| GCB Fanfics: The Fanfiction Project |
June 23rd, 2003Sixty-four contestants, all heros in their own minds. One winner. Didn't I already do this gig? Max Payne thought to himself. The competition looked even stiffer than last year. Word had spread about the tournament since its last showing, and attracted some high profile new participants, which was made up by the fact that some of the last year's contestants were too humiliated to return. As for himself, he'd cleaned up in one battle, and had nothing to lose by trying again. It had shaken his confidence though. Like many of the competitors, they'd all believed themselves to be unbeatable-but when faced with an opponent with abilities and experience as widely ranged as theirs... well, someone has to lose. One winner, and sixty-three losers. Max once again turned to study the winner of last year's tournament, as many of the participants had. A hyrulian named Link. He seemed so young and helpless in comparison to some of the other fighters... but it just goes to show you, can't underestimate anyone. And you don't count a man out who's fighting for all he has. And that goes for me as well... Max turned again. One of the few female fighters sat on a rock in the middle of a field, polishing her guns. She hardly seemed interested in male company, and had proven to have a short fuse, and the weaponry to make good on a threat. Max smiled to himself. Well, let's see if I've still got it. "Nice guns." The woman's eyes looked up, and narrowed. "The name is Lara Croft. And you are?" "Max Payne." Great, an icicle in woman's clothing. It's not like I wanted a real conversation anyway. She gave him and his pistol a once over, and nodded. "And what do you want?" Max decided against being cordial and offering a duel, or a chance to sharpen their skills. Detachment can't hide you from the world forever. Might as well crack that shell. Max smiled sardonically. "So, ever heard of TJF?" ---- Magus watched from a distance as two of the contestants minced words. He had little respect for the gunfighters. Crono had annihilated several of their greatest before, including the woman who was currently being mocked by the stranger named Max Payne. The fighters had skill enough with their weapons, but lacked the flexibility of a true warrior like himself. If he had only his scythe they might be a threat-but all the ammunition, weapons, and tools in the world could not match the power of the elemental forces. Pure darkness was at his command. And yet, they still try. Why must the weak fight impossible battles? But that had applied to him as well. There was a time when he saw Lavos as undefeatable-no more. The fighters regained his attention when the female flipped her pistols into her hand and pointed them at Max's head. "Well, it's been lovely, but I've had enough of a chat for now." Oddly enough, the male fighter did not move. His face bespoke mild amusement, and concentration. He was a man you did not cross under most circumstances, and he clearly wasn't intimidated by the woman who was in a position to blow his head off. Max took a step backwards. "About time you got serious." He pulled his pistol out in a smooth motion. This caught Magus's interest. All of the entrants had agreed not to harm the contest by eliminating any one else before the matches began-this could possibly wipe out one of his adversaries. "You'll live, but hopefully this'll teach you some manners," Lara calmly said. She held her pistols straight, then let loose a volley towards his chest. Magus had just enough time to see Max smile... then in a blur of motion, he turned and dived out of the way of fire. Impressive, but I sense something odd... Magus thought. Lara snorted, but turned to face him, her guns firing in from both sides so he couldn't dodge out of the way. Magus watched as Max seemed to bend, twist, and duck his way through her shower of bullets. He's just toying with her, Magus realized. Lara emptied her clip and stared in disbelief as Max smirked at her through the smoke. He raised his pistol and in two clean shots knocked the guns out of her hands. She looked him in the eye. "If I'd had any heavy weaponry, you'd be dead you know." "Yeah, well I didn't want you breaking the rules." He continued to smirk. "See you around." Magus realized what he had sensed about the gunfighter named Max. One didn't do as much time traveling as he had without becoming attuned to certain aspects of the temporal plane... he stopped Max as he was walking away. "Time Manipulation. An impressive trick." Max looked at the stranger in surprise. How does he know...? No use lying. "Something like that. I can focus to a certain extent... hard to explain..." Magus nodded. "It'll get you far among these cretins." Max began to feel a little uncomfortable as the dark wizard sized him up. "Don't think it can save you from everything though." Max nodded. His mind flashed back to the fight with Scorpion. All the time in the world hadn't been enough to save him from a martial artist whose powers went beyond what he had believed to be possible. "I'll do what I can." Max said, as he looked the wizard in the eye. "None of us are invincible. Only fools and cowards back down from a challenge greater than themselves. It's better to go down in flames than walk away and wonder what you could have done." Magus nodded, and began to walk away. "Good luck fighter." Max returned the greeting. "Good luck to you too." Max shivered a little. A creepy sort of wind seemed to follow the wizard as he left. Well, that was interesting. I'm glad I won't be seeing him in the arena for a while. Next Entry Back |