Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters, or anything related.
I only own my OC.
PART ONE
Conquering the Darkness Within
Bonding Trust: Chapter Two
Malvara's eyes slowly fluttered open to the sound of the grandfather clock in the bedroom striking two in the morning. The chiming echoed softly off the walls, gradually fading until the room became as silent as it had been before. With a sigh, she tossed and turned in bed tightening her grip on the blankets. Her gaze quickly shifted over to Meta Knight for a brief second, who didn't seem affected by the noise.
She sighed burying her face into the soft pillow. Malvara only knew him for about three weeks and they didn't speak to each other much. Then again, neither of them said a word to anyone either and were satisfied in being alone in their own personal life. Malvara had gone to the Master Hand's office after the meeting three weeks ago to make it clear that she would not fight in any brawls or practice in the training rooms. Every night she would stay in the bedroom or sometimes the roof, and simply gaze up at the beauty of the starry sky.
What Malvara didn't like about being in the Smash Mansion was the brawls scheduled every weekday. As a rule, even for those who are not Smashers, all had to be seated in the audience five minutes before the brawl began to watch it. Most of the time, her mind would wonder to usually similar topics instead of gazing up those fighting each other, eager to win the battle; to triumph over their opponent. The noise was something she could do without.
"So pointless. When all can be peaceful, why fight at all?"
On the contrary, the Smash Mansion also held her promise that this life may be better for her than her previous one. Weekends were usually quieter than when brawls were scheduled; a serene silence that eased her being when spending more time isolated from those outside her 'bubble' so to say. That only lasted about a week or two before Jigglypuff attempted to speak to her. Malvara, of course, felt shocked at the friendly gesture and as time passed by, she talked a little more with her, but always felt intimidated with her friends around.
"Well, maybe after some time, this place may not be as bad as I first thought. Maybe in a week or so I'll change my mind."
Malvara smiled to herself now that she felt a bit better after sorting those thoughts. Now sleep sounded like a great idea. She turned towards the wall, pulling the covers over her body allowing herself to rest for the morning. Perhaps with time she could adjust.
The sun slowly rose over the horizon, the darkness slowly vanishing as another day began. In the distance, birds were chirping as the new day promised plenty of sunshine. A pleasant, warm April breeze blew through the open window of the bedrooms.
At precisely six in the morning, the only sound in the hallway was the creaking of a door slowly opening. Malvara peeked around both corners careful that the area was vacant before proceeding down the hallway. Three weeks into the routine and she still needed to spend time finding her way around the Smash Mansion.
Her gloved hand reached towards the elevator button and it slowly opened; one of the few technologies she did recognize. She selected to go down to the main room. As the doors closed, Malvara thought she heard someone awakening but didn't think anything of it. After all, pure silence was scarce in the Smash Universe.
She made her way out of the elevator after it came to a halt. Each step towards the wall map of the Smash Mansion was silent, soundless, quiet. If even one living being accompanied her in that same room, she would never have been heard. With a swift flick of her wrist, the door in front of her opened without any sort of audible noise in its movement.
Malvara closed the door gently behind her and turned on the lights, trying to figure out where she was. As according to the map, she was currently in the Smash Mansion garage where all methods of transportation were kept safe. Not all were vehicles; one was a Mr. Saturn in a pigpen eating from its food tray. Beside it was Epona, Link's horse he loved so much. She looked up curiously from her food to see who was approaching. Malvara gazed back at the beautiful horse without blinking an eye in the few minutes they stared at each other. Eventually, Epona grew bored and decided to lie down. A small smile creeped onto Malvara's face as she continued to see what the other vehicles were.
Alongside the stalls for Epona and Mr. Saturn, there was a couple Arwings, Landmasters, Olimar's and Samus' spaceships, a Kong Barrel Racecar, the King of Red Lions floating in a large fish tank and the largest of all, the Halberd. Malvara stared at the size of the ship in awe being the largest ship she ever saw in her lifetime.
"Who could possibly own ship this big?" Malvara thought, jaw still dropped slightly. Her visible eye noted that the front of the ship looked exactly like Meta Knight's mask. Both eyes widened. "Wow…he must be the one that owns that ship, whatever it is called. I thought I heard him call it the Halberd before…"
"Surprised?" came a deep voice from behind her. Malvara jumped when she saw Meta Knight suddenly appear from no where.
"Oh, I didn't see you there! You startled me," Malvara replied, heart rate slightly slowing down.
"I apologize," Meta Knight said, taking a few steps toward the Halberd. "Would I be correct to assume that my ship surprised you?"
"Well, yes…" Malvara admitted, looking down. Meta Knight's mysterious ways still intimidated her; he always caught her by surprise in how he would handle situations or even how he spoke. "I never did see a ship that big before." She had to force those words after being awestruck for a long while.
"I doubt most people have either. From seeing all these miniature vehicles, it must be uncommon to see large ships these days."
Malvara looked uncertain. "The others seem large to me though." She turned around to see where Meta Knight went, but he was gone. Malvara though she heard echoing off the walls, "You've much yet to learn."
"Boo!" Ness said playfully as his friend Lucas entered the cafeteria.
Lucas screamed and hid behind Toon Link who gave him an odd look. "N-Ness, what was that f-for?!"
"It's April Fool's Day!" Jigglypuff answered for Ness, following the others. "Has anyone seen Yoshi or Kirby yet? I hadn't seen them yet today."
"They're sleeping, most likely. That's mainly what those two do anyway," Toon Link replied, rolling his eyes. "At least, besides eating."
"You shouldn't be so hard on them," Jigglypuff said with sympathy. "It's not their fault if they like certain hobbies, even if it is sleeping and eating. It's not like they are harming anything."
Toon Link looked sheepish. "Well, except the snacks that is."
Jigglypuff opened her mouth to speak but suddenly as she passed through the doorway, a bucket of cold water spilled over her, drenching her form completely. She shivered, but was glaring. "All right, who did that? I damand to know!"
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong high fived each other on the opposite side of the wall. When they heard Jigglypuff's angry scream, they looked at each other for a moment before saying, "Let's retreat for now."
"Cowards!" Jigglypuff said when she heard two pairs of footsteps run in the opposite direction from her. She sighed with aggravation while drying herself off.
Toon Link looked like he was going to start laughing when a claw grabbed him by the hat and dragged him out of the room. The screams and sinister chuckling echoed down the hallway.
Kirby and Yoshi finally woke up looking at the confused faces of Jigglypuff, Ness and Lucas.
Ness shrugged. "Toon Link should be all right. After all, it was only Wolf. Nothing to worry about."
"By the way, as anyone seen Lucas?" Jigglypuff asked.
Malvara stayed in the garage for a couple hours after Meta Knight had disappeared into thin air. She still wondered how he did that. Her thoughts were interrupted by a terrified scream coming from the bathroom. She shuddered not wanting to know what was going on. However, part of her was curious having heard screams every five minutes since the clock in the garage struck eight.
She glanced at the calendar beside the door. A red circle was drawn around the number one in the section called April. Squinting, she saw small black text under the number reading, "April Fools Day."
Shrugging, she opened the door thinking nothing of it. Malvara never heard of such a thing before and she really didn't care. That is until she saw a bucket of freezing water fall from the doorway, acting as a trap. She stiffened up and closed her eyes, waiting for the water to drench her completely.
A few long moments passed without anything happening, at least, for Malvara. She slowly opened her eyes only to see she saw on the opposite side of the room. She blinked for a minute trying to figure out what happened. The bucket of water lay spilled on the tiled floor far away from her, but in the same spot she was in not too long ago.
Her fists tightened. "There has to be some sort of explanation. Otherwise, I am certain this crazy place is causing me to go insane." As she opened the main doors to go for a peaceful walk, amber eyes watched her every movement.
Malvara sighed a breath of relief once she closed the doors behind her. Only then did she realize she didn't have breakfast, but she hardly cared. Her stomach wasn't included on her list of priorities.
The cool Spring breeze relaxed her and it only helped more that she wasn't in the Smash Mansion. She may as well get to know the place from the outside too. Around the corner was a shining lake surrounded by shady trees and a couple of small buildings. "This may be used as a swimming pool."
Beside it was an attractive, alluring fountain surrounded by a large garden of several varieties of flowers. Intrigued, she took a few steps towards it. The slight spray of the water was soothing, but she was more surprised by the roses, tulips, sunflowers, pansies, cosmos and lilies carefully planted in a tidy arrangement. Each shone with scarlet, blazing orange, honey, indigo and violet colours too beautiful to be real. Malvara never saw such a gorgeous sight before and it attracted to its unreal qualities.
"Come on! I'll race you to the lake!" Toon Link shouted in the distance. Behind him were Kirby, Yoshi, Jigglypuff and a traumatized Lucas, who apparently has been spooked by the Crazy Hand. Malvara ignored them, not wanting to make her presence known. Socializing had never been on her list of strengths.
Jigglypuff nearly jumped into the lake, but suddenly stopped at the edge. Someone was nearby, towards the garden she assumed. As she shifted her gaze, the figure ducked down to prevent from being seen. Jigglypuff took small, cautious steps in the opposite direction of the lake to see who was there.
"Hey Jigglypuff? Why aren't you at the lake yet?" Toon Link asked, Kirby saying 'poyo' in unison.
"Shhhh!" She hissed, silencing them. "I thought I heard someone. Everyone, be quiet." None made a move as she approached the garden suspiciously. Her eyes widened as she turned around the corner. "Malvara, is that you?"
Malvara immediately stood up, and by instincts, thought she was in danger. She desperately wanted to run, but she found herself frozen in place. "W-What do you want with me?" The tone sounded accusing, yet intimidating.
"It's all right Malvara, it's only us," Jigglypuff reassured, calming down her friend.
Malvara relaxed immediately. "I'm sorry," she said in barely a whisper. "I didn't realize it was you."
"Don't worry about that. I would have been scared too," Jigglypuff said with understanding. "I see you noticed the garden."
"Yes, it was noisy inside so I decided to come out here."
"You too? Well, today is April Fools Day so that would explain why it has been chaotic inside," Jigglypuff replied.
"What exactly is April Fools Day?" Malvara asked.
Jigglypuff seemed a little shocked by the question. "April Fool Day comes once a year when everyone plays pranks on each other, at least for this place. The whole day becomes chaos with all the mischief that happens. Revenge also adds to that. Like you, we all didn't like the noise so we went outside too."
"Jigglypuff's just mad because someone pulled a prank on her and doesn't want to be teased if everyone found out!" Toon Link said, with a smirk on his face.
"Says the guy who ended up getting a wedgie from Wolf," Jigglypuff retaliated, causing his grin to disappear. "You're one to talk."
"I hate Wolf," Toon Link muttered under his breath. The others laughed except for Malvara, her expression maintaining no trace of emotion. Jigglypuff, Toon Link, Lucas, Ness, Kirby and Yoshi knew her long enough to get used to it by now, but they accepted that.
"Well," Jigglypuff said, trying not to laugh as to pronounce a full sentence correctly. "I guess you'll have to get revenge on Wolf later then Toon Link."
"You bet I will! Speaking of revenge," a mischievous smile spread across his face. "I was wondering what I was going to do with the extra supply of superspicy curry that the Master Hand accidentally ordered. I think I have the perfect plan. You all have to come to the cafeteria at supper to see my plan in action!"
"Sure, no problem. Right guys?" Jigglypuff agreed.
"I'll come!" Ness said, grinning. Lucas merely nodded reluctantly at the thought of going back inside. Kirby and Yoshi did a happy dance in reply to the question. Malvara looked down at the ground.
"Sorry, but I won't be there."
Jigglypuff nodded in understanding. "All right then. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow then okay? Well, see you later Malvara." In only a few seconds, the group became faint silhouettes in the distance.
She said she wouldn't be there, promised herself to stay in her room and not come out until morning. This counted as a time when the quote, 'curiosity killed the cat,' would fit in her life. "No, I will not be at the cafeteria tonight," she thought, but the urge to witness Toon Link's plot for revenge got the best of her. Malvara hated it when her emotions betrayed her.
She peeked around the doorway to see what was going on. As planned, Toon Link was heading to the storage room to collect what he believed were the superspicy curries. He made sure no one besides his friends were around before bargaining with the waitress. She gave in to his request, but she didn't seem pleased.
One not among the group watched in the shadows as Toon Link's revenge was being put into action. He had to admit, April Fools Day was amusing. Other Smashers could be full of surprises.
Toon Link met up with the rest of the group and Malvara who had stood guard to make sure no one else was coming. "The plan's done! All we have to do now is wait. Everyone should be coming to supper now."
Malvara hid the shadows while the other Smashers passed by to get something to eat and thankfully, they did not notice her. She was about to take a glance around the corner when she felt an arm touch hers. A gasp of shock escaped her while the other figure pulled away. Malvara saw that it was Meta Knight. If he did seem startled by their sudden encounter, she would never have been able to tell. "S-Sorry," she quickly said, looking away. She made a fool of herself in front of him and was now too nervous to look his way.
"Do not worry about that. I am not angry at you," he replied in a caring manner.
"Why are you here? I thought you would be in the bedroom with all these pranks and such." Malvara asked, not too ashamed to look at him again.
Under the mask, Meta Knight smiled. "Like you, I also wish to see everyone plot their revenge. I'm sure by now that their plan is taking effect."
"Their? What are you talking about?"
"You'll see."
Malvara looked around the corner to see Wolf taking his first bite of his dinner. She still pondered over what Meta Knight told her. He was always mysterious like that. So far, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but within a few seconds, Wolf was reaching for a glass of water trying to cool down his mouth from the spice. However, his roommate was eating the curry that Toon Link made.
Part of the plan took a twist because Wolf glared in Toon Link direction when he saw that he was the first one laughing, bringing suspicion. Toon Link seemed to realize he was accused of the prank because he ran out of the cafeteria before anyone could say, 'Wolf.'
When Wolf left chasing after Toon Link, Fox and Falco high fived each other. Toon Link realized he grabbed mild curry instead of superspicy so someone else must have pulled that prank on Wolf. While his roommate who ate at the same table ate the mild curry Toon Link accidentally took, someone else committed the prank and he was paying for it.
"Ahhh! Somebody save me!" Toon Link said, more in a squeak than a scream for help. He turned the corner and collided into Malvara who had been heading upstairs to the bedroom. Toon Link would have apologized if he wasn't in a frightening situation. Malvara lay dazed on the ground as more footsteps came in her direction. She tried to stand, but with some difficulty.
Wolf rounded the corner with no hesitance, but stopped in his tracks seeing Malvara. A smirk made its way to his face. "Well, well, puffball. I see we finally meet. I must say that I was surprised that you were the one that meddled with my dinner. At first I thought it was that annoying kid Toon Link, but it all makes sense now."
"W-What do you mean? I never-" Wolf raised his gun to silence her.
"Clever thinking puffball, hiding in the shadows while waiting for your little joke to commence. If it was Toon Link, he would never have gave himself away like that, even though he doesn't make the best decisions sometimes. Encountering you wasn't expected, but perhaps it may finish the day with perfection, don't you agree?"
"No, sorry," Malvara said hastily, wishing to fall in the ground and turn invisible out of Wolf's sight. "I'm not sure why I am dragged into this, but I damand you stop accusing me for something I didn't do!" A laser whizzed by her body, missing it by an inch.
"Come again?" Wolf said, no longer speaking in a taunting manner. "Perhaps you would like to discuss this with my gun? When you speak to me, hold your tongue. I'm giving you a fair warning for your own good."
"You are not ordering me around! Get lost and leave me alone. All I ever wanted was to go to my room and get some peace and quiet away from everyone else! Is that too much to ask?" Malvara snapped, almost shouting to her surprise. She had enough of Wolf getting in her way.
"You will pay dearly for that, low lifeform!" Wolf aimed his gun at her and prepared to fire when a sword came down and slashed it in half. Meta Knight landed in front of Malvara, sword drawn, glaring towards Wolf. The gun shattered, no longer useable.
"If you dare threaten her again Wolf, I promise that you will suffer in the most horrific way possible. I demand you leave immediately. I warn you that I will not hold back on my word," Meta Knight forewarned, sword still pointed towards Wolf.
Wolf glared back in reply. "One of these days, you will regret crossing the line with me. This is not over yet. I will be back for my revenge, I promise you." With that, he turned his back on them and stormed off.
"Is it safe to come out?" Toon Link asked fearfully, hiding under a lamp shade like Lucas did when they were spying.
"Yes, Toon Link, he is gone. He won't bother you now," Meta Knight assured. "Malvara, follow me."
Malvara obeyed, taking steps she feared were too small towards him as they went back to the bedroom. She was too nervous and scared from her close call to say anything.
As Meta Knight closed the door behind them, she waited for him to speak first, not sure what to say to him. She expected him to turn around from the window and say something. Instead he turned on his bedroom table lamp and laid on his bed lost in his own thoughts.
Malvara decided that she had to be the one to start the conversation. "Um…thanks for helping me out back there Meta Knight. I…really appreciated it." She sighed when her throat tightened up preventing her from saying anything more. "Oh well, I was done talking anyway. It probably doesn't matter to him."
She was about to close her eyes and sleep when she heard a deep voice say, "You're welcome. It was the least I could do for you. Sleep well Malvara. Tomorrow will be another long day." Malvara looked up in shock and saw that Meta Knight was facing her.
"All right. Make sure you get enough sleep too." Malvara suddenly came up with an idea to repay Meta Knight for his kindness. "Uh, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"I…was planning on having a picnic tomorrow for lunch and…I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me…" Malvara regretted that idea now. "Great going. Now I made everything a lot worse. He isn't the kind to associate with others, let alone on picnics. What was I thinking?"
"I would love to Malvara. In fact, I even know a spot that we could visit. You will see tomorrow. It would not be a surprise if I told you, am I right?"
"Oh, don't worry, I love surprises. I'll be looking forward to tomorrow. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight Malvara." Before she drifting off to sleep, she thought she heard a faint chuckle coming from Meta Knight before all went black.
The next morning after everyone had breakfast and spent Sunday morning doing whatever they wanted, Lucas agreed to join his friends in riding their bicycles to Nintendoville to watch a movie. Lucas remembered that he kept his bicycle in the garage chained to the wall so no one would steal it; especially the day before.
The door slowly opened, and to Lucas' relief, only Meta Knight and Malvara were present in the room. The Halberd door was opening by the time Lucas was adjusting his bicycle helmet. Malvara was carrying a picnic basket while Meta Knight guided her through the ship to the pilot room.
Lucas sat down on the seat and held both handles tightly with his hands. He was ready to ride his bike to the Smash Mansion entrance to meet up with the group…
"Wow, this ship is amazing," Malvara thought as she gazed out the window. She set down the picnic basket by the door securing it for the flight.
"Are you ready?" Meta Knight asked her, once she found a comfortable place to sit. She nodded, too amazed to speak. "All right then." He pressed a few buttons and the engines began to start up. The ground beneath shook a little, almost throwing Lucas off balance.
As the Halberd began to rise above the ground, Lucas found his bike ascending too. He looked behind him to see that his bike had not been chained to the wall all along, but to the Halberd which was preparing for flight mode. A fearful look spread across his face. "Oh no! Somebody help me!"
In no more than a few seconds, his bike was completely suspended in mid-air. A scream filled the garage and possibly the whole first floor of the mansion. Unfortunately for Lucas, the engines of the Halberd were so loud, neither Meta Knight nor Malvara could hear it.
Malvara's awe never stopped seeing the ground become a distant shadow up in the sky. The beautiful sight amazed her to no end and she pondered what this would look like if it was sunset. Beautiful indeed. A sigh of content escaped her by instinct.
"Amazed?" came Meta Knight's voice. She turned to see him gazing at her from the steering wheel. "Have you not seen something like this before?"
"I haven't…Wow, I never thought flying would be this relaxing," Malvara replied, now smiling a little. "How often do you do this?"
"Flying the Halberd? To be honest, I cannot remember how long exactly, but I know for certain it has been years."
"Meta Knight? Do you see that? That thing, way down there!" Malvara pointed in the direction of Lucas on his bike dangling from the Halberd. Meta Knight seemed surprised to see that.
"Is that an unidentified flying bicycle? Shoot it down with the laser," he commanded to one of his crew members. A blue laser came from the cannon sending Lucas flying towards the Smash Mansion at mach speed. "Thank you. It seems to be gone now."
"Wow, this is a great spot for a picnic Meta Knight. No wonder you kept it a surprise," said Malvara. They were both eating the sandwiches and cut up vegetables they prepared earlier that morning. They decided to have the picnic in a peaceful meadow; one too unique to be seen near the Smash Mansion and where they could have their privacy. The spot had simply been perfect for the occasion.
"It is isn't it?" Meta Knight agreed after putting the last bit of his sandwich under his mask to eat it. Malvara thought it looked funny at first because it looked like he was eating his hand instead of his food. After a while, it became normal to see. "I do prefer going here for a picnic. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Yes, definitely." Malvara finished her lunch and now they were talking to each other, sharing the longest conversation they ever had. "You know, I want to ask you something."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Why did you save me from Wolf last night?" A moment of silence followed her question, while Meta Knight thought about it carefully.
"You were accused for something you did not do, and therefore you did not deserve the consequences from the actions of another. Wolf went too far and I could not let him harm you, no matter what." His eyes closed halfway, trying to relax against the tree. "No one should be treated like that, revenge or not."
"Oh," was all Malvara could manage to say. She took one more sip from her juice not sure what to do next.
Meta Knight seemed uncertain. "Is something wrong Malvara?"
"No, not really, it's just been an exhausting day that's all." Meta Knight motioned for her to continue drinking her juice. Though confused, she obeyed without any hesitance. Surprisingly, she did feel a little better than she had before.
"I must agree that today has been exhausting. The picnic certainly was enjoyable."
When Malvara looked towards him again, she saw that his eyes were green. A small gasp escaped her. Meta Knight was about to say something when she disguised her shock as a cough. He still looked worried, but Malvara quickly spoke up. "Sorry, it's all right. I swallowed the wrong way, nothing serious."
He gazed towards the sky slowly transforming into a sunset. "I suppose we should be heading back now."
Malvara nodded. She assisted him with packing up the basket, leftovers and carrying it back to the Halberd. "It was really enjoyable spending time with you," she said, smiling. "I enjoy your company."
A feeling of happiness and joy found its way to Meta Knight's heart. He softly chuckled. "I enjoy your company too." Before they went aboard the Halberd to go back to the Smash Mansion, his eyes flickered blue for a moment.
"Perhaps someone does care for me after all."
The sky glowed a blazing orange by the time the Halberd returned to the Smash Mansion. Meta Knight offered to carry the basket back and hold the doors open for her. Malvara realized that inside, deep down, he had a kind heart. Quietly saying another thank you, she left for the bedroom and as she turned the corner, she could have sworn she heard a soft chuckle.
As she passed by another, Jigglypuff was at her side, demanding to know what happened.
"I was out on a picnic with Meta Knight," Malvara replied honestly. Jigglypuff's jaw dropped.
"You went on a picnic with Meta Knight?" she asked disbelievingly. "He never talks to anyone! How is that possible?"
"He seemed to enjoy my company though." Malvara gazed at the setting sun at the window. "But I have a feeling he is much more than he allows others to see…Nevermind, I need to be alone for a while. I have a lot on my mind I need to sort out."
"All right then," Jigglypuff replied, smiling as if she knew something Malvara was not aware of. "I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow?"
Malvara nodded, then the door silently closed behind her.