red sox is one of the most legendary Board 8ers in history, at least in that he has probably made more posts in the Stat Topics since 2005 than probably any other user. He's also one of the top Oracle competitors of all time, having scored the most lifetime Top Five predictions, and has been featured on the Contest Analysis Crew.
red sox's Winter 2010 Fanfiction[]
Cloud advanced up the steps of the Fortress of Victory, passing a hierarchy of bowing figures. At the bottom of the steps, the figures had their heads lodged completely in the ground, but as Cloud ascended the figures' heads slowly lifted out of the ground until they were only flat on their stomachs, facedown, facing foward. As Cloud ascended further, the figures no longer had to lie flat on their stomachs, and at last Cloud reached the last figure, clearly recognizable as Mario, Link's second in command. Mario only knelt on both knees, and his head was raised high enough to be able to sneak a glance at Link above.
Cloud ascended the remaining steps, 64 of them, alone. At the top he gave Link a curt nod of the head. By the treaty, Cloud should have offered a deeper bow, for while he did not need to kneel to anyone, to Link he was still supposed to give more respect. Link let it pass, clearly worried about more pressing matters, and ushered Cloud inside the chamber at the top of the fortress.
Cloud: So, my king, why have you summoned me here today? Surely the great Link does not need the help of one so lowly as I.
Link: Shut up, Cloud. We're in serious danger, all of us.
Cloud: Danger?
Link: Do you know what Pokemon are, Cloud?
Cloud: Aren't they just harmless animals?
Link: That's what they used to be. After L-Block toppled my universal domination, I.....changed the Pokemon to help me destroy him and take back my throne. You know where L-Block and his army of inanimate objects drew their power from, right?
Cloud: Um, from hate, right?
Link: Yes, hate. Hatred of the few characters who dominate over the masses who are forced to serve them. Hatred of Nintendo and Square, the powers that tear apart the world with their constant war. Hatred of the Noble Nine that stands above the world. And above all, Cloud, hatred of us. You and me. You know of the lifestream?
Cloud: Yes, of course.
Link: There is another similar force. Every time someone dies in anger or pain, those parts of them join it. Over the years it grew stronger and stronger, until at last it coalesced into a physical object.
Cloud: L-Block.
Link: Right. And it was incredibly strong. To defeat it, I, as I said, modified the Pokemon. Perhaps it is better to say I created the Pokemon, for they are completely different now from the simple animals they used to be. I melded them with the force of hate, covered them with an external cute appearance, and made them able to fit into and rest inside tiny red and white balls known as pokeballs.
Cloud: You melded them with the force of hate?
Link: Yes. Every Pokemon that you see- inside it runs on pure hate. You would never guess it looking into the eyes of this Pikachu I have here, but it is a creature of hate. That is where it gets all its strength from.
Cloud: So you harnessed the power of the hate to create an army loyal to you......
Link: Exactly. And Pikachu was my greatest success. So much hate, hidden behind such a cute, adorable, rat. L-Block had spent much of his power already, and his constant victories had made him believe himself invincible, and when he saw Pikachu, he let his guard down.
Cloud: So you saved us all.
Link: But one Pokemon I created went wrong. The cute exterior never materialized. Indeed, I couldn't even control it properly, like I designed all the other Pokemon to let me do. They obey me absolutely, 100%. But this one fought back. It took a hard struggle of wills to make it obey me. And it grew.....one day, I realized it had taken on a new shape. It was.......
Cloud: What?
Link: It was.......shaped like a boot.
Cloud: !!!!!
Link: Warn Sephiroth. I can no longer control Missingno. His will has grown strong enough to break free from the bonds with which I created all the Pokemon. And he is strong. So much hate and power gathered in one being........Warn Sephiroth.
Cloud: ......I will. What if Sephiroth loses?
Link: I'm sorry, but your friend Tifa doesn't stand a chance against it. Nor does that silly Solid Snake who thought he could match my boundless power with mere tricks. If Sephiroth loses, Cloud, you are next in line.