torn open the leisurely room he made for himself; and he hoped to seal that door shut again. He didn't want the tournament to be canceled – not when they were so close to winning the preliminaries.

Unbeknownst to them, Cloud had been watching their fight from within the shadows. His blue eyes glistened in the darkness, studying every detail of its victims. Wordless, he vanished from sight

Sora was relieved to hear that the tournament would resume in an hour. Thanks to Professor Oak and his team, they were able to quell the panic that spilled onto the stadium like ink. The staff even explained that Sora's group was responsible for disposing of the unknown creatures; this made the audience's interest in the trio grow into a garden of admiration. They couldn't wait to see Team Gonzales' next incredible battle.

Once the audience shuffled back into the bleachers, Oak returned to the reception area, where Sora and his friends were sitting in some chairs. Sora dangled both feet in the air, trying to loosen the tension in his lower legs; he was concerned that the Heartless would try to attack again.

"Glad you're okay," Oak said. "I do appreciate your assistance in disposing of those monsters. You didn't have to."

"Well, we've encounter them before," Sora said, "so we know what to do."

"I see," Oak said. "Well, we're not sure how those creatures managed to enter the tournament. Our computers may have been hacked. We're having a team inspect our software right now."

Luigi and Yoshi exchanged nervous looks with each other; any moment their pretense would be unveiled behind a curtain of truth.

Oak noticed their expression. "Are you alright?"

"Of course," Luigi said, feigning innocence. "We're just wondering why someone would do that."

Oak placed both hands in his pockets. "Not the slightest inkling. Who'd want to sabotage our tournament?"

Oak started sorting various possibilities into the cabinet of his mind. But there was a file that stood out in the drawer, and it started filling him with dread. The file was pitch black; a red capital "R" was imprinted on it. He wanted to dismiss that possibility, but every file was soon infected by that one black folder.

"It couldn't possibly be…no!" Oak said in horror. "They've been disbanded for some time now."

"Who?" Yoshi asked.

Oak struggled to squeeze the name through his throat. "Team Rocket. A formal criminal organization devoted to the subjugation of Pokémon. Once captured, they would either bring Pokémon under their control, or sell them for money. Ultimately, they wanted to take over the world, but their leader disappeared not too long ago. They went silent."

A despondent feeling shrunk his stomach into a pebble.

"He couldn't possibly be back," Oak said.

Sora started to wonder if this Team Rocket was controlling the Heartless. If so, was Isabelle's intuition about their results being fabricated correct? Sora grasped at the fabric of his shorts. He hated the idea. It made him feel foolish that he walked into a potential trap. But he tried to justify his reasons; he needed to take his mind off visiting Zebes.

But trying to mask those feelings would never change things. Sometimes you must live with those thoughts. Escapism was like trying to put a bandage on a scar. Sure, it can elevate the issue, but it wouldn't entirely heal. Sora needed to stop lingering on the past's unsolvable problems; he needed to live in the now.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Sor asked.

Oak smiled. "For now, continue the tournament. Keep the crowd entertained so that they'll take their minds of things. We worked so hard to bring this together; shame if all our efforts were in vain."

"Heh, that's easy enough," Sora said.

"Thank you," Oak said. "Obviously, we have to disqualify those creatures since they weren't part of the tournament."

Luigi gasped in horror. "Oh, no! Don't tell me—"

Yoshi lunged for Luigi and embraced him in pure joy.

"We in the finals, baby!"

"Zip a dee doo dah," Luigi said in a flat tone.

"Looks like your trap to dispose that kid failed," Cloud said.

He was in a phone booth, and conveyed this message to Giovanni. On the other end, he was safe and secure in his office. A CEO of a big company would've been jealous of its interior design; a luxurious red carpet; a crystal chandelier hanging overhead; plenty of space for black leather couches and chairs; and a fine woodgrain desk. Attached to the wall were several television monitors displaying his subordinates performing various tasks.

Behind Giovanni was a minibar containing expensive wine. He relaxed in his office chair, spinning around red wine in his glass. Curled up in a pet bed was his Pokémon: a large cat with snow white fur. It purred in content as it peacefully slept.

After hearing what Cloud said, the leader of Team Rocket leaned forward in his chair in thought

He moved the phone away from his lips to mutter, "That boy is a lot stronger than I had anticipated." He talked about into it. "You say he's fighting you in the next round, correct?"

"Yes."

"Good. Dispose of him and his friends. I don't care how; just get it done."

There was a pause on the other end. "The great leader of Team Rocket is afraid of a kid? Sorry, but my contract says—"

"I know!" Giovanni snapped in anger. His Pokémon woke up in surprise. "You think I don't know? I wrote the contract! I'm aware that it says you're only required to eliminate Red in this tournament and capture his Pokémon. But that little brat is all that stands between you and him."

Cloud remained silent. This wasn't part of the deal. He didn't want anybody or anything interfering with his ultimate objective. It was a waste of time, he thought. Giovanni calmed down, took a sip of his wine, and sat back in his chair. The warrior was a great asset to his organization. He didn't want to get him upset.

"I assure you – the boy is no threat. You'd be doing a great service by killing him."

Cloud grunted in discomfort.

"And lighten up already! It's a competition. Even I still enjoy a good battle. Sure, there might be a casually, but don't be concerned. You don't know this kid."

The phone went dead. Giovanni took another sip of the wine to calm his thoughts.

He turned to his Pokémon. "Never encountered such a stick in the mud before, wouldn't you say, boy?"

The Pokémon meowed in response.

"But coming across a gullible fool is a dime a dozen." Giovanni pressed a button on his intercom. "Prepare our backup plan in case things go wrong. We'll have our newest recruits handle this one."

A Pokémon had been imprisoned in a cold, dark room. Sedated drugs pumped through its veins. The creature could barely stand on all fours, and was afraid for its life. It continued to struggle, but was pinned down by the overwhelming narcotic. Unable to fight anymore, it collapsed into an exhausted mess.

Before the Pokémon's consciousness slipped away, it heard sinister laughter echo throughout the room.

The once deserted stadium had been revived with the sounds of cheering fans. Not only were they loud, but Sora could feel the reverberation tremble in his chest. Although he wasn't sure if it was from the audience or the anxiety. He knew Cloud would be their toughest opponent in this competition. His thoughts were engaged in a heated debate over whether they could be victorious.

It seemed almost impossible. But then Sora reminded himself: when did that ever stop me before? His constant scuffles against Riku, in which he always lost, were a testament to his tenacious nature.

Luigi, of course, had no confidence in this fight. But he was still part of the team. He didn't want to back out of it now. Luigi walked along with Yoshi, who was patting him on the back in comfort. The dinosaur sensed his fear. How? Well, maybe it was the frightened flicker in his eyes.

Or maybe it was the nail biting; that might be a more logical explanation.

"No worries, Luigi," Yoshi said. "This just like trip to dentist."

Luigi glared at Yoshi in shock. "What dentist have you been to? The one that removes half your face?"

Sora shook his head in response for their frivolous chatter.

Their conversation was drowned out from the booming voice of the announcer. "Ladies and gentlemen! We have reached the final match of the preliminaries! These two teams have proven to be the best of best! But only one can claim the victory! Who will it be? Combatants, prepare yourselves!"

Sora turned to see Cloud standing before them; his blue eyes remained frozen, fixed on their targets. These three were a minor inconvenience. A waste of space. But he never held back against his foes. What was the point? He had more important matters waiting in the distance, and didn't want to linger.

"I'll give you one chance: surrender," Cloud said.

Sora got into his battle position, holding the Keyblade with a firm grip. The others followed suit, although Luigi was shivering in fear the whole time.

"No way!" Sora said. "We've come this far! Why stop now?"

"Kid, you have no idea what you're getting into," Cloud said, still retaining his calm, emotionless tone. "You couldn't possibly fathom my power."

Sora grinned. "Don't hype yourself up too much. I've seen how you fight."

Cloud couldn't help but smirk. The little puppy was barking back at him. No one else in the tournament had the backbone to stare him straight in the eyes with such fortitude. It almost impressed him.

Almost.

"Even if you have," Cloud said, readying his sword, "you're going to be in for a rude awakening."

"Let the match commence!" the referee said.

"Bring it!" Sora said.

Sora and Luigi launched their Fire Spells at Cloud. He held his giant sword up to catch both attacks. Moving at incredible speeds, he flew right at the group, and kicked Luigi in the stomach, sending him flying across the arena. Next, he brought his blade over the shoulder to deliver a downward strike at the other two. Both Sora and Yoshi leaped back just in time.

Yoshi leaped into the air, preparing to deliver a kick to Cloud's head. The warrior held his blade up to catch the kick. Using his unfathomable arm strength, he pushed Yoshi over his head, and the dinosaur fell onto his stomach. Sora tried to thrust, but Cloud swung his blade in to knock the attack away, making him stagger.

With his opponent stunned, Cloud elbowed Sora straight in the face, and prepared to bring the blade straight down on his spiky head. Sora held the Keyblade up, catching it at the last second. He kneeled over from the powerful force; an incredible tremor trembled throughout Sora's body. But he wasn't going to be intimidated.

Sora mustered enough strength to push Cloud's blade upward, giving him the chance to escape, by rolling to the side. He unleashed another Fire Spell, which Cloud dodged with a calm tilt of his head. Sora rolled forward, planning to sweep the warrior off his feet with the Keyblade. To his dismay, Cloud leaped backwards to avoid getting tripped.

Sora scrambled to his feet as Cloud held the blade over his shoulder. He slammed it straight into the ground, releasing a green blade of energy. Sora was able to unleash his signature spiral attack to counter. Unfortunately, the beams collided near Sora, knocking him onto the ground. Everyone in the audience gasped at the painful sight.

Isabelle stood up to shout his name. Pikachu was terrified for his friend and wanted to help. But everyone was relieved to see him rise to his feet, albeit with minor difficulty. Cloud raised an eyebrow, impressed.

Well, again, almost impressed.

Yoshi hurried over, preparing to ram his head straight into Cloud's hip. The warrior moved out of the way and grabbed the back of Yoshi's neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Luigi running over to help. Cloud forced Yoshi to ram his head straight into Luigi's stomach, knocking them both onto the ground. Luigi felt a burst of air rush out of his mouth from the impact.

Regaining his strength, Sora went on the offense, attacking with a flurry of slashes. Cloud was able to block every strike, despite the size of his sword. After Cloud caught Sora's next attack, he knocked him backwards

Sora pointed the Keyblade at Cloud's feet. "Freeze!"

The Blizzard spell managed to trap Cloud's foot in a block of ice. Surprised, he tried to break free, but was hit in the head by one of Yoshi's egg, stunning him for the moment. After recovering, he spun around, and saw Luigi prepare his charging punch. He just barely got his blade up to block the attack, but the force knocked him backwards. Things got worse for Cloud, as Sora slashed his shoulder.

Cloud winced from the pain; how was he letting himself become vulnerable? His pride hurt worse than the slash. For a while, Cloud went on the defense, warding off a few of their attacks. Other times he felt the force of their strikes. The anger inside of him built. His ultimate desire was vanishing behind a thick fog, and he wasn't going to lose sight of it.

He unleashed a powerful strike that knocked the three backwards. Cloud closed his eyes, earthed out a burst of energy from within his soul, and unleashed a series of high-speed thrusts that were unavoidable. The group did their best to defend themselves, but they had trouble following his movements, and felt Cloud's sharp strikes.

However, they saw an opening, as Cloud paused to charge one final attack. Luigi and Yoshi press their hands against Sora' back, and he held the Keyblade up to catch the strike; they had become a mountain, standing in the warrior's path. Cloud gritted his teeth; aggravation rustled around in his chest like seeds.

With all their might, they pushed him away, and Sora slashed his chest. Cloud clutched it in pain. He leaned over, feeling actual fatigue. Of course, Sora and his friends were in a worse position. They struggled to stay on their feet. Every fiber in their being pleaded for rest. But Cloud persevered, and stood up straight, although he still felt tired.

He was unable to process everything that had transpired. It felt like a practical joke. What's worse, his opponents were still standing! Was Giovanni right to be concerned with them?

Sora turned to his friends with a weak smile. "Not sure how much longer I can last."

"Same here," Yoshi said.

Between catching their breath, they heard encouraging hollers from the audience, and it was only for them. Whatever happened next, they were content with being the crowd favorite.

"What do you say guys?" Sora asked. "If we're going to go out, let's go out big. All for one?"

"And one for all," Luigi said.

Professor Oak hurried out into the stadium; age had not been kind to him, as he felt needles of pain prickle his legs. But this was important; he needed to stop the match.

Something else, however, made him stop dead in his tracks in complete horror.

"Cloud, behind you!" Oak exclaimed.

Cloud turned around, only to be greeted by an incredible burst of fire. For the first time since they met him, he screamed from the intense attack, and felt the intense flames consume his fair skin. When it died down, he collapsed onto the ground; his mind sunk into unconscious quicksand.

Sora followed the trail of fire to find the culprit. Standing opposite of them was a leonine Pokémon with brown fur and a long gray mane running along its back. The mane looked akin to a cloud; any second it would grow pitch black and unleash an unrelenting storm upon the crowd. Resting on his head was a strange metal plate.

Everyone in the crowd remained silent with fear; they weren't sure how it was going to respond. Upon uttering an ear shattering roar, their answer was apparent. Once again, the crowd scattered like frightened ants. Pikachu found himself dodging trampling feet, as he still refused to leave his new friends' side.

The lion Pokémon approached its pray with slow, large steps. Its soft growls rumbled in the wind.

"Good kitty," Luigi said, trepid. "Nice little kitty that won't burn us into a crisp."

The Pokémon prepared to launch another fire attack from its mouth. Sora's fatigued muscles refused to cooperate. He wasn't ready to defend himself. The world around him started to shatter like a perfect picture being hit by a baseball. This day had turned into a disaster again. Before the creature could attack, however, a light orange blur rammed straight into its side, knocking it into a wall.

Sora shook his head, as if unable to register what just happened. Then, a giant dragon-like creature with orange skin, a tan underbelly, massive blue wings, and a long neck landed in front of them. Riding on the dragon was a boy similar in age to Sora. He wore a red cap with a black shirt, which was covered by a red sleeveless vest, and light blue jeans.

"You guys okay?" the boy asked.

Sora, still stunned, managed to say, "Uh-huh."

"Red!" Oak shouted. "Thank goodness!"

"Professor, get them out of here!" Red said.

"Most sensible person I've met today!" Luigi said. "Ciao!"

Everyone but Sora hurried for the exit. He watched as the lion creature rose to its feet. Red commanded his Pokémon to attack, and the two engaged in a fierce battle. Flames danced around the stadium from their amazing power. Sora almost didn't want to leave; his helpful nature was starting to tug at his arm.

But the exhaustion in his body tackled those feelings to the ground. He needed to recuperate. With a defeated sigh, he exited the arena, hoping that his decision would not melt in the flames that started consuming the stadium.

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