It was an ordinary start to a seemingly normal day. Although the sun shone brightly that day, the early spring weather chilled the air. Despite the cool weather, there were few people outside. Perhaps it was due to the time of day.
Most people in this town slept in until nine. It would be three hours before those town residents finally crawled out of bed.
While the town slept, Isabelle sat on a barstool inside a quaint, little cafe, watching the barista as he worked. She slipped some gold coins into a glass tip jar sitting on the counter as the barista set down Isabelle's drink.
"Thanks, Brewster," Isabelle said cheerfully. She sipped her drink and looked up at the barista. "You nailed it without me even telling you what I wanted!"
The barista, Brewster, grabbed a cup and started to wipe it down with a wet washcloth. Although he was a pigeon, he was able to do his job with an expert's ease. His wings bent and moved with the same dexterity as hands. "Well you do come in here nearly every day, coo," he explained. His soft voice barely carried as far as the end of the bar.
Isabelle chuckled. "Yeah. That's true." She stared at her cup and swirled the dark liquid around.
"You're worried about him, huh?"
Isabelle chuckled again and rested her head on her hand. "Am I that transparent?" she asked in a semi-joking and semi-sad manner.
"Care to talk about it?" Brewster asked. He set the cup he was holding down, placing the rag inside the cup.
Isabelle lifted her head up. "I'm worried. I didn't want to tell the mayor, but I'm worried." She set her cup down and looked at the counter. "I know this tournament is a big thing for him, but he's so far away, and he could get hurt. He's a kid, and nearly everyone there has some sort of superpower or something."
Brewster nodded. "Ah yes. They do have a colorful cast of characters, huh?"
"There's a literal dragon," Isabelle exclaimed. She sighed. "I'm not just worried about that though." Her ears drooped. "What if he forgets about us?"
Brewster raised an eyebrow. "Isabelle. I'm sure he wouldn't forget. You're his friend. One of his good ones, may I point out."
"I know, but it's really hard not to think of things like that," she explained, trying desperately to keep up her professional facade from the tears blurring the edges of her vision.
"So, what are you going to do about it, coo?" Brewster asked.
Isabelle looked towards the window. Her tail drooped behind her. She slouched forward, her forehead grazing the cool, marble counter. "There's nothing I can do."
Brewster shook his head. "I wouldn't say that."
Isabelle looked up. "What do you mean?"
"If you have identified a problem, then why not try to find a solution to the problem? Try taking him out for a picnic or something, coo. Ensure that he doesn't forget you, Isabelle." Brewster grabbed a to-go mug and poured the rest of Isabelle's coffee into it.
Isabelle gasped. "Oh my! That's a great idea Brewster!" Her tail swished back and forth, at speeds that would rival even Sonic. "I'm gonna have to go! Got lots of things to plan, and I need all the time I can possibly squeeze out of today!"
Brewster chuckled, handing Isabelle the to-go mug. "Good luck, coo."
Isabelle dashed out of the cafe, nearly bowling over the few animals who were awake and walking about.
Isabelle stared at the clock in town hall, trying to will the clock, and time itself, to speed up.
"Come on," Isabelle muttered under her breath. After six hours of planning, she could hardly wait to start her picnic mission. Everything about today was going to be perfect. Isabelle was going to make sure of it.
She had all of her ideas scribbled in the margins of her notes and kept a short list of the best ideas stored away in her head.
First, Isabelle would petition the temporary mayor for a lunch break. She figured that Tortimer would let her go, but she created a presentation just in case he declined. Slide number five was a doozy and would most likely win over the tortoise. Even if the slideshow didn't work, however, all Isabelle would have to do is mention that her grandparents are her most respected relatives.
Sorry Digby.
The clock struck twelve. It was time to ask for time off. Isabelle swiveled her chair around to face Tortimer.
Butterflies fluttered around in the pit of her stomach. While Tortimer was a kindly old tortoise, his words could snap back when he was in a cranky phase. Normally, his old, tired eyes would be either hidden by his eyelids or the brim of a tropical, straw hat, but at the moment, his gaze seemed to be focused on Isabelle.
"You don't even need to ask whippersnapper! I've been watching your movements for the last half-hour now. You haven't gotten anything really done, and you just keep staring at the clock, even if I ask for something."
Isabelle's ears flattened against her head. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't trying to-"
"Don't be," the tortoise exclaimed. "Around lunch, I can be a little distracted too." Tortimer grinned and let out a hearty laugh that soon turned into a coughing fit. He took a moment to regain his composure and looked directly at Isabelle. "Go and enjoy your lunch break. I can handle myself here."
Isabelle gasped and covered her mouth with a paw. Isabelle leapt over the desk and turned around to face Tortimer for a brief moment. "Thank you, Mayor Tortimer! I'll bring back some of the leftover fruit I have!" she shouted, already out the door.
That was easier than expected.
Step two would be harder. She had to find as much of the best, most flavorful fruit she could.
She grabbed a makeshift map from her pockets and unfolded it, scanning her chicken scratch drawing for the route she would take. The path seemed simple enough. She was to go down to the beach for bananas and coconuts, then grab some of the town's fruits on the way to the train station.
Isabelle stuffed the map back in her pocket and grabbed a small picnic basket hidden in the bushes next to town hall. Inside the basket, Isabelle had already packed a blanket, a honeycomb, and some bamboo shoots. Once checking to see if everything was still inside the basket, Isabelle hurried along her path, picking apples, bananas, pears, and any other fruits she happened to find along her way.
As she stepped onto the train headed for the Super Smash Brothers Mansion, Isabelle could only imagine the possible ways that her mayor would respond to an invitation for a picnic. It made her grin each time Andrew accepted her request.
Step three was about to begin.
She did it. Everything about this picnic had been planned out to the smallest detail. She was sure that it would be the perfect picnic. Isabelle checked her basket again, as if it was possible that everything she gathered suddenly disappeared.
Everything was still the same.
She searched long and hard but finally found an amazing spot on the plains nestled within a small grove of trees. A waterfall around the site fed cool water into a pond. In the water, three brown, box-shaped pillars rose out of the water. In the distance, she could see staggering cliffsides, strange animals, and another strange pillar that rose from the ground. This monument was pointed and seemed to be less like pillar and more of a mini-castle.
Isabelle was relieved that things were so peaceful today. Things on the plains could get deadly if you wandered into the wrong areas.
The Territorial Rotbart had a reputation in the area for a good reason, after all.
She removed a blue and pink striped blanket from her basket and gingerly laid it out on the ground, smoothing out the wrinkles.
Isabelle set her basket on the blanket and looked around for her mayor Andrew, or Villager, as he was known by in the tournament.
Out in the distance, she could see him approaching. Isabelle waved her arms in the air. He waved back, racing toward the picnic spot.
"Oh boy,' Andrew said, panting. "You sure did… find a pretty… remote spot… for a picnic."
Isabelle nodded feverously. "Yeah! I planned it all out so that you could have a great lunch!" She grinned at Andrew.
Andrew laughed. "I can tell! How long did you take planning this?"
Isabelle's face flushed. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Oh, it didn't take that long, and besides, I just wanted to talk with you again. We really don't get to talk that much now. You should visit sometime," Isabelle insisted. "Everyone would love to see you." She bounced in place. Her tail swished back and forth on the blanket. "Oh! And someone recently created something for your town too! It's a campsite, and people can park their RVs there an-"
"Isabelle." Andrew's face had shifted in Isabelle's spiel. Instead of his smiling face, Isabelle saw furrowed eyebrows and a frown.
Isabelle's ears flattened against her head. "I'm sorry. I've just really missed seeing you around."
Andrew sighed. "I appreciate all that you've done for me and my town, but I'm really busy right now. You know that this tournament thing is a chance of a lifetime. What if I never get to be in this thing again?"
"But I'm sure you will," Isabelle insisted. "How could they not include you again? You're the best fighter I've ever known!"
Andrew frowned. "But people who've been there way longer than me have gotten kicked out before. A lot of fighters only stay one tournament." He sighed. "I can't just drop everything, especially since I'm new. I'm not as well-known as Mario or Pikachu."
Isabelle grabbed an apple out of her basket and offered it to the mayor. "Well, I'm sorry for bringing it up. I won't ask about it again. I hope we can still have this picnic though."
Andrew smiled and accepted the apple. "Of course!" He sat on the blanket. "So what else do you have in that basket? Any sweets?" His voice grew hopeful. "Any chocolate cake?"
Isabelle chuckled. "I'm sorry, but I didn't have time this morning to make a chocolate cake. I'll be sure to make some next time."
"That's a shame. You're a really good baker." Andrew took a bite of the apple. "Still, this is pretty nice." He paused. "This place is pretty nice."
"Yeah." Isabelle grabbed a peach from her basket and looked around the place. "I researched this area. According to everyone I've talked to, these plains are actually on a giant's leg. I don't know where on the leg, but we are sitting on a leg."
Andrew furrowed his brow and looked around. Aside from the strange rock formations of towering crescent-shaped peaks, rock spires, and the various monuments scattered across the area, it was some pretty normal plains. "Really?"
Isabelle nodded. "The titan's name is apparently Bionis. Long ago, it fought another titan named Mechonis. You can see the other one in the distance, I think."
Andrew gasped. "Whoa!" He stood up, exited the grove, and looked around. His eyes practically sparkled as he took everything in. "No wonder there's a bunch of things I've never seen before. Like actual, living, breathing dinosaurs! Or weird fish! Oh man, Blathers would be amazed to see this!" He laughed and ventured farther out from the campsite to look at the sky. "Hey, Isabelle! There really is a giant!" he shouted.
Isabelle stood up and dusted off her skirt. She walked over to her mayor and gazed into the distance. Looming just past the clouds was a giant. Even from far away, the titan was massive. It looked almost like a suit of armor with the rusty brown and silver colors that it sported. The giant reached out towards the sky above them with what appeared to be a sword.
What really caught Isabelle's eye however, were the giant's glowing red eyes. These red eyes, as well as the appearance of the giant, made Isabelle think that the giant may have been a machine. It amazed her, even if the eyes did send a shiver up Isabelle's spine.
A figure cloaked in black quickly leapt from behind a rock spire and rushed towards Isabelle and Andrew. The figure pulled a small, black pistol out from their cloak and aimed for Mayor Andrew.
A shot rang through the air. Andrew collapsed onto the ground
"Andrew!" she shouted. Grief and panic filled her voice. She rushed to the mayor's side.
"Andrew!" Isabelle stared in horror. Andrew's skin and clothes started warping and hardening, its surface reflecting a polished glean like some sort of hard plastic.
The figure stepped forward and tapped Isabelle on the shoulder.
Isabelle squeaked and jolted backwards. She stumbled and fell to the ground in her panic.
"All right, little pup, I suggest you go home before the same thing happens to you," the cloaked figure threatened, their voice eerily calm. They slid the gun back into their cloak. Even the figure's arms were cloaked in black, hiding their appearance. The person was skinny and seemed to be taller than Isabelle, although his height might have been amplified through magic or his stance.
"Turn him back!" she sobbed. Isabelle was scared, she was upset, but more importantly, she was angry. She hurled the fruit at the figure's face. Instead of hitting the cloaked figure, however, the peach hovered in place as it was wrapped by a dark aura. After a few moments of hanging in the air, the peach splattered on the ground.
The figure shook their head. "I can't. Not until our plan is complete." With that, the figure jumped back to the top of the hill and vanished behind the scenery of Gaur Plains.
So, before I say anything about this, I'd just like to thank the user l-Alma-I for helping me to proofread the first chapter around a year ago haha. I've just now decided to upload this chapter after having it around for a while.
Anyway, you might be asking yourself, "Haven't I seen something like this before? Wait didn't you do this exact thing a few years ago? What gives?" Now don't get your pitchforks just yet. I can assure you that you're not finding my old version on my account. It's been deleted for a while. This is the updated version.
The last one, I can honestly say, had some decent ideas, but I didn't do a good job at most of the planning things. DLC characters shook me up a bit and it overall ended with me not knowing what was going to happen at the end.
This time, I have a document dedicated to the plot points I want to bring up or something to hint at, I know who the main villain of this fic is, I have the other villains planned out. Villains from last time who didn't seem like they could ambush and trap characters now have a concrete reason for their weapons. Plus, even if it doesn't get mentioned at first, I know which fighter is in what gun and who ambushed them. Plus, this is going to be more detailed than the original fic.
Speaking of changes from the original, I have something kind of important to mention. Magnus will no longer be a main character. Going over the original, I kind of felt that he wasn't really that important. He didn't get character moments and he kind of seemed there to have an even number or to be the cool guy with a sword. So, going forward, he will be a background character only, who will show up when dealing with things from his world. It was a hard choice, but I hope you guys understand.
Anyway, hope you guys liked this chapter! I'm also going to try to make an update schedule of once a month. This is to give me time to make chapters and to work on art and college.
Bye guys!