Nisha's Finale: For Fun

Finale: VS Walakea

Oct 12, 2023

Open on Grand Festival Hub

Tetlacatl: How are you feeling?

Nisha: I’m looking forward to this being over. Reading about battles is better than being in them.

Tetlacatl: Winning an entire tournament would be quite the start and end of a fighting career. Either way, this tournament is a win for us. So you don’t need to try as hard against Walakea.

Nisha: That’s true. I do feel calmer in a sense, but not at ease. I won’t be until the tournament concludes.

Tetlacatl: Then let’s end it.

Exploration Start

Just keep walking, there will be no obstacles in your way. But this time you’ll be talking to some familiar characters instead of just eavesdropping on NPCs.

Hyperion: This whole tournament has been a lot of fun to watch, makes me wish I got further in it.

Nisha: Sorry.

Hyperion: Nothing to apologize about. I do find it impressive how well you control your power. But I’m still not using mine.

Nisha: That’s understandable. I rarely rely on my mastery of metal, this is the most I’ve used it in a long time. Truthfully I’m somewhat confused by how well I’ve done.

Hyperion: It’s because you’re so calm and careful. While I have more of a temper, I can’t risk losing control of myself again. I guess that makes me the weakest dragon.

Nisha: You’re more skilled as a fighter than me, being able to fight without depending on such advantages is more remarkable than winning with abilities few other fighters have.

Hyperion: You can’t win a tournament like this without some skill. And I’m sure you’ll take first place.

Tetlacatl: I know he isn’t planning anything untoward, but Walakea has clearly been concentrated on something since it looked like you may face him.

Nisha: Likely he’s going to make some kind of point in our battle, as if might makes right.

Tetlacatl: Well it is the victors who determine how the world goes. But Walakea isn’t like that. Whatever he’s going to do will be more sophisticated than declaring that if he wins a fight he’s correct on philosophical and moral matters.

Nisha: That is true, though he’ll say so just to tease me if he does win.

Hákon: You know, I bet a ton of people would love to learn something like your fighting style.

Nisha: I’m relying on my command of metal, what is there other people could learn?

Hákon: I bet the Radakali could use their magic to copy what we do at least.

Nisha: Speaking of the Radakali, what happened to that gladiator I fought?

Hákon: I’m still working on that. It’s complicated.

Nisha: Everything here seems to be.

Talk to Walakea to begin the final battle.

Exploration End

Walakea: Are you ready?

Nisha: Yes.

Nisha and Walakea walk to the right off screen.

Transition to the Arena

Nisha and Walakea are at the center of the stage.

Nisha: Good luck Walakea.

Walakea: To you as well, though I have one request before the battle starts.

Nisha: What is it?

Nisha: (I can’t tell if this will be serious or not.)

The stage transforms into Yazen

The stage is located in the canals of a city with snow falling in the background. A large flat roofed pyramid is the standout landmark. The fighting takes place on a gondola with a roofed section in the back.

Walakea rushes at Nisha, she blocks.

Walakea: Stop thinking for once and just feel.

Battle Start

You aren’t going to get much time to think in this battle, as it has two special conditions. The first is infinite meter, meaning super moves can be used whenever. The other is that all damage is doubled. If you’re not careful you could lose quickly, you need to act fast.

As the gondola moves, other boats will sometimes appear on either end to expand the stage. There will also be some balconies that serve as temporary platforms, but make sure the boats don’t leave you behind.

As a rushdown character Walakea is going to come right at you and keep the attacks coming. And he has a projectile to harass you if you can keep him out. Trying to jump over him will only invite use of his Metal Upper super, unless you make a point of baiting it or wait until he’s stuck in endlag from something else.

More deviously, his other super, Eight Pronged Assault, contains what’s commonly known as a ‘knowledge check’ in it. After the first of the four strikes that make up the move, Walakea moves to your opposite side and must be blocked in that direction. Even if he can’t get past your guard, the reposition alone could turn the tide.

Of course, you have infinite meter too. Meaning you can constantly throw out Metal Rain to restrict Walakea’s movements and pepper in Armory Assault when you find an opening.

Embrace the chaos of this battle and you’ll come out on top.

Battle End

Walakea: Heh, you’re smiling.

Nisha: Oh, I am. I guess I did enjoy myself, even when I thought you might win. Though I’m not sure I can explain why.

Walakea: Not everything needs to be explained and analyzed. You might be the official winner of the tournament, but my real goal for our battle was getting you to enjoy it, so really I won.

Nisha: Of course you’d say that. I’m not sure if I’d take part in something like this again, but I don’t think I’m dreading the rematch with Hákon anymore. The occasional battle like this could be fun.

Nisha: Now I suppose it’s time for the victory celebrations.

Transition to Grand Festival Hub (Night)

Much of the activity in the background has died down, but it’s still the same location. The moon and stars light up the sky.

Nisha, Walakea, and Tetlacatl all walk on screen.

Walakea: In the end, this wasn’t all bad, was it?

Nisha: It wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but even now, it doesn’t seem as horrid as it did at the time. And I’m looking forward to telling our friends about all this.

Tetlacatl: Winning tends to have that effect. This went about as well for us as it could have.

Nisha: There certainly has been a lot for me to learn here.

Walakea: Which you never would have if you stayed in the library.

Nisha: That is true. However, I’m eager to return to it. After all, now it’s time to write down the story of this tournament, of everyone who fought in it, so it will be remembered in ages to come.

Story END

Note from the Author: ‘Fighting is fun’ is a pretty obvious thing to theme a fighting game story around, so that was my plan with Nisha. Of course having a protagonist who didn’t enjoy fighting made me worry that the early chapters would be too dull, or that it’d feel complete after beating Quiahuitl. This was a risky story in its own way.

When the next chapter would be published, I’ll be resharing the prologue. Followed by starting a vote for the next story the week after. This should help people reset in advance of the next story.

Optional Discussion Prompt: Do you find competition fun? How about fighting games specifically?

The Warthog Report

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