I...lost? 3 stocks to nil. Way to go to rub it in, I thought as we appeared back in the smash grounds. I looked over to Shulk who had barely broken a sweat. Other than him, the only people here was myself, the other Robin and his Lucina. I guess Meta knight's more popular than me. I reasoned. I took a closer look at the other Robin who was currently congratulating Shulk. He looked way too smug that I'd lost. I could feel the anger boiling up inside of me and I knew rational thought was going to go out of the window any second. Not wanting to unleash it in front of anyone, I turned to go.
"Hey, Robin." The voice of the other Robin called me back. "You did a good job out there." I turned and looked at him, practically able to see the sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"What the hell does that mean?"
"Well…I'm just saying that you did a good job. No harm in that." Well so much for my anger not boiling over.
"Harm? The only thing you've tried to do here is harm me!" I yelled, surprising all 3 of them with the ferocity. "You and that…" I gestured to Lucina. "…that imposter have been trying to ruin me since I got here."
"Don't talk to her that way!" Other Robin said, putting himself between me and Lucina. "Just because she isn't the same as your one Lucina doesn't make her any less real!"
"The real Lucina wouldn't be spreading rumours about my…orientation, and generally making me feel like crap."
"Robin, I would never…" Lucina started.
"Shut up! What the hell is your deal anyway? You're always hanging around with that other Robin and being all cosy. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were…"
"Married? Yes, Robin. We're married."
"…W-what?"
"It's exactly what I said," the other Robin said. "We felt the same way about each other so we got married. Is that surprising to you?" I noticed now that they were both holding hands. It all fell into place. They sat next to each other at mealtimes. They shared a room for sleeping. Even what Master hand had said made sense but…"
"That's wrong!"
"Excuse me?" Robin raised an eyebrow at me.
"It's just…wrong. I can't be like that." I mumbled. The pain Shulk's Monado had caused was nothing compared to the pain I felt now. Take the 'buster Monado' and multiply it by 10 and maybe that came close.
"I don't understand," Lucina said, looking over at her husband.
"I do." I hadn't even realised Shulk had been here the whole time, taking everything in but remaining silent. "Robin thinks it's wrong because she…"
"NO! You don't understand, do you?"
"Well I…"
"Do you…" He caught on to what I meant.
"…No, I must be mistaken."
"Good. Also I want a rematch."
"Is that allowed?" He asked, quizzically.
"Yes. I don't want any sort of kart racing or weird gravity to interrupt our next match."
"Shouldn't a good tactician adapt to the situation at hand?" The other Robin interjected.
"See this is exactly what I'm talking about," I said, fuming. "You're always trying to make me feel inadequate."
"Well…"
"Save it!" I turned to Shulk. "Rematch tomorrow at 1 o'clock. Be here." He nodded wordlessly. "Good." I turned my back on them, not caring that I could feel their gazes burning into my back.
3rd person POV
"Should I go after her?" Shulk asked. Robin shook his head.
"As much as I don't like to admit it…she is similar to me. I know I'd want to be alone after all of that."
"You mean after all that stuff you put her through."
"Me?" Robin countered. "Who was the one who beat the stuffing out of her, nearly reducing her to tears?"
"She was like that before I even got there. Alone, our match shouldn't have done that. What I did was just the tipping point after weeks of continued stress not helped by rumours that you've been spreading.
"You can't prove that!"
"I can," Lucina said, softly.
"What? Lucina, come on you know me. I wouldn't…"
"That's exactly the point, Robin. I know you. While you are without doubt the man I love, sometimes you can go a bit too far. "Shulk's right, Robin."
"What do you mean?"
"We both know you're the one who's been spreading those rumours."
"Well I…"
"Is this true?" Shulk asked.
"….Yes. But I didn't think it'd go this far. I just wanted to…"
"What good did you think would come of spreading lies?" Shulk snapped. "You've got no idea how much damage you've done to her."
"What do you mean? All I've been saying is…"
"What are your exact words?" Shulk narrowed his eyes.
"W-well, um, t-that…"
"That female Robin isn't straight in her…orientation." Lucina finished, looking ashamedly down.
"As I thought. You would stoop so low as to make jokes about such things? You sicken me."
"I don't see why she took it so badly." Robin said, ignoring Shulk's last remark.
"It was just one of many things that you've done." Shulk sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "You've already crippled her emotionally with your bullying and snide remarks. How are you surprised that this took her over the edge?"
"But…"
"It doesn't help she realised that you two are together."
"I don't see what that has to do with anything!"
"….Of course you don't. I'll see you two later." And with that Shulk left in the same direction Robin had gone.
"He's right, Robin. We need to apologise." Lucina said.
"Why do you need to apologise? I'm the one who's at fault."
"That's the thing, Robin." Lucina held his hand in her own. "If you're still the man I know, then I know by the time you bring yourself to apologise then it'll be too late." She let her grip go slack and walked away, leaving Robin alone in the courtyard.
"…..I'm sorry."
Robin (F) POV
"I have to get away from here…to a place where they can't find me." I knew just the place as I ran down the corridors of the mansion that had become so familiar to me. Left at the intersection took me into the library (also known as my one safe haven in this place). Despite its size the library always felt homely to me since the smashers seldom came here. They were always out sparring on the grounds while I hid myself away with the books, learning as much as I could about future opponents.
Today, though, I had no intention of reading anything. I rushed through the various aisles, not paying heed to the books and instead flung myself down in my favourite rocking chair by the fire. The fire did not have the same calming effect on me I thought it would and instead took my temper to new heights.
Robin…and Lucina together? Why… how…when…why…? Why do they have to be together? Why did Master hand lie about the reason for them being here? Did he not think I could handle the truth? Why…why…why… I held my head in my hands, breathing deeply. I was too deeply ingrained in my cycle of despair that I didn't hear the figure approach me from behind.
"Robin." I sprang back at the voice, recognising its soft but firm tone instantly.
"Go away, Rosalina. I want to be alone," I murmured.
"It isn't a question of wanting. It's whether you need to be alone and I'm sure you don't need to be."
"…"
"I know what happened down on the grounds." I raised my head, suddenly alert.
"W-what?! How?"
"The video link to the main screen was still active."
"So does that mean that everyone else knows…what happened?" Rosalina shook her head.
"I got R.O.B. to cut the video link before anyone else saw."
"…Thank you." I relaxed, meeting the cosmic guardian's eyes for the first time. She was the one who spoke first.
"Why did you come here?"
"Master hand invited me to…"
"No I meant to the library. Why did you run from Shulk and the others?"
"They…they hurt me. Made me doubt myself. I had to get away."
"Shulk was only trying to help…and Lucina for the most part. The only one who's at fault here is the other Robin and even now he regrets what he did."
"How…how can you know that?" She smiled, smoothing down a crease in her dress.
"The same way I knew you'd be in the library."
"…"
"Magic." Well now the tension was broken. I couldn't help but laugh which helped me to compose myself.
"Thank you, Rosalina."
"The pleasure is mine. But this was not the reason I came here," she said, becoming serious.
"Huh?"
"You said some things back in the arena that…were less than called for." My mind went back to my fight against Shulk. What I said…
Oh no…did I really say all of those things? I hung my head in shame. "I…I-I didn't mean to say all of that. Robin…the other Robin I mean…those things he said got to me and I took it out on someone who didn't deserve it."
"It is all very well to blame someone else for what you did." She raised an eyebrow. "And you yourself have not exactly behaved honourably towards the other Robin, have you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, becoming defensive
"You casually bring up the fact you do better than him in matches in most conversations. Always calling Lucina, his wife, a fake and not worthy. Do you think that makes him feel good? Do you not think he would want some kind of revenge, however inappropriate it was?"
"You…you think I'm to blame for all of this?" Now my spirits plummeted again, until Rosalina surprised me once more.
"No one is solely to blame for what happened. I do think you acted wrongly towards the other Robin but it was he who then tried to ruin you instead of asking you to stop. The only one who's innocent here is Shulk."
"Shulk…I have to apologize!" I said, standing up.
"Too late, Robin," she said, gesturing for me to sit back down. "He has gone to a place in the mansion beyond even my sight. The only time you can apologise is before your rematch tomorrow."
"Oh…I don't think I can face him again like that. I said all of that stuff in the heat of the moment and I don't think it was the stage that lost me the match. He'll beat me no matter where we go."
"That may be but you can't back down on a challenge."
"But you said you cut the link before anyone else saw me challenge him. I could just pretend I didn't."
"I wasn't talking about the others," she clarified, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was talking about Shulk. You weren't yourself when you played him and he at least deserves to have a match with you…and not the wild, nervous wreck you were before."
"You think I can beat him?"
"It isn't a question of winning." Her eyes became distant. "The tournament wasn't founded all those years ago with the goal of winning, Robin. It was founded about participating in an event that showed the worlds that you didn't have to be the best to earn the respect of your peers. It was founded with honour that the other Robin, and yourself, did not perhaps show today…but I'm willing to let that pass if you prove not just to me or Shulk but the rest of the smashers that you have what it takes to uphold the reputation of the name of Smash brothers."
"…Will re-matching Shulk help with all of that?"
"It's a start."
"…..Thank you."
"It was nothing," She assured me.
"No really. You could've not come here and left me alone." I leant in to hug her, which she accepted, slowly. "You were the only one who came."
"And yet I'm not the only one who wants to help you," She said, releasing me back into the rocking chair. "I suspect many of the smashers are worried about you. After I cut the link several of them wondered what had happened to Shulk and yourself. Pit, Palutena…Luigi…Fox…even Olimar." I was surprised at this last one.
"Olimar? Even after he applied to change roommates?"
"I think he worked out you weren't sleeping in the room and didn't want to inconvenience you anymore. He was just being helpful, that's all."
"But…never mind." I wasn't prepared to argue against the decision even if Olimar was someone I'd come to trust as a friend; those Pikmin were just too creepy for words.
"Ahem." A small cough from Rosalina brought me back to my senses and I realised I'd been staring into space for who knows how long.
"Right, sorry, do you know who my new roommate is?" She shook her head in denial.
"Master hand has not yet decided."
….Master hand…..he…he lied to me about Robin and Lucina." It wasn't really a question but Rosalina took it upon herself to answer it anyway.
"He…" I think this this was the first time I'd seen her hesitate, as if doubtful. "He isn't really a people person. He didn't exactly lie to you about the reasons that version of Lucina came…he just told you the reasons that would have persuaded himself."
"What? I don't understand." If the cosmic guardian hadn't been hesitant before then now she was. She looked left and right before slowly turning back to me.
"Look…Master hand isn't really a people person. He deals with the organisation and paperwork of the mansion. All he knows is facts and figures and struggles to understand basic emotions." She leant in even closer so our noses were almost touching. "If you want the people person then talk to Crazy hand. He's Master hand's brother." She reiterated after my blank stare.
"Master hand has a brother?!"
"Shh!" She whispered, gesturing for me to keep my voice down. "We're not really supposed to talk about him."
"Why?"
"He's crazy."
"No kidding." We both laughed again. After this, Rosalina straightened up and said:
"I've taken up enough of your time, Robin. You have much preparation to do before tomorrow." I stood up, not wanting her to leave.
"But there aren't any books on Shulk in the library, I've checked. How can I at least try to give him a good match?"
"Just turn up and be yourself. That's the only thing you need to do." She turned away, heading towards the door. "He may win. You may win. The outcome doesn't matter but what does is that you fight with honour. Make him remember you." I considered this, stroking my chin. After little deliberation I knew she was right. But there was still something on my mind…
"…So the reason you came here…wasn't to talk about the rumours?" Her hand recoiled slowly from the doorknob which she was just about to turn.
"What makes you think that?" Her tone was even.
"W-well I-I just thought that…"
"That I was going to judge you based on rumours which may or may not be true?"
"…Well yeah…"
"Oh Robin…" She turned back around, her eyes heavy that for once showed her true years. With every sentence she spoke, she took a step closer. "I guard and protect the cosmos. I watch over it and all of its inhabitants tirelessly to keep them from harm. It isn't my place to judge those who I protect. The one I protect may do bad things on occasion but I don't let that cloud my outlook." She took my hands in her own. "It doesn't matter if what the other Robin said was true or not. I'm going to tell you something and if there's one thing you take away from your time here it's this." Her expression was deadly serious and she locked eyes with me.
"No one here will think any less of you. They won't judge you and they won't spite you. They will accept you for who you are. It doesn't matter who you like or what you feel if that liking turns into something more." She rested her head slowly on top of mine, closing her eyes. "They will accept you. Never forget that." I took a long, hard think about this, turning all of the words over and over in my mind, deciphering their meaning. After about a minute I came to my conclusion and raised my head to thank Rosalina for her words of wisdom. But to my shock she'd already left, fading out of my field of vision. I hadn't even properly thanked her.
A/N: Well how about that? We finally find out what lengths Robin (M) has gone to to try to unravel Robin (F). Why do you thing the rumours hurt Robin (F) so much? Why does she object to the other Robin and Lucina being married? (You may have to have knowledge of Fire emblem awakening but it isn't necessary.) Once again Rosalina helps Robin and we find out Olimar has applied to change rooms (feeling guilty about the lack of sleep Robin is getting). Who is Robins new Roommate?
Where has Shulk gone that Rosalina can't see him? The next chapter covers the same time period but from Shulk's POV. (I know right?!) A whole chapter for all you Shulk fans! I wanted to have this chapter as a bit of a cool down after the match as Smash bros. isn't all about the fights, right?
Thanks to all you awesome people who have reviewed so far (you make my writing that much better with your support). Feel free to write another review if you want.
Until the next time, see you, pals!
