Everything © their respective owners
.-:-.-:-.-:-.
KN: You know, I was happy with just Mewtwo and Lucas getting DLC, but then they go and…and they also add my favorite Fire Emblem lord and put a little effort into making him different and… -sobs- I'm so happy, I can't even…
KN: KN, Roy came back in June, why is this story so late? Well, better late than never, ah?!
Warning: How do I Ryu? –stares at reference notes-
.-:-.-:-.-:-.
Ness, Toon Link, and Villager were already at the front of the stage waiting for Lucas to be officially brought into the Smash Bros roster while the rest of the smashers stayed in their respective areas.
As the curtains parted, Lucas shyly stepped onto the stage as the spotlight shined on him. The large TV screen behind him was playing his character trailer as the smashers applauded his great return. Hearing the cheers of his name made Lucas glance down at his shoes.
"I can see I was missed." Lucas rubbed the back of his head. "It's a little embarrassing…" He looked to the side of the stage for a little bit before returning his gaze to the audience.
"How about some news you guys weren't expecting?" Lucas asked. "I…uh…brought some other guys with me, heh heh…"
The smashers gave him varied curious looks before the blond boy gestured to the side of the stage and a red-haired teenager in blue armor stepped out.
Most smashers just stared, eyes wide, though some gasped and others said a few words in their surprise…
"N-no way…" and "He…?" and "What?!" were all said in the span of fourteen seconds.
The figure on the stage smiled as the trailer on the large TV screen changed to a new video.
"Don't forget about me!" Roy slipped into a fighting stance as he said this at the same time as his voice did in the video playing behind him.
The entire audience erupted into cheers. Rings of light formed around Roy, updating his outfit and looks to the standards of Super Smash Brothers 4. The Pheraen lord glanced down at his attire with a small grin and gave Lucas a high five.
"I wish I could've recorded the looks on your faces." Roy chuckled. "Anyway, you'll need to calm down because we're not done with announcements yet." Roy glanced at the side of the stage.
"Roy's right." Lucas nodded. "We've also got another fighter joining the roster."
"He's traveling the world and fought around three hundred unique fighters." Roy started. "You might already know his name, actually." Roy gestured to the side of the stage as Lucas had done before him and out stepped a man wearing a red headband and a white gi.
"I look forward to fighting with all of you." The figure said as the video behind him changed to a new trailer.
"Whoa, no way!" and "Who is that?" and "Him too?!" spread through the audience.
"Ryu, you were supposed to introduce yourself first." Lucas whispered to him.
"Ah…I forgot." Ryu looked away quickly.
"Ryu of Street Fighter has also joined the roster!" Roy announced for him. "Along with him comes the Suzaku Castle stage!"
"And that will conclude our announcements for now." Lucas bowed to the audience.
.-:-.-:-.-:-.
Small crowds formed around the returning fighters and the one newcomer. The crowds around the returning fighters were usually composed of old friends with a few new faces that wanted to meet them. Around Ryu was a crowd that formed out of pure curiosity.
And the crowd that formed around Roy was currently in danger of getting slashed.
Ike thought he should warn them, but it was already too late.
"CRITICAL HIIIIIT!"
The crowd around Roy was sent flying as the glow from a smash ball faded from a none-too-pleased Marth. He gave the crowd he injured an unimpressed glance as he sheathed his falchion.
"I see you have little regard for other people as usual…" Roy sighed.
"What are you talking about?" Marth feigned innocence. "I even brought your mother with me." He gestured to Lyn, who was standing by his side after the crowd cleared. "I think I deserve some thanks." The Hero King crossed his arms.
"Congratulations, Roy!" Lyn wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks, mom." Roy returned the hug. "I'm…glad to be here…"
"How are the others doing in Pherae?" Lyn asked as they parted. "Is your father faring well?"
"Pherae is stable." Roy thought back fondly. "My knights and Lilina have assured me that nothing has gone amiss while I traveled with Wolt, and father is much healthier these days."
"That's good to hear." Lyn breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced at a slightly fidgeting Marth with a small grin on her face. Roy noticed the direction of her gaze and gave Marth a similar grin. The Hero King looked away for a second before he walked to Roy and gave him a tight hug.
"I've missed you." Marth said, all pretense falling.
"I can see that." Roy chuckled, returning the action with just as much feeling.
"Your boots lack style, by the way." The ex-prince commented as they parted. "Honestly, who designs these things? You look so flashy now; it's terrible."
"Hm, I don't know." Roy gave his new attire another once-over. "I kind of like it."
"I think it looks good too." Ike chimed in. Marth glared at him briefly, but then seemed to think better of it and ignored him.
"You looked better before…" Marth muttered under his breath.
"That…too…is the strength…of the Hero King…" Lucina rasped as she struggled to her feet. The tacticians helped her and Chrom to their feet despite their own injuries.
"Truly…legendary…" Chrom agreed, wiping the blood from his mouth.
"Are you all okay?" Marth rushed to their side. "Had I known you were all in the crowd, I certainly wouldn't have attacked any of you. My deepest apologies." He bowed.
"It's not your fault…Hero King…" The female tactician assured him, dusting rubble off her cloak.
"You were just…excited to see…your friend again…" The male tactician added, massaging a sore spot behind his neck.
"It's not an excuse." Marth asserted, letting Chrom and Lucina lean on him. He looked back at Roy. "I'll catch up with you later, Roy. I'm going to take these guys to Dr. Mario now."
"All right." Roy called back. "Take your time." He watched Marth leave with the Ylisseans, smiling.
"Marth's really changed." Ike observed. "I'm sure you can see that better than I can."
"Yeah…" Roy looked down at the floor wistfully. "I'm glad you've helped him get to this point."
"By being his stress ball, yeah." Ike rolled his eyes.
"Can't you learn to take a compliment, young man?" Lyn gave the Tellian lord a pointed look.
"It's okay, mom." Roy calmed her down. "It's not like he's wrong, anyway. Though," his eyes fixed on the spot where Marth used to be, "Marth's been smiling a lot more lately… That makes me happier than being in the roster."
.-:-.-:-.-:-.
Ness, Toon Link, and Villager stood comfortably near Lucas while Mewtwo watched them from a farther distance, all but leaning against a wall.
"This is Villager." Ness gestured to Villager. "His palette swaps consist entirely of alternate costumes. We call them alternate costumes, but they're all actual people. They don't talk much, but they're really good at catching bugs and fish."
"They're also really good at interior decorating and making the perfect snowmen." Toon Link added.
Villager blushed under the praise as Lucas extended a hand to him.
"It's nice to meet you." Lucas said cheerily as they shook hands. "I hope we'll all have a good match together."
"Pika!" Pikachu raced over to Lucas along with some yellow pikmin.
"Hey, Pikachu." Lucas greeted them.
"PK Thunder!" Ness and Lucas used the same move to form a zig-zag shape for their onlookers. The display finished with both bolts colliding and forming a shower of sparks. The two kids high-fived at the end as Pikachu and the yellow pikmin applauded.
"You two have been practicing." Mewtwo smiled to himself. "Excellent control, as always."
"Well, we have to represent our franchise." Ness said.
"And we're the only two who can." Lucas smiled.
"For Earthbound!" Ness cheered.
"And Mother!" Lucas added.
Villager raised his arms up to cheer as well, and Toon Link raised his sword.
.-:-.-:-.-:-.
Around Ryu were several of the original twelve, Little Mac, and Megaman.
"I guess I should've expected you to be here." Megaman grinned. "You always find the big fighting tournaments one way or another."
"I'm disappointed that I had not found this place sooner," Ryu contemplated glancing at Little Mac, "but maybe that was for the best as well. I heard that the previous tournaments did not have nearly as many fighters."
"Nope." Mario answered. "I remember when-a the first-a tournament was just twelve-a people."
"And now look at us…" Captain Falcon gestured to the huge hall of smashers.
"Poyo." Kirby chirped, squishing himself flat against the floor. "Biiiig."
"It's quite the sight…" Ryu agreed.
"Still, two-a final smashes?" Mario cocked his head. "I didn't-a know someone could-a do that!"
"I don't know what this 'final smash' is," Ryu said, "but if it helps me in my fights here, then I'll use them to the fullest."
"We should probably get you acquainted with the rules of this tournament." Megaman brought up. "We don't have health bars here, after all."
"You don't?" Ryu raised a brow at this. "How do you know when you've won the fight then?"
"Depends on the type of match." Fox explained.
"The standard-a match is Time." Luigi continued. "In Time-a, you set a number of-a minutes and try to KO the most-a fighters in that amount of-a time. To KO an opponent-a, you have to knock them off-a the stage."
"So this is a match of throws and shoving?" Ryu asked.
"Not quite…" Fox shook his head.
"You can knock someone off a stage when you raise their damage percentage to a high enough number." Megaman elaborated.
"Damage percentage…" Ryu echoed, blank look suggesting he was still lost.
"Poyo!" Kirby squeaked.
"Ah, I see." Ryu nodded. "Interesting."
"Wait, can you understand Kirby, Ryu?" Megaman asked.
"Not at all!" Ryu answered earnestly. Megaman and most of the original twelve gave him a look (it was difficult with Samus, however) while Kirby and Little Mac's expressions remained unchanged. They liked this fighter.
.-:-.-:-.-:-.
KN: Okay, I'll stop the first chapter here since Marth's whole "I tried" thing takes up half the story… It will be in the next chapter.