Match #30: Magitech battle!

Fighters for Megacity: Zero, Geno

Stock: 2

Items: Medium

*In a formless bright white void, Twilight is firing starbolts form her horn at Pat. Pat dodges them effortlessly, and readies himself for an attack*

Pat: KAIOKEN! *a red aura of energy appears around him and he rushes towards Twilight*

Twilight: Kaio-what? AUGH! *gets punched right in the jaw by Pat's glowing fist, falling onto her back* All right, all right, I give, I give!

Pat: *chuckles* Heh. Okay then...computer, end simulation.

*The void disappears, revealing the Stadium's holo-room...into which flies Rainbow Dash, landing near Pat and Twi*

Rainbow Dash: *smirks at Twilight* Not exactly on your game today, eh?

Twilight: *makes some irritated muttering sounds as she pulls herself up*

Rainbow Dash: *smirks even wider as she watches Twilight rise...then looks over at Pat with a chuckle and a wink* Lookin' good today dude.

Pat: Um...yeah. Dash, what do you want?

Rainbow Dash: Heh heh...me? Want something? Whatever do you mean?

Pat: Stop playing dumb. You obviously didn't come in here just to see me.

Rainbow Dash: *rises to her hind legs and shrugs with a cocky smirk* Well, ya got me. I've been here pretty much forever by this point, ya know...*rubs her chin and makes a devious, toothy grin at Pat* ...I think some...what's the word, Twi?

Twilight: Uuuuuh...compensation?

Rainbow Dash: Right. I think some compensation for my services is in order.

Pat: You get paid damn well over enough, Dash. Well...at least you will be, once we're less broke around here.

Rainbow Dash: Pfft. *makes a dismissive wave of her hoof and rolls her eyes* You're thinking too small, mate. I ain't askin' for money...just recognition.

Pat: *raises an eyebrow* You...want SP status.

Rainbow Dash: *claps her hooves, then returns to all fours* Bingo. Give the spiky haired man a prize.

Pat: Rrrrgh...Look Rainbow, I really don't want to put you in a position that will force me to interact with you more than I already have to. I know Sonic very well- multiple versions of him in fact- and because of that there's something about you that...creeps me out. It shouldn't, you barely look a thing like him, but...ugh. I dunno. It's like looking into the...the...

Twilight: Uncanny Valley?

Pat: Er, yeah, what she said. Nothing personal Dash, but something about you just feels...wrong. Like you just shouldn't be.

Rainbow Dash: *gets a creepy slasher smile on her face* Oh really now?

Pat: ...the hell?

Rainbow Dash: *zips in front of Pat's face* Yo, Little Speedster, it's time to speed, keed!

Pat: ...stop that.

Rainbow Dash: Oh come one, little bro, I know you've got a better comeback than that! I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaitiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

Pat: *turns around and starts walking away from Dash* I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work!

Rainbow Dash: *manages to zip in front of Pat's face again anyway* It's juice and jam time! Let's do it to it! Way past cool! Real super power of team-

Pat: STOP, STOP, STOP!!! DASH, I'LL LOOK INTO GETTING YOU THE AAAAAING JOB, OKAY? JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!

Rainbow Dash: *lands, and giggles cutely, coming out of her Sonic impersonation* A pleasure doing business with you Pat.

Pat: *sighs and walks out of the room*

Twilight: That was kind of disturbing.

Rainbow Dash: Yeah, that was what I was going for. *hugs Twilight*

Twilight: *blushes deeply* Uh...yeah. Dash, this is really nice of you, but...aren't we forgetting something important?

Rainbow Dash: *lets go and blinks* Like what? *has a sudden moment of realization* Actually, you know what? Things have been kind of freaky lately. I tried to talk to Esco, but he started wigging out on me and doin' the silent treatment. I tried to get Pinkie to help, but she's helping Light with...something. I was kinda angry that she didn't wait and talk to me before runnin' off with him, but...I can't really blame her. It's hard to believe, but she knows a ton of stuff you and me just can't understand, so I guess we just have to let her be so the universe doesn't implode or somethin'.

Twilight: But that still leaves the problem of what to do about Esco, huh?

Rainbow Dash: Yeeaaaah. I was hoping you'd have an idea.

Twilight: *stares blankly in horror for a few seconds, then calms down, smile and blushes* I think you should ask somepony else. Maybe Mash?

Rainbow Dash: *grabs Twilight by the shoulders, frowns, and looks her straight in the eyes*

Twilight: Gah! Uh...or on the other hoof I could-

Rainbow Dash: Twi. I am freely asking for your opinion. I don't care how stupid it might sound, I just care that you give it. *sighs, and her stern, angry look turns to a sad, pleading look* Okay? I don't always like asking for help, but I really don't think I can fix this on my own.

Twilight: *calms down and slowly starts smiling again* Well...I caused a lot of problems when I thought the worst of Esco before. So...I think we should lay low, and just be ready to be there for him whenever he's ready to talk about whatever is the matter.

Rainbow Dash: Okay then. We'll lie low for a while.

Twilight: R-really? Wow, I was afraid I said something stupid!

Rainbow Dash: Twilight, you're not stupid, you're just a loon. *noogies Twilight* But you're my loon. *smirks* Remember that.

Twilight: Hee hee hee...uh...wait, weren't we supposed to be working? Like, the tournament...thing?

Rainbow Dash: Oh...right. Didja setup anything for that, yet?

Twilight: Nah, I've been too busy training with Pat, and...well, before that, I was tied up on the phone for four hours with agents from G.U.N. and S.H.I.E.L.D. They were...very, very unhappy about the "Seraphis Incident" as they called it. Fortunately I managed to ensure them that the situation had already been taken care of by Metal in an effective, sane manner. Well...I lied about the "sane" part, but the point is that they aren't worried about the threat of greater international chaos...for the moment.

Rainbow Dash: Hmm...sounds pretty good. So...feel like doing the match today?

Twilight: I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't. I have a plan, though.

Rainbow Dash: *tilts her head curiously* Oh?

Twilight: I'll put a leash on you, lead you around the halls, and we'll tell everyone that you looked at Professor MacBlank's secret stash of magazines, and that the content within was so beautiful it left you blind. We'll then convince them that I have to take care of you until tomorrow, since that's how long it'll take me to charge a healing spell.

Rainbow Dash: Hmm...that's so crazy it just might...nah, they'll never buy it.

Twilight: Ugh...you're right. Well, I'll try to make the best of this, somehow...who's fighting anyw-*looks behind her and notices Mash standing behind her and Yesman sitting on her back* Oh, uh...hey guys.

Yesman: Hey Twi. Just thought you'd want to know who's up to fight in this round. Also, I enjoy riding ponies. It's the red shiny guy and the weird puppet ghost... thing.

Mash Toady: He means Zero and Geno.

Yesman: Yeah, what he said. *hops off of Twilight*

Rainbow Dash: Holy AAAA, Zero's fighting again! This is gonna be awesome, Twi! *suddenly giggles and glomps Twilight*

Twilight: Oof! *blushes* Uh..heh...yeah, I guess. Well, off to...commentate and everything, then.

Mash Toady: Later guys.

Yesman: Yeah, well I better get back to hiding from that psychopathic organ thief, I mean... uh... Taking a Yes-snooze. Yes.

*Yesman and Mash walk off, while Dash and Twi head to the commentary booth and take their seats*

Twilight: So...do we know where they'll be fighting?

Zero: I can assist with that.

Twilight: WAH! *turns around, startled, noticing Zero* Oh...hey Zero!

Rainbow Dash: *turns around, smiling excitedly and squishing her cheeks together* So awesome!

Zero: *tilts his head, confused* I'm still not entirely sure why you find me so attractive, Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash: *smirks* Oh, I have my reasons.

Zero: *rubs his chin, then chuckles* Fair enough. Just wanted you two to know, the arena's a special one that Rock and Tron have built together, just outside of Rock's home city of Monsteropolis. Roll Light will be playing "hazard duty" on the battlefield as well.

Rainbow Dash: Sounds like a rip roarin' good time!

Twilight: Uh...neat!

Zero: Well, I'm off. Duty calls. Good luck ladies. *teleports out of the booth*

Twilight: ...are we on yet?

Rainbow Dash: *looks at a blinking light on the console* Yep.

Twilight: Well, here we go...Hey there, everypony, it's your old buddy Twilight!

*crowd cheers*

Rainbow Dash: *smiles and waves to the audience* And the most adorable badass on the planet, Rainbow Dash!

*crows goes wild*

Twilight: Today is the fourth match of our ongoing tournament, and the last before the semifinals! Just as before, the same standard of two fighters, two lives, and medium items applies! Our first combatant is a powerful outer space spirit inhabiting a wooden doll body, and an expert mage! Returning once again to the arena is Geno!

Rainbow Dash: And ready to kick his tail with style grace is Zero, time travelin' robot warrior extraordinaire!

Twilight: It's sure to be an intense competition!

Rainbow Dash: Just the way I like 'em!

Twilight: Now you're all up to speed, it's time to get started!

*A huge city with towering skyscrapers appears far in the background as Twilight and Rainbow Dash look through the protective glass window. A concrete floor is visible in the foreground, separated from the city by a vast lake. Two metal towers emerge from the floor, each with two doors visibly carved into each of them...one lower door, and one upper door, each with a platform in front of it. A single platform floats above the concrete floor between the towers*

Twilight: A reminder to our fighters...watch out for Roll's Buster Gun attacks, as well her wrist mounted Household Multi-tool! She could pop out of any of those four doors!

Rainbow Dash: And don't even try to jump down through any platform but the one right in the middle...they're solid as a rock...*blushes*...um, no pun intended, Roll.

*An android girl with a pony tail hairstyle, wearing a red dress with black sleeves, pops out of the upper right door*

Roll: Hee hee, no problem, Dashie! *pops back inside of the door.*

Rainbow Dash: *blinks in surprise* I'd think that was Pinkie in disguise, but Zero would have picked up on it already. Er...anyway! Fillies and gentlecolts! The fighters are entering the arena!

*Zero teleports onto the upper left platform, and Geno rides a star into the upper right platform*

Twilight: Introducing the SSS commentators! The girl who turns obsessive compulsive disorder into a super power, Twilight Sparkle!

Rainbow Dash: The world's most way past cool pony, Rainbow Dash!

Twilight: And without further ado, for all the thousands in attendance-

Rainbow Dash: And the millions watching worldwide!

Twilight and Rainbow Dash: LET'S FLY INTO OVERDRIVE!

Rainbow Dash: Zero's plugging away at Geno with his Z-buster, hitting him with plasma bullet after plasma bullet!

Twilight: But Geno spins around, creating a swirling energy field around himself! The Geno Whirl spell knocks Zero's bullets back at him, enabling Geno to make a quick escape by hopping on, and through, the middle platform!

Rainbow Dash: Zero's not going to take that lying down, using the boosters in his boots to dash over the middle platform, shape shift his beam saber into an ice blade, and make lighting face downward stab through right through that floating center pad, doing freezing damage to doll face! He's as calm and focused as ever!

Twilight: ...this Stadium really is that broke, isn't it? Ugh...anyway, it looks like Geno's getting mad, firing his Geno Beam at Zero point blank, sending him flying towards the lower left door.

Rainbow Dash: And Roll's right there, too, so that means-

Roll: Roll Buster! *blasts Zero with a charged shot*

Rainbow Dash: ...rats. Zero gets blasted right back into Geno's clutches, and now doll face is pummeling him with punches while keeping a firm grip on his neck...wait. I know! Hey Zero, catch! *tosses in a gooey bomb*

Zero: *knocks Geno into the closed lower right door, kicking out of Geno's grasp* Hmm...this could come in hand. *throws the bomb at Geno*

Rainbow Dash: All right, the bomb's stuck on Geno!

Twilight: But unfortunately not for long, as Geno glows with mystical light, and headbutts Zero with a Geno Boost...causing the bomb to stick back on Zero, and blast him over the horizon!

Rainbow Dash: ...uuuugh. I really screwed up there. Eh, no matter. Time for a new plan.

Twilight: ...you sure you're all right, Dash?

Rainbow Dash: What's to worry? I'm on the air with you. Any humiliation is shared between the both of us. *winks*

Twilight:*smirks* I feel like I should be angry, but I'm not, somehow. Anyways, Geno is taunting by making his eyes flash with mystical energy, and Zero resurrects above the middle platform.

Twilight: *staring in fear* ...Maybe we should pretend that advert didn't appear.

Rainbow Dash: *also staring in fear* ...what advert?

Twilight: Exactly. So, now, I guess it's time to spice things up!

Rainbow Dash: Here goes another item! *tosses in a ray gun*

Twilight: And one from me, too! *tosses in a beam saber*

Rainbow Dash: Zero jumps down to the lower right platform, and Geno follows 'em, but it's a fake out....as Geno tries to use a jumping Geno Beam on Zero, Zero hops out of the way, racks up damage with a Kuenzan somersault slash, and lands on the middle platform again!

Twilight: And there's Roll with her multi-tool, popping a frying pan out of it, and smacking Geno up into the upper left door!

Rainbow Dash: Geno's grabs the saber from that platform, with Zero hopping onto the upper right platform to grab the ray gun!

Twilight: Zero had better shoot fast, because Geno's making creative use of his flying fist attack, shooting the hand holding the saber towards Zero, allowing him to punch the armored hero before slashing him with the blade! All while still standing to the far left!

Rainbow Dash: Heh, I don't think Zero has much to worry about...He drops the ray gun, but gets right up, turns both of his hands into buster cannon, and slams them into Geno's hand, shocking it with raw power, and letting hand even fry Geno's body a second time as it's sent violently flying back into the wrist socket! And now he's pummeling him with ray gun fire! Awesome beat down!

Twilight: Well, to be fair, Geno's still...no wait, never mind, Roll just popped out of the upper left door and used her multi-tool's vacuum function to shoot super heated air that causes Geno's very flammable wooden body to fly into the lovely city of Monsteropolis in the background.

Twilight: Geno's resurrecting right above the middle platform, and as he turns towards Zero, he...turns into a giant wooden cannon and blasts Zero with an exploding cannonball?

Rainbow Dash: Huh. There's a surprise Pinkie would be proud of, as much I can't stand admitting it, given that it's this guy. At least Zero's prepared for him, making his Z-saber burst into flames as Geno jumps at him...wow, doll guy's getting burned and shocked a lot. I still want him to lose, but I feel kind of sorry for him.

Twilight: I think the stress is getting to Geno...he almost seems like he's glowing with rage as he lands way down on the lower left platform...wait a minute, he is glowing with rage!

Rainbow Dash: ...um, okay. Should I be filled with anger, pity, or plain old confusion over this new...turn of events?

Geno: I've had it! I'm the oldest, strongest, and smartest out of anyone here, so I should be the victor!!! Geno...BLAST! *calls down a set of laser beams from the sky...one destroys the left tower, hitting Geno but not harming him, one destroys the middle platform, and one final one destroys the right tower, damaging Zero severely*

Roll: *pops out of the rubble of the right tower* Geno, come on, it's not very fun for everyone if you destroy the towers with your powers!

Geno: YOU ARE NOT THE SORT OF PERSON TO BE ATTEMPTING POETRY! BEGONE! *fires a Geno Beam from his hand into Roll's face*

Roll: Aaaaaah!!! *is knocked up in the air, sent flying towards the city in the background*

Zero: RAKUHOHA! *bursts out of the rubble of the right tower using a giant burst of energy from his body*

Geno: AREN'T YOU DONE YET?

Zero: Heh...not quite.

Rainbow Dash: Er...I didn't know the Deep Ones were evangelizing now.

Twilight: Well, I'm already apprentice to a goddess, so I basically already haev a religion anyway...speaking of the supernatural, that's um...a pretty Starswirl worthy amount of magic skill that Geno's throwing around there.

Rainbow Dash: I'd might be happy about that if I weren't already committed to my own personal agenda right now. Speaking of which, I'm not taking any chances anymore. *tosses in a Smash Orb...that bonks Zero right in the head, breaking it*

Zero: Ow! Wait...I feel the energy flowing through me...now's my chance! *shape shifts into a smaller, younger, more slender, and more androgynous version of himself* Now I've got the power to finish this! *pulls two pistols of of nowhere*

Geno: What the...okay, one of us is a creepy doll, and I don't think it's me any more. No matter...Geno Beam! *blasts Zero's pistols out of his hands...but suddenly they are in Zero's hands once more as if nothing happened* H-how the?

Zero: The level of tech I'm using is from further in the future than you can imagine. You might say it's advanced it's almost...magic! *smirks*

Geno: I'll show you magic, pretty boy! *fires another Geno Beam*

Zero: Ha, take this! *fires two continuous beams out of his pistols*

Rainbow Dash: You know, Zero's actually even more attractive like that.

Twilight: Um...I dunno...okay, I give, I agree too. *blushes*

Zero: You're good, very good...but nothing against the might of Megaman Z! *moves his arms so that his pistols are right next to each other, and their beams combine into a single super beam that consumes the Geno Beam*

Geno: NO!!!! *is sent flying over the horizon again*

GAME SET!

THIS GAME'S WINNER IS...Zero!

Mash: Well, I'm here in the hallway, ready to interview the loser. Anything you want to say, Geno?

Geno: Anything I want to say? ANYTHING I WANT TO SAY? I was just robbed of the chance to get back at that overgrown house cat Sonic for humiliating me, and you ask me-GRAWR! *points a glowing hand at Mash*

Mash: Oh AAAA, please make this quick!

Geno: *his hand suddenly stops glowing and he lowers it* You know, suddenly I'm not angry anymore. Somehow the shock of losing this match has reminded me that magic isn't just about beam spam and giant explosions, but about finding peace within ourselves and using that peace to form fulfilling bonds of companionship. In fact, one could even say that in a way, companionship is ma-

Mash: ...don't finish that sentence. I know you didn't use the "f" word, but it's close enough.

Geno: Very well. Good day Mash, I believe I'll go spend some time with Gaz. *smiles and leaves*

Mash: This job keeps getting weirder every year. *sees Zero enter the hallway and walks up to him* Well, I guess I don't need to ask how you're feeling.

Zero: I'm in optimal shape, I have to admit.

Mash: Well, see you in the semifinals, Zero

Zero: Looking forward to it.

*Mash exits, with Twilight walking and Rainbow Dash floating into the hallway before landing next to Twilight*

Rainbow Dash: Great going Zero!

Zero: Well, I did have some help from you, Dash.

Rainbow Dash: *blushes, flattered and somewhat embarrassed* Heh, well, I was messin' things up for ya at first.

Zero: Not to worry. I know quite a lot about turning mistakes into new victories. From where I'm standing, you're learning quite quickly in that respect.

Rainbow Dash: *smiles and squees* Thanks Zero!

Twilight: *tilts her head curiously* Zero...what was that thing you turned into?

Zero: Hmm...I suppose I knew I'd need to explain this sooner or later. Despite preferring my original appearance, I come from further in the future than even Tron's time...after the Maverick War, my partner, Megaman X, retired for the sake of his sanity, to avoid becoming a danger to himself and others. In his absence, I took on a new identity, and crafted more powerful weapons for myself, carrying on in X's place as Megaman Z. But eventually my body was still destroyed in the process of defeating a ruthless mad doctor. In time, I was brought back by the protectors of the world as, of all things, armor to be worn by many heroes of the centuries to come. I witnessed the rise and fall of the society Tron grew up in, and her older self was able to send me back in an independently mobile form right before the very planet itself exploded. So...that is why I am here in the past. I aim to stay by Rock's side until I can confirm that the world will not be destroyed in the future...that Rock will be able to stay sane and remain my partner once he passes on to his next incarnation.

Twilight: ...wow. That's...why haven't you had a mental breakdown?

Zero: Just lucky to have the right friends along the way. *smirks and looks over at Dash* That makes all the difference sometimes, doesn't it?

Rainbow Dash: *smiles warmly at Zero*

Twilight: Well...good luck in the semifinals, Zero...and with your mission!

Zero: *nods and teleports out of the hallway*

Twilight: Huh...well...I guess I should try to stay beside my blue bomber. *smiles at Dash*

Rainbow Dash: *noogies Twilight* Wanna see what Kevin's doing?

Twilight: I'd love to.

Pat: *walks into Metal's office, noticing that Metal is sitting in his chair and flinging darts at a picture of Ivan Robotnik* Hey Metal. Do you think it would be wise to allow Rainbow Dash the rank of Superpower?

Metal Man: Ah, that flying horse thing that talks. Well, more flying horse things never hearted anyone, as I always say. *Chugs a bottle full of "Roof Sealer" and sighs contentedly.* Ahhh.... that's the stuff.

Pat: Um...yeah, if you say so. *sighs and walks out the door.*

Metal Man: *Takes out a gun made out of a Soviet pistol fused to a hairdryer and some sort of floor lamp, and shoots a huge spear into an image of a crazy looking blue ghost taped on the far wall* Ah, finally a perfect bulls-eye! Right on your nose, Ivan Robotnik! I am the supreme warrior of the universe! Not you!

???: So you're the guy that runs this place and took down Seraphis Polemikós. And here I thought I was the king of drunken cybernetic ner do wells.

Metal: *Drops the gun on the floor, causing it to shoot again and break a window* What is this? Some sort of red clone of ME? No... it can't be! Sky High! I thought you died in that volcano after suffocating yourself for a coin! Or maybe that time you were God of Nintendus and I blew up Nintendus? I forget. *Fumbles to pick up, reload, and aim his gun, winding up getting an extension cord from the gun tangled on his arm instead of actually getting anywhere with it*

*The mysterious voice decloaks, showing himself to be a figure in red and yellow armor that covers his entire body, a brightly glowing power source visible in the area a human heart would reside*

Iron Man: Is your suit really that pathetic, that you can't even tell who I am?

Metal Man: Yes, dammit! I use my time device to... oh. Rhetorical question. *Takes out Smash Dex*

Smash Dex: BEEP! Tony Stark. Iron Man. Prominent business investor and known vigilante.

Iron Man: I have pocket calculators with better voice synthesizers than that thing, you know.

Metal Man: *Shakes the Smash Dex at Iron Man, as the still-tangled gun flails about and smashes some old alcohol bottles on the desk into pieces* My solution is superior! Garrick's crazy dex and whatever you have is nothing compared to this!

Iron Man: It has an... 9-bit screen. 9 bits. That isn't even a proper data storage size. Are those chinese characters on the keys? How do you even know what to type? It's not even in a proper dialect or anything!

Metal Man: Fine, fine! I'll admit that ever since I merged it with a Chinese TV remote I found on the ground, nothing has worked right on it for anyone that isn't me. Now why are you here? I'm missing valuable turnip roasting time! *puts his hands over his head dramatically, causing the gun to fly up and embed itself in a ceiling fan in the ceiling*

Iron Man: Well... *His face plate pops up, revealing a human face with a bushy mustache*

Metal Man: Oh! You think you're so fancy! Well watch this!

*Metal Man rips off his helmet and hurls it over Iron Man's head. It looks like Metal Man has no head under the helmet.*

Metal Man: WoooOOOooo! I AM THE GHOST OF YOUR CHECKBOOK PAST! YOU WASTED ALL YOUR MONEY ON THAT MECHANISM!

Iron Man: I built it myself.

Metal Man: ...Oh. *Gun falls off the ceiling and falls into the suit, hitting him* OW! *He tosses it aside and then pops his head out of his suit, revealing he was just hiding it in there, turtle style. And the bruise the gun landing on his head gave him. Iron Man rolls his eyes.*

Iron Man: If you could stop being as dumb as Deadpool... I'm thinking I could...drop by here, drum up a bit of publicity for your...struggling television program. Sound good?

Metal Man: *Crosses arms* There's only room for one man in a suit of armor here, Bony Park!

Iron Man: It could make you very rich.

Metal Man: ...Let's do it as fast as possible then!

Iron Man: Great. We can talk about it over some shots.

Metal Man: I'll get the phazon shots!

Iron Man: Right. Meet me at the bar... *Turns around and winces in disgust out of Metal's view, as Metal starts taking out... shoe polish, WD-40 and phazon*