| GCB Fanfics: The Fanfiction Project |
July 10th, 2003Preshow The day of his match felt like any other day to Auron. Maybe it was because he had fought in so many battles during his life, and his afterlife, that he was not excited about this one. Or maybe it was because his opponent was a child. He had heard many of his fellow competitor's opinions already; they felt he was a lock to win the match. The other two men standing with him in Nook's shop shared that opinion. Auron couldn't say he disagreed with any of them, he just felt it unwise to underestimate any opponent. "So, you think you'll be ready to face me in the next round, old timer?" Asked Cloud, the spikey-haired young man that Auron had made acquaintances with at the beginning of this tournament. Coincidentally, Cloud would be his competition in the next round. "More than ready." Auron replied, coolly, confidently. "Right after you get done chopping up that two-tailed Fox into bits, right?" Inquired the third man, the one in the emerald-colored combat suit, known only as Master Chief. "Yeah, that little kid shouldn't be much trouble." Cloud added, nodding in agreement. "I never underestimate my opponents. Not only would it hinder me in the fight, it would be dishonorable not to give an opponent the proper respect he or she deserves." Auron told the man with a sternness in his voice that rivaled even the most domineering personality. The three men continued to look through Nook's selection of weapons, not really planning to buy anything, just doing something to pass the time. "Opponent? Heh. He's just a little kid for crying out loud. Maybe you are getting senile in your old age," scoffed the marine, jokingly. Auron stared right into the man's bronze visor, attempting to stare him in the eye, but ended up staring back at his own sunglasses. He raised an eyebrow and maybe if he were his younger self, he would have taken extreme offense to that "senile" comment. "You have not studied your opponents well, Chief. Young Prower, from what I have seen, is-" Auron was interrupted, suddenly, by someone clearing their throat behind him, purposely trying to interrupt. "Did I hear you guys right? Were you all talking about my little buddy Tails?" The three men turned around and looked down slightly, focusing on the blue form of Sonic the Hedgehog. All three men knew him well. He had probably caused the most ruckus out of any of the other contestants...and apparently, from the not-too-happy expression on his face, he had overheard their conversation. "I don't recall you being included in this conversation, Sonic," muttered Cloud, who seemed deeply annoyed just by the hedgehog's presence. "I don't recall caring." Retorted Sonic, with a smart-alecky grin stretched across his face. "What was your name again? Clod?" Cloud grumbled. "For the last time, my name is CLOUD. CLOUD. Not Clod!" Cloud's face turned red slightly in frustration. Apparently Sonic had called him Clod before. "Sorry buddy, you look like a Clod." Sonic just couldn't stand still while he was talking either. He had to dart back and forth between the men, behind the men, who were moving their heads quickly just to keep up with him. Sonic stopped in front of Master Chief. "And what was your name? Master Chump? What'd you do to your parents to deserve THAT name?" Master Chief just looked down at the hedgehog through his visor, tapping at the rifle he had strapped to his side. "Two quick shots is all I need, Hedgehog." Sonic darted again, this time behind Master Chief. Sonic bent over and inspected the gun, even flicking the safety on and off a few times. Before Master Chief could react, Sonic had darted away and was back in front of him again. "Looks like you're a little too slow to hit anything, Chump. I bet even the old guy could dodge your fire." Auron had just watched the whole scene, not adding anything to it, with a sardonic grin on his face. This was mildly entertaining. In terms of cockiness, the hedgehog had these two men beat by leaps and bounds. "I look forward to facing your young friend in the next round, Sonic. As I was just telling these two, before you interrupted us, Tails is brave beyond his years and should prove to be...adequate competition." Sonic darted back over to Auron and stood right next to him, leaning against his mid-section. "Oh, he'll be more than adequate, old man. He's got something that'll kick your butt any day of the week." Sonic darted back over to the entrance of the shop. "Anyway, I can't stick around you guys too long. Too much of a loser vibe in here. Chump, Clod. I'll be seeing you guys later." With a quick wave and a wink, Sonic was out the door in a flash. "Man, that hedgehog is annoying." Cloud said coldly. "Looks like someone is going to have to teach him some respect." Auron looked over at Cloud, still amused. "To him, what your were saying about his friend was an insult. You would react in a similar fashion if someone were speaking of Aeris or Sora the same way, wouldn't you?" And Cloud just nodded reluctantly, agreeing with Auron as the three men left the store to head towards the arena. ---- Tails awaited the match nervously in his locker room, alone. He was staring at something that looked like a vehicle under a large, grey sheet. The thing that he had built for this fight at Sonic's suggestion. He hoped it would work. He wasn't even sure if he'd wanted to use it, but seeing CATS use his machines the way he did, and Ratchet use his weapons, he figured it would be okay. Tails looked up as he heard footsteps walking into his room. It was Mega Man, someone who Tails had befriended in the days leading up to the tournament. Mega had also given Tails a hand in building this thing. "Hey, Tails, just wanted to say...uhh...good luck before your match! Hope this thing works out all right!" Tails said thanks and goodbye as Mega Man left to go to his seat. The match was only a few minutes away. From the sound of it, it seemed as if Mega Man doubted he could win this match at all. Not many people thought Tails could win this match. Mega Man; even though he was a good friend and helped him with his invention, Mega Man had always avoided the subject of predicting who would win. The only person that really believed in Tails was Sonic. That...that was more than enough for Tails. Just thinking about his best friend, his role model, made him swell with pride. Even if he didn't have a chance to win this match, he would still do his best and not give up, because that's what Sonic would do. The Battle As they entered the arena, Auron surveyed his opponent. The little fox didn't appear very menacing, but the thing he rode certainly could be a threat. The vehicle was vaguely humanoid, with assorted weaponry on its arms and a huge cannon mounted in its belly. True to his word, the guardian had never been one to judge his opponents by their appearance. From behind his sunglasses, his eyes briefly sought out Yuna in the crowd. She had gamely agreed to come to this match, although she had still not recovered from losing Tidus again. He could read her face like a book: "Be careful of that machina, sir Auron." The lady summoner still needs my support. I will not be forced from her again. Sonic and Knuckles were leaning over the wall at the bottom of the players' booth, the source of the loudest cheers for their friend Tails. "Let that loser know what he's in for!" yelled Knuckles. "Umm...You're dead meat, old man!" Tails called out to Auron as the crowd died down waiting for the match to start. The swordsman merely stared impassively as he raised his sword over his shoulder. The start of the fight was signaled, and Tails immediately fired a great blast from the laser cannon on his suit. Auron dove to the ground just in time, the beam leaving a huge scorched mark on the arena wall behind him. Tails wished he'd had the time to build a tracking mechanism for his weapons, and switched to a simpler tactic. He fired quick blast after blast in the direction of the guardian. Auron knew he wasn't swift enough to avoid Tails' fire, but perhaps he could withstand it. He rose and yelled as he charged into the incoming laser fire, raising his left arm to use his bracer for what protection it could provide. It wasn't enough. Beams ripped through his red cloak and brought the valiant guardian to his knees. He fell in the dirt, aware of Yuna's desperate "No!" above the cheers and boos of the crowd. "Woo-hoo! I think I got him!" shouted a triumphant Tails, turning to the players' booth. "Hey Sonic, what should I do now?" "Go to—Look out!" Auron was back on his feet, making a mad dash toward the rear of an unaware Tails. Tails spun his machine around just in time to see Auron take a leaping slash aimed right at the laser cannon. "You will hurt NO ONE!" he yelled as the blade struck the cannon. There was a bright flash, and weapons systems all over Tails' machine began to throw sparks. Tails fired a missile in response, but the projectile barely made it out of the launcher. It exploded with a feeble pop on the ground. Auron swung again, the piercing blade removing a robotic arm. His power break technique had evened the odds. "Yaaah!" yelped Tails. "Hey, wait. Two can play at that game!" A huge scissors extended from the remaining arm of Tails suit and clipped at the warrior. Had he still been a true guardian, he would have used the sleeve it removed and been without an arm. The irony was not lost on him. Again, my transgression proves fortuitous. Auron swung low, and this time sliced a leg off of the machine. "Whooooaa!" Tails cried as he desperately tried to balance his suit on one leg...and failed. He jerked one of its arms toward Auron and leaped from his seat as the remainder of it crashed down on the defending swordsman. Auron crawled from beneath the wreckage, to the astonishment of all. "Sheesh! How much of a beating can you take?" Tails grabbed a handful of the scrap metal lying around and leaped into the air, twirling his tails. He flew up, out of Auron's reach. "Nyah-nyah! Can't touch me!" he taunted as he pelted the guardian from above with parts from his wrecked suit. Auron simply allowed the debris to hit him as he bent over to pull something red from the wreckage. A rare anger was welling in the eyes of the exhausted Auron. He spun to face his attacker...and kept spinning, extending his katana. A whirling vortex extended from the clouds above and touched down in the arena. "Help!" wailed Tails as the winds whipped him around in the sky. He managed to get a hold of the top of the arena wall, and crawled back through the crowd to the field. Auron leaped on him, binding his tails together with the sleeve cut from his cloak as the tornado dissipated. Tails squirmed free, but his last advantage was lost to him—he didn't have time to undo the knot, and he couldn't fly! Well, maybe not his last advantage. He took off at a run. "You can't run forever," called out Auron, and Tails knew he was right. He dashed full-speed at the guardian. At the last second, Auron stepped aside and extended his sword, edge to the ground. Tails tripped and skidded to a halt. Auron strode to the fox and pinned him to the ground with one boot. "Your time here is at an end. Go back whence you came." Tails looked to Sonic, who merely nodded glumly. Tails fled the arena, chased by jeers and a chant of "That's how it's done!" from the crowd. Auron, however, looked silently to a relieved Yuna. I can't make so many mistakes in my next fight. Aftermath Auron returned to his locker room furious, well furious by his standards which pretty much means grumpy to everyone else. He had been careless he had reminded himself of Tidus and Jecht. So reckless...if he had just been focused he could have won without taking a scratch. "You know, after all that talk about respecting your opponent, and not underestimating him. You sure were caught off guard out there." said Raziel, appearing from within the shadows. "If you had learned to embrace your power you could have dispatched that foolish inventor without effort." "Hehehehe," Auron chuckled to himself, "Yes, I am a hypocrite, but what I say is true. The victor here will be the one who learns to respect his competition." "Well, you can keep your respect and honor, I'll take the power and immortality." snarled Raziel, slinking back into the shadows and disappearing. "Hehehehe," Auron chuckled again, "Learn that lesson well for without it you have no chance against the likes of Sephiroth." ---- Tails glumly packed up all his stuff back at the hotel. After a month and a week he had been completely beaten in his first match. "Geez, just like last year. I always get beaten early and then have to go home while Sonic and Knuckles do really well." "Hey, don't worry Miles, that guy Auron was tough......for an old geezer." said Sonic's friendly voice from behind him. "You did really well." "Did I Sonic really, Sonic?" Tails asked hopefully. "You'll get one of the highest placings for first round losers...I mean...sorry that didn't come out right." "Its OK, Sonic, just get those guys back for me will ya?" "No problem." Sonic winked at Tails, and then Dashed out of his room. "I'm lucky to have a friend like Sonic." Tails said aloud as he finished packing up his stuff. He walked through the portal back to his own dimension with a smile on his face. 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