Ever since the dawn of Smash 4, I've struggled to find the answer in what I was actually playing for, or what I was really fighting for. It was a debate I used to have with Xyro during the Brawl days on finding out who I was and who I wanted to be in Smash; Do I want fame? Or do I want fortune?



How about neither?



Fame? No, for it does not last.



Fortune? I could care less.



This quote from Shaya. This post right here. That is my answer.



"What if?"



Imagine this kid from Chile. The type of kid who you would meet at your local tournaments who's always giving it his all every time he plays. You've never heard of this kid, and you couldn't give a damn. But you're watching him play, and you see him improving. Eventually he starts winning your tournaments. He looks at you and says, "I want to go out of the country and become the best player in the world by winning the biggest tournaments against the best players." You just laugh at him. But in the back of your mind, after seeing what he was capable of, you can't help but ask yourself, "What if it really happened?"



That kid has now created a legacy in Smash that can never be forgotten.



So imagine me, this kid from Texas. He's been winning at his locals since Smash 4 came out. He uses Robin, Shulk, Charizard, Mewtwo, Doc, and Mii Swordfighter. But he could never win any major tournaments in his home state, let alone get even remotely close to doing something notable at a national when he started traveling. Then he saw an opportunity when a new character was revealed. A fighting game character was converted into a non-fighting game. The amount of options this character possessed was like nothing he's ever seen before in Smash. No one wanted to play him at the time, but he knew later on down the line that he would be the one everyone feared to go up against. So he took it upon himself. He knew there would be heavy losses along the way when he was playing a character like this one, but they hit him harder than he thought they would. He went on a hiatus.



Since his return, he has yet to lose a tournament.



What if he stopped looking at the puzzle itself.......and started looking at each individual piece?



What if losing now did not change his future.......but only pushed it back farther?



What if those losses were only building him up.......to become stronger?



What if he were to win a tournament like.......CEO.......EVO.......SmashCon.......?



What if Ryu really was.......the best character in the game?



What if Ryu never got nerfed?



What if that kid who would win all those friendlies against the top players.......really was the best in the world?



What if he actually started APPLYING HIMSELF IN TOURNAMENTS?



What if.......Trela?



When I walk into a tournament now, I ask myself, "How will I lose today? Who will stop me?" Everyone's a threat and always will be, just as I wish to be onto them. Because I am capable of doing anything, just as they are. And when someone tells me that I can win this tournament or beat that player.......then it means I have already won.



I set out to be something in Smash. But now that I am something, it doesn't mean the journey has to end here. There's still more work to be done. Just know that this time, when I lose.......I'll come right back.