Chakra Wizard
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Upon entering the mess hall, Pit immediately noticed that the volume of the room was much higher than its average level from throughout the day. Oddly enough, however, despite the decent number of brawlers present in the room, he only had to point the finger at two of them, in particular. In contrast to the other competitions going on between brawlers throughout the corridors, the one that Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong were engaged in was far more childish. Having taken a banana in each of their hands, the apes were now partaking in a makeshift war, which Diddy seemed to be winning. Walking over to the other brawlers on the opposite side of the room, among which were Ike, Link, and Meta Knight, Pit grabbed a tray of food and sat down with them to watch the madness in front of them. Noticing the angel's presence, Ike spoke out to him.
"Did the match go well?"
Looking across the table, Pit responded in confusion.
"Did the results not come through the speakers?"
"Hmm...I suppose I wasn't paying attention."
Pit looked back at Donkey Kong, who had apparently just been "shot", and chuckled before responding.
"I suppose I can't blame you for it. I won, though I say it was my own luck."
Meta Knight joined in the conversation.
"Luck is a factor for all of us here. Be assured that you are one of many. I assume that Wolf was rather...disappointed about his loss?"
Thinking back to his actions at the arena and in the hallway, Pit thought about it for a moment.
"I'm sure we all feel disappointment at a loss, though I fear his was greater than what mine would have been."
Deciding to change the subject, he redirected their attention back to the insanity in front of them.
"Exactly when did they start doing this?"
Ike gave him a simple answer.
"Not too long after your match began. And quite frankly, I think this match would've been far more entertaining to watch."
Pit looked back at the two apes, the smaller of which was now standing on top of the other.
"Who knows, Ike? This could very well happen later in the tournament."
Meta Knight spoke up yet again.
"That seems highly unlikely."
Ike looked over at him in question.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because Donkey Kong is losing."
The three burst into laughter, though in the back of their minds, they were well aware that anything could happen at the Smash.
On the other end of the corridors, the training room was now occupied by only four brawlers. Marth and Roy were practicing with their swords in one end of the room, while Fox and Falco continued their competition at the shooting area, no longer accompanied by Samus, Wolf, and Pit. As they walked over to reload their guns, they talked about the results of the previous match and their own matches to come.
"Wolf's probably punching through a wall right now, eh Fox?"
"C'mon, Falco. We both know that the outcome of that match could've been very different had that bet not been placed."
"Yeah yeah, I know. So, who you think you're goin' up against?"
Fox pictured the remaining brawlers in his head before responding.
"Hard to say. I wouldn't mind facing you or Link, though I'd prefer to go up against someone I know I can defeat. The more difficult opponents can wait for tomorrow as far as I'm concerned."
"Is that right? Well, whose left that you know you can defeat?"
"Hmm...actually, now that I think of it, you'd probably fall in that category."
His long-time friend and teammate gave him a friendly nudge on the shoulder.
"Yeah, whatever. I figured you would point out Diddy among all the others."
"Well, you can't be too sure of that, man. Anything can happen here, don't forget that. I wouldn't surprised if-"
The two found their conversations cut short by the sound of Peach's voice echoing through the corridors.
"The first day of the tournament is almost at an end, but the brawls are not yet over. Our next match-up is going to be...Falco Lombardi and Diddy Kong!"
Slowly turning back towards Falco, Fox completed his sentence.
"...you had to face him next."
Falco rolled his eyes before putting his gun away and heading for the hallway.
"Seriously, Fox. As if that was actually what you were about to say. Whatever, man. I'll be right back."
"Good luck."
Stopping short of the door, he looked back at his old companion.
"Really, dude? You think I need-"
"Yes, I do actually."
They looked onward of each other for a short moment before Fox continued.
"Nobody's guaranteed anything here, Falco. Trust me, I've been here longer than most. You could just as easily lose as you could win. Don't forget that."
Rolling his eyes in arrogance once again, Falco turned around and headed for the arena.
"Okay, got it. Sheesh."
Moments later, the next two brawlers found themselves walking across the bridgeway to the center arena. Looking over at Diddy, whose excitement over his first appearance at the Smash was clearly showing, Falco smirked and thought about his own good fortune.
"Man, this is going to be way too easy."
As they took their positions and the referee moved closer to the stadium, Diddy's true colors suddenly became apparent, having turned from greatly excited to deeply terrified. Falco took note of this and instantly began picturing his own victory as if it was already fated to happen. There was no turning back for Diddy now.
"3, 2, 1, GO!"
Intending to end this match as quickly as possible, Falco pulled out his gun and began rapidly shooting it at the young ape. His body still tense from his overwhelming excitement, Diddy hesitated and felt the full force of the multiple shots. Watching him fall to the ground, Falco put his gun away to give him a short chance to recover, knowing that his mind was hardly in condition to battle. Certainly enough, Diddy still found the reality of his situation almost difficult to believe. He had dreamed so long of his admission into this tournament, getting the chance to fight alongside Donkey Kong and many other great brawlers from across several worlds, but despite the excitement he had felt throughout the entire first day, his self-doubt had finally begun to emerge when it mattered the most.
"I shouldn't be here. These are the best fighters in the world. What chance do I have against them?"
Lifting his back off the ground, he sat there for a short time and looked over at Falco, who was waiting almost impatiently for the ape to get into the right state of mind. Falco couldn't really blame him, though. He knew all too well that his own cockiness was the only reason that he didn't feel the same tension during his first match, but he wasn't about to waste his own time allowing his young opponent to muster up his own feeling of confidence.
"Hey, Diddy. I don't blame ya for feelin' a little weezy, but I suggest you get your act together now. I don't have all day here."
Though put somewhat harshly, Diddy understood Falco's point and stood up. Nodding to his veteran opponent to assure him of his readiness, he pulled out a small wooden device and began building its power. Seeing what he was holding, Falco couldn't but let out a laugh, causing him to hesitate. Seconds later, he saw a small round object rapidly protude from the wooden contraption. In an attempt to decipher its identity, he continued to postpone his counterattack.
"What is that a...peanut?"
No sooner had he said the word that the nut lodged itself in the center of his forehead, sending him pummeling to the ground. As he got up, Diddy pulled out a second peanut popgun and aimed them both at Falco. Seeing that he had decent firepower at his disposal, he quickly pulled out his own blaster as Diddy fired both of his own. Quickly using his more advanced firearm to reflect the two shots, he grinned at the young ape with a sense of humor and satisfaction.
"Heh heh, talk about two by four technology. We got ourselves a shootout, little buddy."
Instantly sensing each others' intentions to begin firing, they started simultaneously, moving quickly as they did to avoid being hit. As the firing continued on, it became apparent that Diddy's aim was more precise than Falco's, forcing him to waste most of his own shots to reflect those of his surprisingly skilled opponent. Strengthening his annoyance even further, however, was the recoil that the peanuts seemed to inflict on his ammunition.
"That's just ridiculous. It's bad enough that I can't hit him, but would it kill these stupid lasers to at least pass through a dang peanut!? It's one thing when I gotta shoot an extra time or two to get through a guy's armor, but a peanut should be like shooting through air."
While he attempted to solve this riddle in his head, he failed to realize that Diddy was slowly moving closer to him. Noticing the indifferent look on his face, Diddy realized this, as well. Quickly deciding to make his move, he lunged forward, unaware that Falco's mind was already back in the match and he was well aware of his tactics. Before Diddy could even lay his hands on him, he instantly felt a sharp pain cut across his chest and Falco was on the other side of the arena, his gun at the ready. As soon as Diddy caught his footing again, the pilot fired multiple shots at the young ape, all of which hit him directly in the back. Falling back to the ground in pain, the argument he was having with himself earlier resurfaced again in his mind.
"Yikes, that stings like you wouldn't believe! Back on the ground, helpless as a banana...go figure."
Putting his blaster away, Falco began moving toward Diddy with intentions to end the match, either by his opponent's forfeit or forcing him over the arena's edge.
"This sucks. And after what I promised DK..."
Thinking back to the grand statement that he made to his old friend, as well as the utter disappointment he would probably feel if he didn't follow through with it, his persona instantly changed.
"I'll see you in the finals, big guy."
Hearing Falco's slow approach, he decided to wait it out, hoping to outsmart him.
"Hey, Diddy. I take it from the fact that you aren't up yet that that probably hurt quite a bit. We can make this easy or tough, but that's up to you. Just forfeit, man. That'll save you any more pain and me any more time. There's nothing wrong with waving the flag as far as I'm concerned."
"Oo ee aa ah!?" ("Then why don't you do it!?")
While he obviously didn't understand Diddy's language, Falco certainly had no problem comprehending the basic message he was trying to get across. After breathing a deep sigh, he reached his hand out to grab the ape.
"I guess it's the hard way, then."
Before he could lay a hand on him though, the small backpack that Diddy had been carrying on his back the entire match began to shake. Seconds later, two small barrels erupted from either side.
"Ah ah ee ee oooo!?" ("Diggin' the rocket barrels there, Falco!?")
In an instant, flames began burst through the bottom of each barrel and Diddy began propelling forward. Once he was out of Falco's reach, he flipped his body around and pulled out his peanut popguns, firing them as he did. The first peanut hit Falco in his beak, while the second found itself lodged in his forehead once again, causing Falco to fall back to the ground in pain and disbelief, clutching his beak as he did.
"Oh, come on! What is it with you and shooting people in the face!?"
As he got back to his feet, however, he found himself being gripped by Diddy as the latter flew in the opposite direction towards the edge of the arena, much to Falco's dismay.
"You wouldn't!"
"Ee ee ah oo oo oh ah ah!" ("Oh, yes I would!")
Sure enough, the two soon found themselves propelling over the dark abyss of the colliseum and, once they were at a point where Falco would be unable to make a mid-air jump to safety, Diddy dropped him into the darkness, inciting cheers from the crowd. His job now done, he proceeded to steer his rockets back towards the arena, only to be stopped by their sudden hindrance in function, which left him to plummet into the abyss along with his opponent. The crowd's cheers silenced as they waited for the two brawlers to return. Moments later, two hoverboards made their way back onto the stadium, carrying Falco and Diddy, as the referee moved in to announce the results.
"By default, the first brawler to pass the line of no return loses the match. As a result, the winner is...Diddy Kong!"
The cheers returned, stronger than before, as Falco stood up in disappointment and walked over to Diddy, who was still overwhelmed by the fact that he won his first match.
"Nice job. Don't expect it to happen again next time we end up in the arena together."
Holding out his feathered hand, Diddy cheerfully grabbed it in his own.
"Aa ah!" ("Wouldn't count on it!")
Smiling, the two proceeded back into the corridors, intending to head for the mess hall. Upon walking through the doors, however, Falco found himself in the company of his teammate, who bore a look of self-satisfaction on his face. Smirking and shaking his head, Falco proceeded to walk with him back to the mess hall.
"Well?"
"Okay, Fox! So, you're right sometimes. I'll give him my all next time."
As they began drifting into less match-affiliated conversation, Peach began speaking from outside.
"We're now one step closer to the end of the first day, but we're far from done. Our next match will be between...Ike and Meta Knight!"
Moments later, the two friends made their way into the mess hall as the next two brawlers made their way out. Exchanging wishes of good fortune with the two of them as they passed, the veteran pilots grabbed a tray and some food, intent to continue their conversation over dinner. They proceeded to sit down beside Marth, who called out to Falco.
"I apologize for your loss, my friend."
"Eh, it don't matter. If not to the little one, then surely the big one would've done me in."
Understanding his point, the prince looked across the table to Link as he responded.
"Quite true. Some of us here do seem to be quite outmatched by others."
Hoping to change the subject, Fox addressed him in regards to Ike.
"So, do you have high hopes for your friend?"
"I hardly ever need to hope for the man. What his blade's movements lack for in speed, they are replaced by raw power. Even the winged swordsman should pose no threat to him."
He would later prove to be correct.
Chapter 9 - Bird of Prey
Upon entering the mess hall, Pit immediately noticed that the volume of the room was much higher than its average level from throughout the day. Oddly enough, however, despite the decent number of brawlers present in the room, he only had to point the finger at two of them, in particular. In contrast to the other competitions going on between brawlers throughout the corridors, the one that Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong were engaged in was far more childish. Having taken a banana in each of their hands, the apes were now partaking in a makeshift war, which Diddy seemed to be winning. Walking over to the other brawlers on the opposite side of the room, among which were Ike, Link, and Meta Knight, Pit grabbed a tray of food and sat down with them to watch the madness in front of them. Noticing the angel's presence, Ike spoke out to him.
"Did the match go well?"
Looking across the table, Pit responded in confusion.
"Did the results not come through the speakers?"
"Hmm...I suppose I wasn't paying attention."
Pit looked back at Donkey Kong, who had apparently just been "shot", and chuckled before responding.
"I suppose I can't blame you for it. I won, though I say it was my own luck."
Meta Knight joined in the conversation.
"Luck is a factor for all of us here. Be assured that you are one of many. I assume that Wolf was rather...disappointed about his loss?"
Thinking back to his actions at the arena and in the hallway, Pit thought about it for a moment.
"I'm sure we all feel disappointment at a loss, though I fear his was greater than what mine would have been."
Deciding to change the subject, he redirected their attention back to the insanity in front of them.
"Exactly when did they start doing this?"
Ike gave him a simple answer.
"Not too long after your match began. And quite frankly, I think this match would've been far more entertaining to watch."
Pit looked back at the two apes, the smaller of which was now standing on top of the other.
"Who knows, Ike? This could very well happen later in the tournament."
Meta Knight spoke up yet again.
"That seems highly unlikely."
Ike looked over at him in question.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because Donkey Kong is losing."
The three burst into laughter, though in the back of their minds, they were well aware that anything could happen at the Smash.
On the other end of the corridors, the training room was now occupied by only four brawlers. Marth and Roy were practicing with their swords in one end of the room, while Fox and Falco continued their competition at the shooting area, no longer accompanied by Samus, Wolf, and Pit. As they walked over to reload their guns, they talked about the results of the previous match and their own matches to come.
"Wolf's probably punching through a wall right now, eh Fox?"
"C'mon, Falco. We both know that the outcome of that match could've been very different had that bet not been placed."
"Yeah yeah, I know. So, who you think you're goin' up against?"
Fox pictured the remaining brawlers in his head before responding.
"Hard to say. I wouldn't mind facing you or Link, though I'd prefer to go up against someone I know I can defeat. The more difficult opponents can wait for tomorrow as far as I'm concerned."
"Is that right? Well, whose left that you know you can defeat?"
"Hmm...actually, now that I think of it, you'd probably fall in that category."
His long-time friend and teammate gave him a friendly nudge on the shoulder.
"Yeah, whatever. I figured you would point out Diddy among all the others."
"Well, you can't be too sure of that, man. Anything can happen here, don't forget that. I wouldn't surprised if-"
The two found their conversations cut short by the sound of Peach's voice echoing through the corridors.
"The first day of the tournament is almost at an end, but the brawls are not yet over. Our next match-up is going to be...Falco Lombardi and Diddy Kong!"
Slowly turning back towards Falco, Fox completed his sentence.
"...you had to face him next."
Falco rolled his eyes before putting his gun away and heading for the hallway.
"Seriously, Fox. As if that was actually what you were about to say. Whatever, man. I'll be right back."
"Good luck."
Stopping short of the door, he looked back at his old companion.
"Really, dude? You think I need-"
"Yes, I do actually."
They looked onward of each other for a short moment before Fox continued.
"Nobody's guaranteed anything here, Falco. Trust me, I've been here longer than most. You could just as easily lose as you could win. Don't forget that."
Rolling his eyes in arrogance once again, Falco turned around and headed for the arena.
"Okay, got it. Sheesh."
Moments later, the next two brawlers found themselves walking across the bridgeway to the center arena. Looking over at Diddy, whose excitement over his first appearance at the Smash was clearly showing, Falco smirked and thought about his own good fortune.
"Man, this is going to be way too easy."
As they took their positions and the referee moved closer to the stadium, Diddy's true colors suddenly became apparent, having turned from greatly excited to deeply terrified. Falco took note of this and instantly began picturing his own victory as if it was already fated to happen. There was no turning back for Diddy now.
"3, 2, 1, GO!"
Intending to end this match as quickly as possible, Falco pulled out his gun and began rapidly shooting it at the young ape. His body still tense from his overwhelming excitement, Diddy hesitated and felt the full force of the multiple shots. Watching him fall to the ground, Falco put his gun away to give him a short chance to recover, knowing that his mind was hardly in condition to battle. Certainly enough, Diddy still found the reality of his situation almost difficult to believe. He had dreamed so long of his admission into this tournament, getting the chance to fight alongside Donkey Kong and many other great brawlers from across several worlds, but despite the excitement he had felt throughout the entire first day, his self-doubt had finally begun to emerge when it mattered the most.
"I shouldn't be here. These are the best fighters in the world. What chance do I have against them?"
Lifting his back off the ground, he sat there for a short time and looked over at Falco, who was waiting almost impatiently for the ape to get into the right state of mind. Falco couldn't really blame him, though. He knew all too well that his own cockiness was the only reason that he didn't feel the same tension during his first match, but he wasn't about to waste his own time allowing his young opponent to muster up his own feeling of confidence.
"Hey, Diddy. I don't blame ya for feelin' a little weezy, but I suggest you get your act together now. I don't have all day here."
Though put somewhat harshly, Diddy understood Falco's point and stood up. Nodding to his veteran opponent to assure him of his readiness, he pulled out a small wooden device and began building its power. Seeing what he was holding, Falco couldn't but let out a laugh, causing him to hesitate. Seconds later, he saw a small round object rapidly protude from the wooden contraption. In an attempt to decipher its identity, he continued to postpone his counterattack.
"What is that a...peanut?"
No sooner had he said the word that the nut lodged itself in the center of his forehead, sending him pummeling to the ground. As he got up, Diddy pulled out a second peanut popgun and aimed them both at Falco. Seeing that he had decent firepower at his disposal, he quickly pulled out his own blaster as Diddy fired both of his own. Quickly using his more advanced firearm to reflect the two shots, he grinned at the young ape with a sense of humor and satisfaction.
"Heh heh, talk about two by four technology. We got ourselves a shootout, little buddy."
Instantly sensing each others' intentions to begin firing, they started simultaneously, moving quickly as they did to avoid being hit. As the firing continued on, it became apparent that Diddy's aim was more precise than Falco's, forcing him to waste most of his own shots to reflect those of his surprisingly skilled opponent. Strengthening his annoyance even further, however, was the recoil that the peanuts seemed to inflict on his ammunition.
"That's just ridiculous. It's bad enough that I can't hit him, but would it kill these stupid lasers to at least pass through a dang peanut!? It's one thing when I gotta shoot an extra time or two to get through a guy's armor, but a peanut should be like shooting through air."
While he attempted to solve this riddle in his head, he failed to realize that Diddy was slowly moving closer to him. Noticing the indifferent look on his face, Diddy realized this, as well. Quickly deciding to make his move, he lunged forward, unaware that Falco's mind was already back in the match and he was well aware of his tactics. Before Diddy could even lay his hands on him, he instantly felt a sharp pain cut across his chest and Falco was on the other side of the arena, his gun at the ready. As soon as Diddy caught his footing again, the pilot fired multiple shots at the young ape, all of which hit him directly in the back. Falling back to the ground in pain, the argument he was having with himself earlier resurfaced again in his mind.
"Yikes, that stings like you wouldn't believe! Back on the ground, helpless as a banana...go figure."
Putting his blaster away, Falco began moving toward Diddy with intentions to end the match, either by his opponent's forfeit or forcing him over the arena's edge.
"This sucks. And after what I promised DK..."
Thinking back to the grand statement that he made to his old friend, as well as the utter disappointment he would probably feel if he didn't follow through with it, his persona instantly changed.
"I'll see you in the finals, big guy."
Hearing Falco's slow approach, he decided to wait it out, hoping to outsmart him.
"Hey, Diddy. I take it from the fact that you aren't up yet that that probably hurt quite a bit. We can make this easy or tough, but that's up to you. Just forfeit, man. That'll save you any more pain and me any more time. There's nothing wrong with waving the flag as far as I'm concerned."
"Oo ee aa ah!?" ("Then why don't you do it!?")
While he obviously didn't understand Diddy's language, Falco certainly had no problem comprehending the basic message he was trying to get across. After breathing a deep sigh, he reached his hand out to grab the ape.
"I guess it's the hard way, then."
Before he could lay a hand on him though, the small backpack that Diddy had been carrying on his back the entire match began to shake. Seconds later, two small barrels erupted from either side.
"Ah ah ee ee oooo!?" ("Diggin' the rocket barrels there, Falco!?")
In an instant, flames began burst through the bottom of each barrel and Diddy began propelling forward. Once he was out of Falco's reach, he flipped his body around and pulled out his peanut popguns, firing them as he did. The first peanut hit Falco in his beak, while the second found itself lodged in his forehead once again, causing Falco to fall back to the ground in pain and disbelief, clutching his beak as he did.
"Oh, come on! What is it with you and shooting people in the face!?"
As he got back to his feet, however, he found himself being gripped by Diddy as the latter flew in the opposite direction towards the edge of the arena, much to Falco's dismay.
"You wouldn't!"
"Ee ee ah oo oo oh ah ah!" ("Oh, yes I would!")
Sure enough, the two soon found themselves propelling over the dark abyss of the colliseum and, once they were at a point where Falco would be unable to make a mid-air jump to safety, Diddy dropped him into the darkness, inciting cheers from the crowd. His job now done, he proceeded to steer his rockets back towards the arena, only to be stopped by their sudden hindrance in function, which left him to plummet into the abyss along with his opponent. The crowd's cheers silenced as they waited for the two brawlers to return. Moments later, two hoverboards made their way back onto the stadium, carrying Falco and Diddy, as the referee moved in to announce the results.
"By default, the first brawler to pass the line of no return loses the match. As a result, the winner is...Diddy Kong!"
The cheers returned, stronger than before, as Falco stood up in disappointment and walked over to Diddy, who was still overwhelmed by the fact that he won his first match.
"Nice job. Don't expect it to happen again next time we end up in the arena together."
Holding out his feathered hand, Diddy cheerfully grabbed it in his own.
"Aa ah!" ("Wouldn't count on it!")
Smiling, the two proceeded back into the corridors, intending to head for the mess hall. Upon walking through the doors, however, Falco found himself in the company of his teammate, who bore a look of self-satisfaction on his face. Smirking and shaking his head, Falco proceeded to walk with him back to the mess hall.
"Well?"
"Okay, Fox! So, you're right sometimes. I'll give him my all next time."
As they began drifting into less match-affiliated conversation, Peach began speaking from outside.
"We're now one step closer to the end of the first day, but we're far from done. Our next match will be between...Ike and Meta Knight!"
Moments later, the two friends made their way into the mess hall as the next two brawlers made their way out. Exchanging wishes of good fortune with the two of them as they passed, the veteran pilots grabbed a tray and some food, intent to continue their conversation over dinner. They proceeded to sit down beside Marth, who called out to Falco.
"I apologize for your loss, my friend."
"Eh, it don't matter. If not to the little one, then surely the big one would've done me in."
Understanding his point, the prince looked across the table to Link as he responded.
"Quite true. Some of us here do seem to be quite outmatched by others."
Hoping to change the subject, Fox addressed him in regards to Ike.
"So, do you have high hopes for your friend?"
"I hardly ever need to hope for the man. What his blade's movements lack for in speed, they are replaced by raw power. Even the winged swordsman should pose no threat to him."
He would later prove to be correct.
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