Robin (F) POV
I wasn't sure what to make of Mewtwo. I didn't really have any feelings, good or otherwise towards him and I didn't particularly want to start a conversation up. Mainly because he could easily read of all of my thoughts before I spoke them, as I suspected he was doing right now.
He'd given me 'his word' that he would try to keep out of my mind as best he could but did justify it was like asking me to 'turn off' my magic. I'd never really thought of it like that, not having magic. I woke with my magic in the dust of the street one day and that was that. I couldn't imagine a world without the gentle glow of power washing over me constantly. Is that what it's like for him?
To have the voices of everybody you're around swirling around in your mind along with your own thoughts without being able to switch it off? It must drive you insane. I took a closer look at the feline humanoid floating next to me. He did say he'd been training hard…maybe controlling his ability to enter our minds was part of it. Maybe why that's why (according to rumor) he'd forfeited the last tournament?
Or maybe I was overthinking the whole thing. Even worse, maybe (alright definitely) I was trying to distract myself from the task at hand which was namely talking to a crowd of assists. I really didn't know where to start. It seemed like an eternity ago that the incident on Gaur plains had taken place and I wasn't sure what they'd make of me bringing it back up.
Maybe they'd been trying to forget the whole ordeal and me barging in and bringing it back up would annoy them? Maybe they'd actually forgotten (more wishful thinking on my part). I could just leave if that was the case.
"I think this is the right way," I announced to no one in particular (least of all Mewtwo who was navigating with his eyes shut, discouraging any form of communication.) "I've only been here once before, see." That part was certainly true. I'd stumbled on the collection of rooms the assists occupied quite by accident.
It was during the brief period a few weeks back at the start of the tournament that Master hand had been questioning everyone on the apparent disappearance of some Smash items, namely explosives. That's why I hid when I heard him addressing them (no sense in looking suspicious). Of course this meant I never really got a good look at the assist's quarters but I was about to make up for it…if I could find the place.
We never did find those items. I guess Master hand miscounted or something because he never brought up the issue again. Anyway. I guessed I was getting close as I soon saw a familiar face walking the opposite way.
"Hi Dillon."
"Robin, always good to see you." The armadillo tipped his hat and continued on his path. Mewtwo opened his eyes.
"That creature is one of the assists? Laughable."
"Don't take him lightly," I said, watching Dillon round the corner. "His arma charge is the only reason I could beat the Hero king, Marth.
"Are you his PR woman or what, hm? And also why didn't you thank him for helping you? That is the reason you're here, yes?"
"First of all very funny. Second of all Dillon's more of a 'lone ranger' kind of guy. He knows the score but doesn't like to be thanked. That's just his style I guess." Mewtwo's eyes shut once more.
"His style…of course. Let us continue." Without waiting for me he floated off down the hall, forcing me to keep up at a jog.
"Do you even know where you're going? I'm the one leading you, remember?"
"I have perfect map recall and now know exactly where we are going," he replied.
"Please don't tell me you read Dillon's mind to find your 'map'."
"…It may be possible."
"You can't keep reaching into people's minds like that!" I protested. "It's…unethical." Mewtwo paused, his voice becoming dangerously quiet.
"Unethical?" His palms began to glow. "Unethical you say?" Did those Team Rocket scientists give a damn about ethics when they created me? When my only purpose was to be a weapon to destroy all? Ethics? Ahahaha. Do you know what it feels like to be only given life to take it away from others, Robin?" I gritted my teeth. I really didn't want to have this conversation.
"…Yes. And if you don't believe me you can read my mind." I scowled, locking eyes with the genetics Pokémon. Several tense seconds passed.
"….Forgive me. I can see you understand my pain. Only…"
"Only what?"
"You have dealt with it better than I." He turned away. "Admirable. You no longer have outbursts when the subject is brought up unlike myself. You're self-control is beyond even my power, and I'm a psychic. How do you deal with knowing that the only reason you were ever wanted was to hurt and maybe even kill? I cannot see that in your mind. It is clouded with darkness."
"I don't deal with it, Mewtwo. Grima may have created me just as team Rocket created you but we are our own people. We aren't pawns of some scripted fate. I moved on from my past and I found friendship and love in my comrades. As cliché as it sounds, we decide our own fate. I hope you understand."
"…I do. Forgive me for my outburst. Matters concerning ethics is something of a trigger warning for me given my past."
"I understand and of course forgive you. I believe Luigi's trigger is ghosts."
"The man in green." Mewtwo frowned, his tail slowly whipping back and forth. "Yes I remember him from the last tournament. He's a bit of a…
"We don't have to say it," I interjected. "I know what you mean though."
"Quite. Let us be off again."
"Right." It turned out Mewtwo knew exactly where he was going, navigating the labyrinth of corridors with ease. I almost felt bad for criticising him just now. Still…better have him tone down the mind reading before letting him hang around Shulk. I must ask about his dislike of mind readers at some point. Obviously it's invasive but I get the feeling there's more to it than that.
Anyhow I could hear the din of conversation growing, signalling we were getting closer to our goal. Well…our immediate goal. My actual goal was something I was still unsure of how to do. Inspiring the masses was always Chrom's strength, even if he didn't like to admit it. I should've asked him to teach me how to…
"We have arrived."
Damn it. The Assist trophy part of the mansion was literally a carbon copy of our side, just flipped around. Even the common room area was still in the same place (even if the door was on the left instead of right.) Mewtwo turned to me.
"Are you not going to enter? You do still wish to speak to them, no?"
"Of course. I just…I just don't really know what to say."
"It'll come to you. Just speak you're mind."
"…I'm not sure if that's a good idea." Placing my hand onto the door handle of the common room, I sighed. "Well we're not going to do any good just standing here."
"We? I'm just here to observe if you recall correctly."
"Thanks for the confidence boost. Let's get this over with." Turning the handle, I stepped in. The room wasn't too full which was comforting but there were still at least 10 or 12 assists lounging around. Takumaru and Saki were playing cards in the corner. They stopped as soon as they noticed I was here. That electric girl that Pit knows (Phosphora or something?) was chatting to one of the hammer brothers. They too stopped and turned to look at me. Shadow must've seen our reflection in the window as he too turned around to face us. In fact I could feel every pair of eyes slowly swivel around to focus on me. It was unnerving to say the least.
Well nearly everyone was watching. Knuckle Joe continued playing Jenga on the floor. Someone else was reading a book in one of the chairs but I couldn't make out who it was. It was a pretty big book.
"H-hello everyone." I ventured. Silence. "You remember me, right?" More silence. The Jenga tower fell, the crash echoing around the room uncomfortably.
"Yes Robin." Shadow said at length, eyeing me as if I was some sort of intruder (which I guess I was). "What's your business here?"
"W-well…" I turned to Mewtwo. He gave a brief nod, as if encouraging me. "You remember a while back when you were all summoned to Gaur plains." A few murmurs rippled through the room. "Well I don't believe I properly thanked you all for helping out there…"
"Like we had a choice," Ghirahim muttered. I ignored him.
"Um, I'm sorry I didn't get around to doing this sooner but what with all the nightmares…" Another ripple of hushed conversation.
"Nan akumu?" Takamaru enquired.
"…I don't…um."
"He said 'what nightmares'?" A golden colored shih-tzu offered. I think her name was Isabelle.
"You haven't had any?" I asked, bewildered. I just assumed they all were having them to. Calling that an oversight was an understatement. Unforgivable when you're a tactician. I could hear amongst all of the murmurs that the general consensus was 'no'.
"What do you mean, Robin?" Shadow asked.
"Exactly what she said, Mewtwo clarified. "For the past few nights many members of the Super Smashers have had terrible dreams. Then today I've been told that the Wii fit trainers were attacked in daylight because their sessions were reversing the effects." More murmuring.
"Interesting. I wonder…"
"Does anyone have any information that would help solve this mystery?"
"Whatever it is, it hasn't been affecting us." All eyes turned away from me (thank goodness) and onto the figure reading their book. "I don't see why we should care either. What have the Smashers ever done for us?" When have they ever cared about us?"
"Who are you with such command?" Mewtwo asked, masking the irritation in his voice with questioning. The book lowered, revealing a girl in a red dress.
"Ashley," Shadow muttered. "I might've known." She ignored him.
"You lot treat us like lesser people and now you want our help for a second time? I'm perfectly happy to sit here and watch you suffer."
"The child has a point," Ghirahim said. Ashely flared, her hair glowing white.
"I'm not a child, Ghirahim."
"Address me as lord Ghirahim, child."
"Why you…!"
"Enough!" Shadow shouted, silencing both of them. "Ghirahim, shut it. Ashley…would I be right in thinking you want to drive a wedge between the assists and the Smashers?" Ashley said nothing. "Hmph." The dark hedgehog turned to me. "Robin, thank you for this information and for coming to thank us. It really wasn't necessary."
"Well I..." He held up his gloved hand.
"We're people just as much as assists. Helping you is just something anyone reasonable would do, contrary to Ashley's view." Ashley had gone back to reading her book. "Your thanks was a nice gesture, if an unnecessary one. I'm sure we as the assist trophies will investigate these 'nightmares' you speak of. We want peace just as much as you do." I was stunned. This was certainly not the conversation I'd had in mind. More of them hating me for taking so long to thank them and less of 'sure we'll help you'.
"T-thank you, Shadow. It seems you've helped in more ways than one. I don't know how to repay you."
"No thanks needed. Just keep a sharp eye out. I suspect whoever is doing this isn't acting alone."
"Yes…I think you're right. I'll…I'll leave now." The hedgehog nodded and just like the conversation started up again, leaving the room like it was when I first entered. "I think we've outstayed our welcome," I whispered to Mewtwo.
"You're right about that."
"What?"
"I didn't say anything."
"I did, idiot." A sharp pain stabbed through my lower leg.
"Ow, what the…?" Ashley had somehow managed to get across the room to where I was standing, all without me noticing. She withdrew her wand from my leg.
"Just because Shadow saved you just now doesn't mean what you did was ok. I'm still mad at you for treating us like crap."
"Such language from someone so young."
"I'm not a child!" She hissed, her pupils flashing red. She took a deep breath, calming herself, and I watched them fade back to brown. "Anyway…don't think you're off the hook. I'm still not happy with you." She pushed past me, only to turn back. "And tell your psychic freak to stop trying to read my mind. It's very annoying…..I've always hated psychics." And with that she was gone.
I turned back to the common room. No one had witnessed her outburst as they were all too busy going about their daily stuff once more. Shadow had gone back to staring out of the window. Knuckle Joe was rebuilding his Jenga tower.
"Like you said…we should be going." Mewtwo floated off, leaving me to catch up. I could tell he was still sore about the whole 'freak' thing.
"Hey wait up!" He slowed down but continued onward.
"I can tell why you don't get on with her. I must admit I was sceptical of the image you painted."
"Were you trying to read her mind?"
"I did a quick scan of everyone when we entered the common room," he admitted. I said nothing, deciding to ignore his transgression. I was more than a little interested in what he had to say.
"And?"
"Most everyone was fairly normal. I think Shadow, however, has had similar experiences to us, perhaps more so to me."
"…Go on."
"Apparently he too was created to be an ultimate lifeform and made to be a weapon for a war that wasn't his doing. It hurt him a lot to learn the truth."
"I know the feeling."
"We both do. But like us he now lives his own life."
"Is that why he helped us?"
"Maybe. Subconsciously perhaps he reached out. It's only a theory."
"And what about Ashley?" He frowned, closing his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I…I could not. Her mind was clouded with magic and darkness. She must have shielded herself when she sensed I was looking."
"She can do that?" The psychic nodded
"Many people with magical abilities can attempt to shield their minds from prying eyes. I'm actually surprised you haven't been doing the same."
"You said 'many people' not 'everyone'. All my magic is offensive based. Not for protection or healing. A personal choice. One I've begun to regret." My mind flashed back to the dream the nightmare caster showed me. My failure. The impossible spell. I cringed, but only for a second. That was something I really didn't want the psychic Pokémon to see. Luckily I think I got away with it. Thinking quickly, I asked: "You couldn't get past it?" He shook his head.
"Psychics fare poorly against darkness. Ashley is a very tormented person. A lot more afraid than she lets on. It was hard to see clearly but I believe she lashes out at the Smashers because of something in her personal life. Maybe home life? It's too hard to tell."
"…I never thought…I didn't…wow."
"But…underneath all of it I think she's a good person. Misguided but good. I think that scares her a bit."
"I think you're stretching it."
"Maybe."
"…We should be getting back to the others. We should at least let them know we've got some support from the assists. Most of them."
"I quite agree."
"…"
"…Robin."
"Yes, Mewtwo?"
"Earlier when you spoke about the love and friendship of your comrades, I sensed a spike…almost a confusion of thoughts." I didn't like where this was headed. "Forgive me if I speak out of turn but has that line become blurred for you? I sense many of your thoughts are focused around someone here at the mansion and yet somehow not." Really not liking where this was headed. My palms were beginning to sweat uncomfortably. "The soldier you fought with. The one who looks like Marth? Hm…What was her name?" Uh oh. "Ah I remember. She was there at the welcoming meeting just now. Luci…"
"You know you said about speaking out of turn?"
"Yes."
"That was it."
"Oh. I merely wished to understand the contradiction of messages I was receiving. I thought that…"
"You thought what?"
"…Nothing. Forgive me." The rest of the walk was done in silence.
A/N: Another chapter up and another piece of the puzzle has been carefully laid out in front of us. I hope you've all being piecing them together. Otherwise the reveal (when it eventually comes. I shouldn't have to 'spoiler' that.) won't really make any sense. But hey I enjoy hearing all the theories. Back when I was way into making puzzles I'd always try to join pieces together that looked good together but didn't fit properly when togther with the other pieces.
Inevitably there's going to be someone (there always is with every fanfic on this site) who will go completely mental when the reveal isn't what they expected. Maybe that's a testament to my writing skills (and everyone's in general considering what I just said).
Anyway More Robin/Mewtwo interaction. Go figure about their parallels (Giovanni vs Grima as a character etc). It makes sense they'd have similar experiences. Like I said last time I've decided to not give Mewtwo the 'My sole purpose is to hate everyone who's weaker than me' personality. To me his character was always much more than that. Same with Shadow the hedgehog. Say what you like, Shadow can be a bit of a twat in Sonic games (especially the terrible, terrible portrayal in Sonic Boom) but it's always made clear Shadow wants peace just as much as everyone else. He just likes to do things his own point Shadow could've just disagreed with Robin but I like to think he noticed a drop in performance of the Smashers recently and with Robin's information was able to put two and two together.
Dillon's such a boss and an amazing assist to get in battle. He can KO many people in a short space of time and won't fall of the stage. Awesome. Also Ghirahim likes to be called lord. I believe that came up in skyward sword many times. It's been so long since I've played that game. Damn.
We get a look at the assists just hanging out, doing their daily stuff. Not enough Smash bros fanfics use them. They're an awesome part of the game (unless you main Fox and play only final destination with items off. There's always one.) Ashley's back and trying to screw with Robin. Thank Shadow for being on the ball and stopping her. Why can Isabelle speak Japanese? A good PA has many skills and she's not just good, she's awesome. Plus Shih-tzu I know is chinese but it's close enough to Japan to be believable. Does that make me racist. Probably not.
The whole 'psychics are weak to dark' is just the pokemon type match up. Dark types are immune to psychic moves and in turn dark moves are supereffective against psychics. We've all played at least one pokemon game right? It's Nintendo's second biggest franchise by game output and revenue.
Side note: I noticed on my 'views by chapter' readout when I was uploading this chapter that 23 had many more views than 24 did. I couldn't remember what in 23 was so amazing to gift it more views so I went back and read it. It's the chapter with Robin and Lucina in the closet. I love my fans so much. I see you looking. Looking at the borderline F/F content that'd push my rating up to T if anyone was looking too closely. I'm not even mad. You guys...(just imagine the 'oh you' meme. That's my face right now. Go search it up.)
MahNati: You're probably not the only one who forgot about the whole assist thing. I bet I could've not mentioned it again and got away with it. Or maybe someone who's never reviewed before that point would comment to tell me and then never review again. The review system is weird. Maybe Mewtwo can convince Shulk not all mindereaders are awful. We'll find out.
Heman2000: I don't actually main Shulk anymore to be honest. Too many for Glory Shulk's who don't use the Monado arts killed it for me. I was never too good with him anyway. Now I stick to Wario and lil bow-wow. I really want to get good with Duck hunt duo though. They're so fun (but there's no fun in for glory so...) But yes it's all getting very serious. The tournament is nigh...
Yugiohfangirl: I'm not sure whether 'well played' describes your hanging back on a review. Let's be honest most of it's Xenoblade gameplay anyway. Not that I don't love Xenoblade. I did already play through the game and watch Chugga's let's play so I'm up to date. No need to fill me in. I hear you though with saving over your data. I did that with my original pokemon Gold. Devastating. And hey you can agree with Heman's theories. At your own risk...