~Prologue~
A roaring crowd. Flashes of light. Rolling cameras. Action.
Loud yells and cheers bombard my ears.
An intense game of sheets, stones, and clippers. Marth, sheets. Ness, stones. Final stage pick: Yoshi's Island.
The announcements are quick. Team captains, bow. Shake hands. May the best Smasher win.
Serious-faced, Ness makes his way to the teleporters. His eyes burn with a fire that sets my own nerves ablaze.
Let the 6th match of the Single-Elimination Tournament begin.
Ready? Countdown.
Three...
Two..
One.
GO!
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.
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~Chapter Twenty~
To Make You Happy
.
.
.
We lost.
The given time was 8 minutes. The actual duration of our match: 1 minute, 35.2 seconds. The final score: 5-1. Each person had held 3 stocks. Ness had managed to knock off a stock from Roy in the last five seconds of the fray - the only point our team scored.
It's easily our worst performance of the season.
Sensing that all was not as it seemed, Marth and Roy had tried haggling with the referee for a rematch, but rules were rules, a win was a win, and declining their protests, Ness was a good sport over their victory.
If my powers hadn't... if I could've controlled them better...
Encouraging a grumpy ropesnake back into hibernation (Ugh, I'm ssssso sssssleeeepy), I tuck him under my bed covers and glance at the closed bathroom. The shower's running. It sounds as if Ness is trying to drown himself in there.
Miserable at our loss, I mope at the dinner table. So many mistakes. So many saves I could've made, so many times my powers should've worked but didn't. The loss is a frustrating hit to my own pride. If we had to have gone down, it should've been after we gave it our all. This loss was downright shameful. Devastating, even.
And Ness.
Don't mind, don't mind. One loss isn't the end of the world, he'd said, clapping me in the back, but I had to be blind not to notice the rapid way he was blinking. As soon as we'd returned to the suites, he'd made a beeline straight for the bathroom. Ness was just as upset over our loss, but I didn't have the heart to call him out on it. He probably wanted to cry alone.
Deciding to give him some space, I trudge out of the apartment.
But everywhere I go is a reminder of the ongoing games, and not in the mood to bump into anyone, I'm at a loss to where to go. The library? Maybe there. With luck, it'll be empty with people celebrating their wins or mourning their losses. Just as I take a step in the direction, a loud cackle stops me in my tracks.
"HI lUCaS! i sAW tHAt MAtCH! cRAZy, hUH? bET tHaT lOSS STinGs!"
"Crazy Hand," I groan.
"cRAzy hOW tHInGs wENt DOwN sOuTh! iT wAS hILArIOUS! aND thE tWO oF yOU kNOcKinG eACh oThER oUt wITh tHAT pk tHUnDeR? oUCH! i bET yOU tWO juSt sET A RECorD fOR tHE fAsTESt mATCH, EveR!"
"What do you want," I say wearily.
"AnD dONT YOU lOOk dIStrAUghT! wELL, nOT aS DiSTraUGHt AS mY bROtHEr dId wHEn hE lOSt yOUr CARtRidGE-"
I snap up. "My... cartridge?"
Crazy Hand twitches erratically. "DiD i sAy THaT? OoPSIE! fORGEt i SAiD aNyTHInG!"
"What about my cartridge? I thought Master Hand had already kept one for record," I say sharply.
"aHH, i nEVeR sAID nUThin'!" He tries to make a break for it, but I quickly grab him back by the pinky.
"Crazy, how did Master Hand lose my cartridge?"
"oOOh nO, mY BRoTheR wILL bE sO UpSET iF i sPiLL tHe bEAns!"
"I'm not letting go until you tell me!"
Crazy Hand wriggles around in my hold. "yOU cANt tELL mE wHAt tO dO! iM A FReE HaND!" he screeches.
I grimly tighten my hold. "If you tell me about the cartridge, then I won't tell Master Hand that you let it slip."
"AhhH, BLAckMaiL, eH? CLEvER. i sEE hOw iT iS. i scRatCH yOuR bAcK, YoU sCrAtCH mY HaNd." Crazy gives a loud cackle. "oKeE dOkiE! tHE mOre wHO KNOw, tHe meRRieR! yOu aSK Me aBOUt tHE MoTHeR 3 cARtRidGe? thErE'S onLy oNe iN tHE WHoLE wIDE WOrLD! tWAs cIRcLInG aROUnd cOLLecTinG dUst iN sOMe oBscUrE bLAcK maRKet uNTil mY dEAr BrO-brO fINaLLy trACkEd iT dOWn. dOnt thInk tHe dEALER rEAllY kNEW whAT iT wAs tOO, oR eLse hE wOUld'VE hAGGLed fOr A HiGHeR PRiCE. StiLL, mY BRo pAId A hEFtY sUm fOR iT!"
"The night Ness and I stood guard at the arcade," I say slowly. "I heard police sirens."
"YOu bETcHA! tHErE WAs a BrEAK-iN aT tHe OneTT bAnK! THe SHArks cREateD A nICe DIVErsIon fOr tHE MEDia, bUt thE rEAl CRIme tOOk pLacE iN tHe lOcaL MUsEUm - a cRIme ThAT OnLY tHE sELecT fEW iNVOlVEd woULd kNOw oF."
"The museum? Why-"
"iT WaS oUR dROP-oFF pOInT!" Crazy Hand cries, wildly waving his fingers. "tHe dEALeR sHOWEd uP, bUT tHEre WAs aN InteRcEPtIOn. oUR AGenT wAS aMBUshED, aND sOMEoNE rOBBed tHE dEALer. bY tHE TImE oUr aGEnT aLERteD uS tO THiS BLASpHEmY, wE wErE ToO lATe. sOMeONe hAD AlReaDY RUn oFF wIth tHe pRofIt aNd tHe MoM 3 CArTRiDge. wE wERe OUTsmaRtED! sMaLL wONDeR mY bROThER iS PeeVED!" Catching my horrified expression, Crazy Hand gives a hysterical laugh. "a SHAmE, rEALLY! THaT CARtrRiDGE'S gOT yOUr eNTiRE LifE HisTORy iN iT! WhOEVeR sToLE iT iS pRObABLy hAvING A bLAsT, kNoWinG THaT thEY hAVe yOUr DEEPesT DARkesT SECreTS iN tHEiR hANds! LIKe wHAT hAPpeNED tO yOUr pREciOuS BROthER-"
"Claus? You know where-"
"aH, aH! yOU sAId YoU WanTed INforMaTioN aBOUt The CARtrIdGE, aND iVe toLd yOU eVERytHinG i KnoW! tOODLee-doo!" With a spasmic wave, Crazy Hand wriggles himself free and zooms away, leaving me to stew in my own frustration.
Still, Crazy's words have gotten my mind racing, and for the first time, I'm in the running. In curing my supposed amnesia, I'm stuck back in square one, but now, I have a few more hints to work with, and there's a part of me that holds on to the slimmest chance that maybe... Claus is out there somewhere. Alive. I just have to find him.
But first, I have to get my hands on the Mother 3 cartridge. I'm extremely uneasy with the thought of someone else in possession of my past, especially when there's odd gaps and blanks in my own memory, and with the sudden possibility of finding Claus alive, there's no way I'm letting this chance blow past me. Reinvigorated by the sudden resolve, I dive into the library.
.
.
.
~oO0Oo~
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.
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It's no use. I've struggled through a daunting pile of books, and the closest mention I'd gotten about the Mother 3 cartridge is a passing mention of Mother 3 itself: "Of the represented franchises localized in the United States, Mother 3 is the only notable exception." I've incessantly refreshed Google pages all night for the hopes that someone might have slipped, might have tried selling it on Ebay, but there's no trace of the cartridge at all.
This only rattles me further. If there hasn't been a mention of the cartridge on social media by now, then the person who has most likely stolen my cartridge is hoping to keep it for themselves. Hopefully not for the sake of malicious intent. It's all I can hope for.
One step forward, two steps back.
I'm making no progress.
At some point, I must've fallen asleep again because I'm jarringly awoken by the cold table periodically tickling my cheek. The main perpetrator of the crime continues to vibrate, and with an incoherent groan, I fumble for it, slapping my hand against the table until I grope for the phone buzzing under my palm. Geh, telemarketers.
The incessant buzzing fades, and my screen lights up with a flood of missed texts.
Nuss 11:45PM
Hi fam its almost curfew where u at
Nuss 11:53PM
Lucas
hey
buddy pal compadre
are you alive?
all in favor of the notion say 'aye'
Nuss 12:00AM
oh shite its midnight
do u want me to teleport u back
Nuss 12:15AM
LUUUUUCAS I HAVE VIDEO GAMES
BOOKS
TREES
THE OPPOSITE OF GLOBAL WARMING
INSERT WHATEVER OTHER STUFF YOU LIKE
Nuss 12:18AM
Ok im gonna preted to play the role of 'extremely concerned bf' and get u
youd better thank me for ruining my booty sleep
*booty
*booty
dAMN U AUTOCORRECKT
Nuss 12:20AM
aw look at u sleeping in the library so pure n unsnarkylike
its like ur not being a little shit for once
heh here you go ya nerd
Nuss has sent you an attachment.
I tap it open. Unsurprisingly, it's my own sleep deprived self face-planting into a book. I snort, then shoot Ness a text back.
Lookas 7:04AM
How was your booty sleep?
His response is prompt.
Nuss 7:04AM
O fuck u
I quickly press a hand against my mouth, trying to stifle my escaping laughter. I do feel a little bad for leaving Ness hanging overnight though, and when I shift over, registering a slight weight on my shoulders, a blue blanket slides off my back. Patting it clean, I pick it up from the floor. A blazing baseball is sewn onto the hem. This blanket practically has Ness's name scrawled all over it.
The blanket's soft. Really soft.
Suddenly feeling an odd mix of embarrassed and childishly pleased, I bury my face into it like a security blanket. It's nice, really really nice. Smells nice too, like clean fabric softener. I wonder what the blanket is made out of, and when I flip the tag over, I'm unsurprised to find that it's made of 100% cotton.
Then I wonder how long Ness had cried himself out over our match last night, and a heavy weight settles back into my stomach. In my search for the Mother 3 cartridge, I'd completely forgotten about him. I wonder if he ate any of his meals properly yesterday. Probably not. He did say that he was running out of food, and suddenly, the first thing that pops into my mind are the choux cream puffs Ness desperately likes from Paris Baguette. Maybe the cafeteria here miraculously has some lying around, so I rise up, staggering out of the library.
Thankfully, only a few people are loitering around the cafeteria. Samus is already up at this ungodly hour, enjoying her beautiful cappuccino alone by the window. Having returned from his early morning jog on the track field, a sweaty Little Mac refuels himself with scrambled eggs and bacon. Link and Zelda are together at a table for two, and Zelda sits patiently as Link french-braids her hair. Red feeds his Pokemon by the Meatlover's aisle, tending to his Pokemon with soft pats and a gentle touch, and nods once when he catches my eye.
Considering that choux cream puffs have never made it onto the menu, I don't have high hopes to begin with, but what little remains of my hopes are still dashed when I see the lack of a fluffy pastry in the bakery aisle. No choux cream puffs. What do.
Time for a grocery run.
Taking the elevator up to the shopping district on the third floor, I scrounge up some change to buy something Ness might like. Maybe something practical to last him a while. I'm debating over whether or not to buy him a carton of eggs, when the nearest object on sale catches my eye.
Something happy. Something fun.
Barely fifteen seconds later and running my item through a hasty self-checkout, I hurry my way up to the tenth floor suites, but slow down to a sudden halt when my nerves kick in at the sight of the glowing 1010 emblazoned on the door. Suddenly, I feel so childish standing there with a measly 50% OFF Costco grocery bag at hand, and it's all I can do not to shuffle back onto the red velvet carpet in the hallway and flee for my life. It's stupid really. Ness will eat anything. He's the human garbage disposal.
He'll be happy with whatever I get him.
Satisfied somewhat by this train of thought, I push my way in. Last morning's defeat was a disastrous blow to our morale. I wonder if Ness is out training again. I wonder if he'll eat. I wonder if this would put him in a better mood-
But someone else has already beaten me to it.
There's a bright laugh, and I stop at the sound of voices coming out of the bedroom.
"You did what?!" Ness is cracking up like crazy, gasping for air. "Paula, you can't just sucker-punch someone like that!"
"Well, too bad. The cops weren't around, but I wasn't going to let the Sharks harass her! And don't get started on me, you would've done the same." At this, Ness tries to interrupt her in protest, but Paula continues. "She's in my piano III class too. Her name's Ana."
"Ana?! From Earthbound Beginnings?!"
"Yep, THE one and only Ana. The same one your cousin's dating. Small world I know. Trust me, we've got a lot of minor video game celebrities at our school. Most of us are in my home room."
"Geez, you're almost making me want to return to school just to get an autograp-Wait, don't change the subject! You sucker-punched a Shark. For god's sake, why didn't you use PSI? YOU'RE A WIZARD, HARRY."
"-but it worked out, didn't it?"
Quietly, I walk over to the kitchen, dropping the box of Coco Puffs on Ness's shelf and pretending that Ness's light-hearted laughter isn't twisting my heart into tiny knots. I'm about to leave it at there, but when I spot Ness's empty bowl sitting on the counter, I can't help but worry. Has he skipped breakfast? I think so. I want to ask, but when I approach the bedroom, judging from his rising voice, it seems like Ness's Skype convo isn't ending any time soon.
"Anyhoo, Tony's going to ride the SkyTrain with me to visit Jeff. How's Jeff doing, by the way? Still tinkering away on his new projects?"
"I dunno, I haven't gotten the chance to catch up with him."
"You're such a star."
"Says the Prom Queen!"
There's another round of laughter, and the knots in my chest constrict tighter. Paula makes a conversation sound so effortless. I can't even remember the last time I've made Ness laugh. It's been a while. A long while.
"Oh, how's your relationship going?"
Ness gives a low groan. "I already told you, it's all fake for the press. Trying to date Lucas is so stressful-"
"Eh?! Look who's talking-"
The words are like a blow to the head. I stagger away from the door, suddenly numb. I can't make Ness happy. I know that I can't. I already knew that I can't.
Then why did it hurt so much?
Something rustles in my hand. The plastic grocery bag. I shake off the bag, reaching inside for Ness's blanket. Scrunching up his blanket into a tiny ball, I curl myself around it and squeeze my eyes shut.
I think...
I think I need to take a nap.
.
.
.
Snow coats the Onett baseball field. The trees have shed their leaves. I breathe in. There's a fresh, bitter scent in the air now, cold and snappy like a winter chill to the nose. Pine needles.
Hearing a crunch of leaves, I turn around. There's a lone figure standing on home base.
Ah. Ness.
Slowly, I reach for his hand.
Then Ness whirls around and grins. "Hi, Lucas!" he chirps, apologetically holding up his other hand into view. "Sorry, I can't hold your hand anymore. I'm dating someone else now."
On the other end of their linked hands, Paula beams. "We're a couple!"
"Right! No more fake-dating shit," Ness adds, grinning so widely that my chest aches. "Lucas, I'm so happy. I'm so much happier with Paula."
The words get caught up in my throat. "I thought you liked me."
"Oh, I only thought I did," Ness says carelessly. "You kept running away, so it was easier to move on. I found someone else to love. You were right, me pining after you was all just one silly phase." Still holding onto Paula's hand, Ness glances at me curiously, then gives me a sad smile. "Lucas... after what you made me go through, please don't tell me you've changed your mind."
"I'm sorry I pushed you away," I whisper.
Ness leans in with half-lidded eyes. The purple glow reminds me of stars in a dusklit sky. "So... Lucas, do you like me?"
I break out in cold sweat. "I-"
"Why can't you tell me?"
"I-It... it wouldn't have worked out-"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"We can't, I-"
"Why didn't you tell me that you bought me CoCo Puffs?!"
My eyes fly open.
There's a series of tiny clinks pelting against porcelain, and when I groggily sit up on the couch, Ness gives another huge crow of glee from out of sight. "Fank oo'! I lub dis shtuff," Ness says around his bulging hamster cheeks, before walking around the kitchen wall and returning to the living room. He eagerly nudges me in the arm, offering me his spoon. "Dew wan sum?"
Ness isn't dating Paula.
It had all been a dream.
Then the relief comes crashing down, and I let out a breathless laugh. Vaguely I catch Ness watching me in confusion, but I can't help it, it's so absurd, but I'm so relieved, so glad that he's not taken. When I blink at him, I notice that there's something off about his appearance, but then it takes me a second to realize that Ness is wearing my old oversized shirt - the same dorky one I lent him back at home. Absentmindedly I wonder if it'll smell like him, and I can't say that I'm not pleased with the thought.
Merry Shitscram indeed.
Still disoriented from my nap, it takes me a solid minute to realize that Ness has yet to speak. The lack of words is surprisingly uncharacteristic of him, so when I follow his eyes to the object in my hands, the realization hits me as quickly as the back of my neck burns.
I'm not sure how to handle the mortification crawling into my face, so instead, I grab the entire cereal bowl from Ness's hands and ungracefully drown myself in CoCo Puffs.
Teasing him. Making him indignant. It's easier to swallow down my feelings for him this way.
"Hey, that's mine!" Ness wails, grabbing at my wrists, but still downing his CoCo Puffs, I bat him away, steadily keeping the bowl out of reach. Mm, chocolate and milk and salty unshed tears. Delicious. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I lower the almost-empty bowl, and pulling it towards him, Ness gives a distraught exclamation.
"You... You stole my breakfast! How could you?"
"You offered."
"I didn't mean the whole thing. Get your own, jackass!"
"Foo late," I say around another crammed mouthful of Coco Puffs.
Ness playfully scowls at me. "Great. Now I have to walk back to the kitchen, open the fridge for milk, then grab another cereal bowl." But his scowl is so entertaining that I remain unfazed by his complaint, and end up smirking stupidly as Ness starts whining up a storm. He should know better; he'll get no sympathy from me. Finally realizing that his words are having no effect on me, Ness stomps off, his cry trailing after his footsteps. "I hope you're happy, ya jerk!"
"Fank you for the food," I cheerfully call after him.
"Oh, fuck off."
But after he pours himself another bowl of cereal and milk, Ness returns to lean against me on the couch (though he does punch me in the shoulder and tell me to shut up when I laugh at his disgruntled expression), and all of a sudden, I wonder when I started thinking that Ness sulking was a little cute. Just a little.
Scarfing down his own bowl like a half-starved island survivor, Ness obliviously leans closer towards me, shifting against my side. Involuntarily I find myself pressing back against him.
He's warm. So incredibly warm.
Lucas, do you like me?
My throat closes up. I keep my eyes on the cereal bowl in my hands. I can't tell him. Not when things wouldn't work out in the end. Not when I'd rejected him already. Not when he'd said that his feelings had been a fluke. There's no point in starting something that wouldn't end well.
But when I think of Ness dating someone else, the thought is like taking a punch to the stomach, because it's so real, so likely, so true. I don't want to see Ness with someone else. I don't want to lose him. It's a selfish thought, but I know better than to act on it. Not when I can't make him happy. I think of his distraught expression when I brushed off his feelings as a phase, and my chest tightens in shame. I couldn't imagine how Ness still went ahead and said it. I love you. It had probably taken him so much courage to have confessed his feelings, a courage I didn't have.
No matter how sound Link's advice, Ness would be better off with someone else.
He could be so much better off with Paula.
I glance in his direction, only to notice Ness staring back at me expectantly. There's this hopeful expression growing on his face, as if he's waiting for me to say-
Oh.
I warily hug my cereal bowl away. "I'm not sharing."
Ness looks like I socked him in the face. "I never even asked," he huffs, turning around to sulk over his loss. Is he pouting again? Curious now, I tilt my head to get a better view of his expression, but Ness stubbornly turns his face away.
"Are you really pouting," I say surprised.
"NO."
Of course he is. "I was kidding, if you don't want cereal, I've got some bread in the cupboard-"
"Nah, I don't want food, I just want-" Catching my eye, Ness swallows then looks away. "Don't worry about it. I'm being dumb," he says, reaching over for the cereal box and pouring himself more Coco Puffs. "By the way, Paula's coming over to Smash City tomorrow."
But tomorrow is a Saturday.
My heart twists into a giant knot. "She's a nice friend," I reluctantly admit.
Ness's face lights up. "The very best," he says happily. "She's finally jumped onto the unlimited texting bandwagon, so we've been in touch a lot more lately."
Please tell me you like me.
"You should catch up with her. I'm sure she misses you," I say quietly.
Please.
"Yeah, she wants to hang out with me this weekend. It'll be awesome! I think Paula wants to update me on some private stuff back home, so yeah... uh, maybe we can hang another time." Scratching the back of his neck, Ness glances apologetically at me. "We'll try to be back in time for Netflix night, but-"
My throat unclogs. "It's okay, take your time catching up."
And when Ness beams, looking relieved, my heart turns to lead.
Author's Note:
I apologize for not responding to reviews this time. My next wave of midterms are around the corner! Probably should be free to answer away by the next update. Duty calls :')
Didn't know whether to put down Fire Emblem under the "not localized in US" category due to the backlash of Fire Emblem Fates, then got lazy and put M3 only instead. Adds to the dramatic factor.
We should have more in-depth brawls later, but while competitive brawling is an important part of this story, it's not the focal point of the plot. Hence I cut a lot of detail. Bleh wasn't happy with the Prologue this chapter, but I'll probably edit it as the story progresses.
goddamnit these bois are killing me hahaha UGH why can't they just get along
EVERYBODY WHO WANTS MORE ANGST SAY 'AYE'