Clouded Skies of Strife

Prologue

"Never thought I'd see the day."

Those had been the spiky blonde haired mans thought's when he'd originally received the mysterious letter with the details of his acceptance into the Smash Brothers tournament.

He'd originally planned to decline the invitation, he had no buissness being in a tournament. He had no desire to compete and had no need for the prize.

"What does the winner get anyway?" He couldn't help but wonder. Was it money? Nah, judging from who was gathered for this tournament, it couldn't be for something as simple as money, especially since many of the competitors used different currency. The letter in itself hadn't mentioned anything about what the victor got.

"Probably nothing to worry about." Despite his thought's, he still tightened his grip on the large blade at his back. Caution was never a bad thing after all. The fact that there had been three editions of this tournament in the past at least brought him some ease.

He stopped walking through the darkness for a moment, was this really a good idea?

He shook his head, it was already to late to back out. He was here now, there was no backing out at this point. He continued walking. Wondering what awaited him at the end of this dark hall, Hell what would his competition be like?

He could just imagine the type of people that he could be set to meet now. Would they be those kind of people that just went around fighting for the thrill of it? Would there be people like him?

He shoke his head as he noticed the light at the end of the hallway. He started hearing voices as he got closer and closer.

"What's this? A new challenger is approaching!" The voice of an announcer sounded out, something within told him that this new challenger was meant to be him. If he remembered right, then the letter had noted that he was a late arrival. It was a rather strange tournament after all. Even after it started they continued to accept new fighters.

His thought's were the only company he had as he stepped out of the dark hallway and into the light. Right hand still firmly gripping his colossal blade while his expression remained steeled and ready for whatever awaited him.

"Ladies, Gentlemen and Smashers! Please give a warm welcome to CLOUD STRIFE!"

He instantly regretted not rejecting the invitation.

His eyes had quickly adjusted to the light only to witness the large crowd staring at him in amazement before cheering loudly after the announcers announcement.

"He's actually here?!"

"I thought this'd never happen!"

"Another Swordfighter?"

That last remark caused Cloud to raise an eyebrow. Why would people have a problem with him being a Swordfighter? Did a lot of the fighters here use the Sword as their main weapon? Why would people have a problem with that?

"Never knew I was this popular." He couldn't help but turn his head to the side as people continued to cheer at him. Was his arrival here really that unexpected?

He turned back however when he felt something poke him. What he saw caused him to blink in confusion.

A large white glove that was floating in the air next to him had been the thing that poked him.

Honestly, he'd seen some weirder things then this, the forms that Jenova had taken were WAY weirder then a disembodied glove.

"Hello Mister Strife!" Did it just talk? How did the glove talk? The thing didn't even have a mouth from what Cloud saw. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions, but for now I feel it's best we get you to your living arrangements."

He couldn't help but take a step back and tighten his grip on the Buster Sword. From all he knew, this strange being could of been a threat. His actions seemed to only cause the hand to shake itself in what seemed like a motion similar to a shake of the head before it began to nudge him towards the path that the earlier hallway had lead him onto.

Now that he had a proper look of the surrondings. Cloud noted that the path resembled one of those runways that a celeberty would walk on, hell it had a red carpet and everything that lead towards a large white mansion. Said mansion held the symbol of the tournament, a blue ball with a cross running through it, proudly emblazed on the front of the mansion with a banner held right below it.

"Welcome to Smash Cloud! Enjoy your stay!" The glove spoke the exact words that were written on the banner. Cloud couldn't help but stare at the banner in question. Did they do this for every new arrival?

He slowly started walking towards the mansion. The peoples cheers continued as he walked, some even tried to reach out and touch him. He honestly didn't like having all this attention. He did prefer to keep to himself after all.

Finally reaching the end of the carpet and to the door of the mansion. Noting the fact that the glove was still behind him as Cloud reached for the door and openned it. Only for his instincts to suddenly begin screaming at him that something bad was about to happen.

"FALCON PUNCH!"

He ignored the shout. Instead bringing out his colossal blade at a speed that most wouldn't have expected as he quickly brought it infront of him to block whatever was about to hit him.

He noted the flames that poured past the blade as he skidded backwards from the impact. Quickly shifting himself to an offensive stance as he stared at the man that had attempted to attack him. Wearing what seemed like a Racers outfit including a Racers helmet that obscured the upper part of his head and the visor caused his eyes to look like triangles.

The man smirked as he brought his hand out and motioned for the blonde to come towards him. "Someones already trying to pick a fight with me?" Cloud narrowed his eyes in slight annoyance, before looking around in confusion as his surrondings changed. Becoming a platform that seemed to be in what appeared to be space. Wasn't he just infront of a mansion?

"No need to worry Mister Strife! Think of this purely as a practice match!" He heard the voice of what he recalled was the gloves as he glanced back at the Racer.

"Don't worry new guy! Falcon will take it easy on ya since it's your first time! Now show me ya moves!" The man that seemed to call himself Falcon did a mock salute as he shifted into a fighting stance.

Cloud shook his head. He just got here and already he had to fight? "Fine." He muttered out before gripping both hands onto the Buster Sword. "Come on!" He dashed forward as the racer sprinted towards him.

Some people would probably think that the Racer was an idiot for charging straight in against someone wielding a Sword like Cloud's. Cloud wasn't one of those people though. Hell, when you knew someone like Tifa Lockhart then you knew not to think you had the advantage just because you had a massive Sword and your oppenent didn't.

Plus anyone that knew Captain Falcon knew that the man was going to be fine.

Cloud quickly attempted to strike the Racer with the Buster Sword when he thought the helmeted man was going to attempt an attack only for said man to dodge backwards. "A faint?"

"Falcon Kick!" Falcon shouted out as he seemed to fly through the air with his foot forward and flames surrounding it.

Thinking quickly. Cloud sliced his blade across the ground as a green wave of energy shoot forward. Hitting the approaching Racer and causing the flames that had surrounded him to disapper. Noting the fact that the man had yet to recover from the attack, Cloud dashed forward once again before droping into a slide with his foot aimed outward. Impacting with Falcon's legs and causing the man to trip. Cloud quickly stood back up and slashed upwards, sending the Racers body above him. He finished the assualt by blasting into the air with the Buster Sword bringing the Captain's body up with him before descending back to the ground in the same quick fashion. Falcon's body was sent further away from the blonde as Cloud finished his Climhazzard attack.

The Racer didn't stay down for long however as he jumped to his feet and charged at the blonde once again. "Is that all he's going to do?" He decided to not allow the Captain to make it to him as he continued to fire the green waves of energy toward the Captain.

They did nothing to halt the man however as he simply jumped over the Blade Beams and did a backwards spin when he made it close enough to the blonde allowing Falcon to kick the blonde into the air before landing on the ground and continued his own combo by launching Cloud back to the ground with a large axe kick before rearing his fist back as the flames surrounded his fist.

"FALCON!" Judging from the Racers chosen method of attack, Cloud assumed he was going to attempt to punch him with that fist. And judging from what the mans earlier punch had been able to do, Cloud thought the best option was to avoid it as he rolled behind the Racer, not noticing the mans smirk as he did so.

The Captain slowly turned around as Cloud realized that he'd played right into the mans hands as Falcon brought his fist forward and blasting the blonde Swordsmen off the stage.

"PUNCH!"

While the battle had been going on. The other contenders in the Smash Brothers tournament watched on in interest on a screen in the mansion. But once the F-Zero Pilot landed his signature move a lot of the Smashers as they were dubbed had called the match as over.

Not many could survive the deadly Falcon Punch after all.

"It's not over yet."

Some of the Smashers turned to the white gii wearing fighter known as Ryu after he had spoken those words. Before turning back to the screen. Some of the younger Smashers faces lit up in shock as they saw the blonde Swordsmen climb back onto the Platform known as Final Destination.

Captain Falcon's face slowly shifted from a look of shock to a look of delight as he rushed towards the blonde once again. Quickly attempting to shoulder charge the Swordsmen.

His hastiness proved to not be a good idea however as Cloud seemed to be emiting a blue light off of his body as the blonde prepared to counter attack.

"Limits are meant to be broken." He uttered out. Proferring to keep his voice low compared to the Racer as he slashed forward once the Captain was in range, leaving behind a blue mark in the air with each slash before it resembled the word 'KYO'. The attack sending the helmetted man flying backwards.

"Wow! That guy's way stronger then he looks!" The brown haired Angel known as Pit shouted out as the Smashers continued to watch the on going fight. "Hey Ike! I think he's trying to steal your style!"

"He's clearly faster then Sir Ike...Which is rather surprising since that Sword he's using must weigh more then any of the weapons we use." The white haired Tactician Robin stated, not moving his eyes away from the screen in an attempt to gain every bit of information he could on the new combatant.

"A strong challenger to be sure." Ryu spoke the thought on everyones mind as they all quieted down once again.

Cloud blocked another blow from the Racer as he waited for the perfect time to attempt to counteract his attacks. His attention was taken off of the Captain however when a ball that resembled the symbol of the tournament appeared in the air.

The ball seemed to catch the Racers attention as well as he seemed just about ready to make a run towards it.

A big mistake in Cloud's eyes.

The blonde grabbed the helmet wearing man and threw him off the platform as he decided to go for the ball himself. A strange feeling within him told him to break it as he swinged the Buster Sword with all his might, destorying the ball just as the Captain got back on the stage.

Power began to surge within the blonde as his mind recalled his final encounter with his lifes Nemesis and how it had ended. His body moved on it's own as he rushed up to the Racer and knocked him into the air.

"Breaking my Limit!" He raised his voice for the first time since arriving at this place before darting above the airbourne Falcon and began slashing the mans body while circling the Captain. Before returning to his original spot and reared the Buster Sword behind his head. Cloud proceeded to slam the colossal blade downward into the Captains body as they descended. A large explosion following there landing.

Shortly after, Cloud found himself standing in a fairly empty room as he suddenly felt the need to strike a pose. With the thought in mind, he effortlessly swinged the Buster Sword in a circle twice infront of him before resting it on his shoulder.

The Smashers stared in awe until the green haired goddess of light known as Palutena spoke up. "I think he just topped your Great Aether Ike."

"Yep." Was the responace of practically every person in the room as they stared at the screen. Before hearing the front door open and seeing the matchs victor standing in the doorway.

Many of the Smashers rushed over to meet him as Cloud was quickly engulfed within a crowd of Smashers.

One Smasher didn't join the greeting however. The red jacket wearing blonde had a flash of blue in his eyes when he laid eyes on the one known as Cloud. A vision of the future as many would call it. The normally calm blonde's face took on a look of worry as his eyes return to normal.

Cloud in the meanwhile couldn't help but think of one very key thought as he was flooded with questions from the Smashers.

He really regretted not rejecting that invitation.