Legacy
Chapter 1: Premonitions
I've decided to take a second try at the SSB fan fiction archive. Only a Game didn't receive any reviews the last time, even though it's not a bad filler chapter (it bears on the later story) so I lost interest in it. I'll update if I get reviews. So, yeah . . . um . . . yeah . . . . Disclaim?
Disclaimer: If I owned SSB, would I be writing fan fiction instead of making the actual game this way and selling it to make millions? Didn't think so.
Shad . . . awaken . . . .
Zzz . . . huh?Awaken, Guardian. It is time.
Rasura . . .?
A thousand images blossomed in his mind. History. Ten women, ten crystals, ten bloody swords. Three enemies, three dead bodies. Seven in the Ring, seven dead bodies. No crystals. One enemy still standing, one enemy sealed away. No enemies. Ten crystals. One Guardian.
No Guardian. No protection . . . .
SHAD! Shad Hand leaped from his bed, body charged with adrenaline. The visions still fresh in the Guardian's mind, he called the staff on the wall. It leaped to his hand. Automatically, he raced across the room to his bureau, frantically rifling through the drawers. Eventually, he withdrew a case made of ebony.
"Brother?" it was Crazy Hand, long black hair tousled from sleep. His eyes were serious for once, as serious as the knife belted to his waist. "What's wrong?"
Shad began to put his gun together. "Don't know."
"Rasura?"
"Think so." He loaded the gun deftly and turned to the door. "There's something out there, Crazy. Something's wrong."
Crazy nodded. "I'll wake the Chosen ones, then?"
Shad nodded too, and Crazy turned to leave. "Gods guide you, Silas Hand," he murmured. Silas's outline glowed red, then vanished in a brush of sparks.
--#--
No one else knew about the encounter the night before, except those so attuned to the Psychic arts. Ness woke up feeling ill, and by the time he'd made his bed and brushed his teeth, he felt dreadful. His black hair hung limply over his head, the color gone from his cheeks. Wearily he put on his favorite red ball cap and went downstairs.
In the kitchen, Peach was busy making breakfast. Ness glanced around. For once, the kitchen was empty. He climbed onto the tall stool beside the counter. "Where is everyone?" he asked Peach.
She pursed her lips in exasperation. "I have no idea," she said, annoyed. "I've been in here, slaving over breakfast."
"Sorry."
Realizing that she'd hurt his feelings, the Princess added, "I'm sorry, Ness, I'm in a bad mood this morning. Everyone I've seen today has a bad temper; when I asked Sheik if he could pass me the sugar for coffee, he growled at me. Mario's been acting oddly, too. Luigi isn't so happy-go-lucky. He looks downright depressed."
"Odd," muttered Ness.
Peach nodded sagely. "Bowser's been pacing around and acting strange, even for him. Zelda seems on edge, even Roy doesn't want to play with his lighter. I suppose the best word for it is 'restless.'"
Ness winced. "Doesn't sound good."
Peach sighed and sipped at her coffee. "Three fights broke out this morning, Marth included in two, Link in all three. Then there's Mewtwo . . . ."
"What about him?" interrupted Ness, worried for the fate of his friend. Mewtwo was hard to faze; if whatever happened set him on edge too, it couldn't be good.
Peach frowned. "He has such a bad headache; he can't even lift a pen with his Psychic powers. He won't leave the Tower. I went to take him breakfast and he kept saying something about 'Mental Energy' and some sort of field disrupting the balance."
Ness frowned faintly. "Not good," he muttered to himself. Mewtwo not being able to use his powers was like Link without the Master Sword. "What did you say to that?"
"That he needed to eat something. Mewtwo just glared at me."
"Okay . . . thanks, Peach." Mind buzzing with questions, Ness hopped off the stool and headed for the Living Room.
"Wait . . . you said Bowser's pacing?"
Peach nodded. "Strange, isn't it?" she asked. "Muttering something under his breath, really edgy. And Ganondorf . . . he's acting quite odd. He's turned into a pensive scholar. Last night, when I couldn't sleep, I went down to the Library to read. He was sitting there, browsing through four or five books. When he saw me, he vanished."
"Hmm . . ."
"Don't worry yourself, Ness," admonished Peach. "It'll all be fine. Maybe it's the weather that's put everyone in a mad mood."
Ness smiled unconvincingly and walked away. Once a safe distance from Peach, he began to ponder. How come I don't believe that?
Because you shouldn't.
But why?Because there's more going on than just a few jittery people. Look into it.
The voice of his Inner Psychic sounded certain, so Ness went looking for the other kids to discuss the matter away from the prying ears of adults, to work out a solution of their own.
--#--
Elsewhere:
"Damn it, Ryar, if Master doesn't tell us where the hell to be, I'll quit this Gods-damned job straight off." The furious raven-haired speaker spat bitterly into the earth, contempt and disgust written all over her face.
"Quit complaining, Aura." The male voice sounded exasperated. "It's not that bad. Calm down."
Aura whirled around. "It's all well and good for you," she hissed at the speaker. "You've grown used to the heat. I live in the cold, for Goddess's sake. And these forests . . . they're so . . . vast and dark."
"Are you saying you're afraid?" he inquired. Aura glared suspiciously, seeming to hear humor in his voice, but a ridiculously large, yellow, pointed hat obscured his face.
"Shut it, Ingus," she snarled. Ingus smirked, enjoying the battle. Aura was so easy to irritate, it wasn't even that funny anymore.
"Would you two quit?" demanded Ila, polishing her sword. The cloak she wore was heavily battle-worn and bloody, suggesting to them that she'd endured a long life of fighting. "It's so annoying. It's worse than Kyru's bird-talking."
"SILENCE!" the group quieted immediately under the gaze of the Azure Knight on the other side of the fire. He frightened everyone, except Ila. "You fight worse than a pair of Needle Monkeys."
"Ugh, don't get me started on Needle Monkeys," complained Ingus.
"Silence, I said!" the knight lifted himself from the ground, panting with effort, thick blue armor weighing him down. "By Inferno, if you aren't quiet, I swear . . . ."
"Go kiss a Chocobo, Azure," growled Ingus. The Azure Knight mouthed wordlessly in helpless rage, and then settled for cursing under his breath. If he lost his temper, Ila would deal with him. And he really didn't want to be dealt with by her again . . . .
"I hear something!" as one, they stood, weapons held aloft. Ila slipped out of the clearing to catch up with Aura as they ran for the speaker. The Seer, Alani, rarely spoke, but when she did, it was always important. Long, silvery-white hair floated out behind her as she stood at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the verdant sea below. Moonlight shone down on her, making the edges of her hair gleam like starlight.
Aura, the swift black shadow, reached Alani first. "What do you hear?" she asked in an undertone, familiar with the girl's visions and feelings.
Alani closed her silvery eyes. "Silas is sending out the distress signal. He is looking for the Chosen Ones."
Aura flinched. Silas in trouble? That couldn't be good . . . .
"Please tell me we know where he is," groaned Ila.
Alani shook her head. "But he has one of the Chosen. That is all I can tell you."
"Which way to Smash Manor, then?" demanded Ingus.
Alani did not speak, but walked away, into the forest and down the hill, until she stood directly below the ridge. "Come!" she chirped. Ila went to retrieve the Azure Knight and Ryar while Ingus and Aura followed the path Alani made.
A shape watched over them, dressed in black robes with blood red and silver patterns. The hood it wore obscured its face. "Yes," it snickered, in a high, cold voice. "Yes . . . Master will be pleased with this development."
It leaped into the air, cloak floating about its form like the wings of a bat. No one noticed it, except the ever-observing Alani, who felt its presence like a malevolent aura in the back of her mind.
I shall leave you to SUFFER! Mwuhahaha!
Yes, it's short. If anyone knows who Ingus and the Azure Knight are (not from the same game) and where they're from I'll give them a cookie.
Majora: Review!!
P.S. I'll update Only a Game if someone wants me to . . . . :) Hint, hint!
P.P.S I might not update for a while, I'm having some problems right now . . . .
