Chapter 20: Calm Before the Storm
(Author's Note: This chapter is not an April Fools' Day joke. Also, I've decided to stop making Crazy Hand's text different to represent his erratic voice because it's unnecessary and too much of a pain to type.)
Lucas slid across the rectangular runway paved with patterned tiles and lined with star-shaped lights. His shoes stopped at the same star symbol of the circular platform Mario himself had landed on many times before. Holographic screens up ahead blocked out the Beacon's blindingly bright blue. To the left lied the Terrace full of grass and flowers, to the right was an area of red carpets and comfy seats near both the Library and Kitchen, and above the miniature star a structure like a an upside-down funnel was the closest this place had to a roof, narrowing to a spire at the very top containing the Garden and Engine Room. The chatter of many Lumas and what sounded like ballroom music reached his ears, from what speakers he had no idea.
Teleporting here was easy despite only one visit: this place was unforgettable.
"What brings you here again?" Lucas's gaze went to the black Luma with blue eyes named after the north star: Polari. "If you're looking for Rosalina, she's in the kitchen." The old man had read him like a book.
"...So she's feeling better now? That Final Smash made her pass out for a while..."
"Oh, perfectly! She's never been sick a day in her life, not since she gained the power of the stars. There's no cause for concern."
"If you say so, gramps. I'm still gonna check on her."
"And why is that, I wonder? Here I thought you turned down her offer to adopt you."
Lucas went red, unsure how to answer that. "Look, she's a nice lady, I don't mean any offense, but I can take care of myself! I've done it for a while..." He turned to the blue holographic screen, trying to change the subject. "There is one thing you could do for me, though. Can you check the rankings?"
Polari shook his head.
"Youths are so obsessed with competition, it's ridiculous...those who think they're the best plateau, and the ones labeled 'losers' lose heart. If you ask me, the only opponent you need to defeat is yourself!" Lucas kept staring. He'd had enough of defeating himself for one day. "Oh, fine, don't me that look." With his stubby star-point limbs, he poked a few holographic buttons until a list of names and numbers appeared. "Here, have your external opponents!"
[Current Rankings for the Fourth Super Smash Brothers Tournament]
The first three names were colored gold, silver, and bronze.
[1st Place: Bayonetta]
[2nd Place: Palutena]
[3rd Place: Cloud]
His eyes went further down the list. Down, down, down...
[10th Place: Mario]
That was the last one visible. Scrolling was necessary. Lucas's heart sank with his gaze.
[41st Place: Lucas]
He sighed.
"See? You're losing heart, just as I said! You might as well wear a cap with an 'L' on it all the time with that attitude!"
Lucas rolled his eyes. "I'm not like Luigi, I'm just being realistic. It's not like I placed that high last time, why would this time be different?"
"It certainly won't be if you give up that easily." He paused, looking off into the starry sky. "Even Lumas like me have to be able to imagine ourselves in another form to change. Maybe what you're lacking is imagination..." He pointed to a star in the distance. "That star over there is rather bright today, so why not try making a wish? Imagine what you want to become in the future. A star, or perhaps a galaxy? Or just the number one name on that list?"
He looked at the star and wished. He wished to be stronger. Strong enough to win this tournament. Strong enough to not be called a crybaby and weakling. Strong enough to protect everyone he cared about from whatever disaster was bound to come his way. Strong enough to never lose anyone again.
"Come on, I'm not a five year old, I know wishing on stars doesn't work."
"Are you sure about that? The stars and their power are quite real, you know."
"Whatever you say, gramps...look, I gotta go." Lucas ran off along the red carpeted ground towards the Kitchen, leaving Polari shaking his head.
A double jump and backflip through the air got him to the bridge connecting the Library's roof to the elevated dome. From there, one more jump got him to the doorway, and a few steps took him into the room.
His eyes widened, still not used to its larger size on the inside.
Four other pairs of eyes turned to him the second he walked in, and strangely they were all blue: Rosalina, Samus, Pit, and Ness. No, three and a half: Rosalina's bangs covered her right eye like always.
"Hey Luke!"
"The food ish sho good!" Pit was barely audible talking with his mouth full.
"Pika!" Pikachu waved from under the table, taking a break from his bowl of cheese. Samus only watched.
"I was hoping you'd visit. Please, have a seat! I'll get you some leftovers."
The four of them sat next to different points of the yellow star-shaped table, leaving one spot for Lucas.
"Uh, ok..." He sat on the empty spot between Ness and Rosalina, who got up to get said leftovers. She wore a chef's outfit including apron and hat instead of her usual dress and walked across the brown wooden floor with flats instead of heels. He hadn't come here to eat, but she looked just fine as far as he could tell.
Various kitchen necessities lined the cream-colored walls, including but not limited to cabinets, an oven, a cutting board, a refrigerator, and even the kitchen sink. A crackling fireplace warmed the air carrying the sweet aroma of the spaghetti the others ate at varying paces. Starlight filtered through the window near which a potted plant sat. Insulation and distance quieted the ballroom music to a low hum.
One word came to mind: cozy.
"So, how was your day?" Rosalina waved her hand making a plate full of food and some utensils float to his spot in a magic bubble. Lucas's mouth hung open, unsure how to answer as she sat down again.
"Lucas and I brought Pikachu and Charizard to a four on four match. We fought the other four Pokemon. We won." Pikachu puffed his cheeks. "...We won, thanks to Pikachu. He somehow used a Final Smash without a Smash Ball, but it made him pass out. Lucas was knocked out too, by Mewtwo's psychic attack."
"The same thing happened to me. How curious..." Rosalina shook her head, then looked to Lucas. "But enough about that, what about you? Are you sure you're feeling well after that?" Ness turned his way as well.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine...It wasn't so bad, just a psychic tug of war." He lied.
"Well, if you ever change your mind, please don't be afraid to ask for help."
An awkward silence followed. When she finally turned away, Lucas dug into his spaghetti. It was delicious.
"What about you?" She now looked at Ness, who had to take a moment to swallow.
"Who, me? Nothing much, really. Did some training with the swordfighters, met some people, went to a match on Smashville..." He paused, frowning.
Pit smiled smugly. "Lady Palutena totally kicked his ass."
"It was a lucky shot, you illiterate hillbilly!"
"Hey! And it wasn't lucky, it was divine justice for all your stupid pranks!"
Lucas's eyes widened, realizing Ness had been the victim of that laser back then. What started as a laugh made him start to choke instead.
He nearly spat out his food before swallowing it again, managing to make it go down the right way this time. Rosalina's left eye twitched despite her continuing to smile as she leered down at Ness and Pit, the two freezing as they pointed at each other.
"That's enough, you two! Ness, don't insult Pit's attempts to educate himself. Pit, watch your language. You should be be ashamed of yourselves, you nearly made Lucas choke."
They both sulked. Ness mumbled to himself. "Ugh, fine, I don't need a second mom to scold me...sorry Luke." Meanwhile, Samus struggled to keep a straight face.
Another silence ensued, letting them hear the ballroom music more clearly. Once Lucas was done swallowing, he raised an eyebrow.
"So...what about you, how was your day? And what's with the music?"
"If you're worried about how I passed out, I'm perfectly fine. As for the song, I composed it long ago out of boredom. It's certainly more interesting than silence."
"You made it yourself?! Wow..."
"It's not as impressive if you know how much time I had to learn."
Ness tilted his head. "So, how much time is that? Just how old a lady are ya?"
Pit glared at him. "It's rude to ask a lady her a-!"
"One thousand twenty-one."
"What, 1021?! There's no way that can be right!"
Ness snorted. "Sure, Nappa, whatever you say."
"Huh? My name's Pit, not Nappa!"
"...Ugh, forget it, you wouldn't get it." He looked down, his cap covering his face. "But come on, you're an angel working for an immortal goddess. Get a clue."
Pit tugged on his laurel crown thoughtfully, then went slack-jawed staring at Rosalina. "Are you...a goddess?"
"Some call me titles such as that, yes, but please don't put me on a pedestal. I'm only a human who obtained the power of the stars and became immortal. I am not perfect, and neither is Palutena."
"If you say so. That sounds like a goddess to me, except the whole 'born mortal' part."
Lucas continued to eat while lost in thought. Was Rosalina really a goddess? What even counted as a god? Did that include the Hands, or the Dark Dragon? The Dragon couldn't act on its own and certainly wasn't omnipotent. If only it was, his adventure could have ended differently...
"I don't believe in gods." Samus got out of her seat, carrying an empty plate. "I've met a lot of aliens in space, some with longer lifespans, some beyond my understanding. But that doesn't mean I'm going to worship them. No offense." She paused, putting her plate away. "...Thanks for the food. Let's go, Pikachu."
As Samus and Pikachu were almost out the door, she turned around one last time, looking at Lucas. "...You did good, kid." Then she stepped outside.
Lucas blushed. He couldn't help staring at Samus without her armor.
More time passed. Pit was the next to clean his plate, only second thanks to the time he spent talking.
"That spaghetti was perfect, just like Mario's recipe...you got it from him, didn't you?" She nodded. "I knew it! Thanks for the food, and the reading lessons!" Ness struggled to not laugh this time, making Pit pout just as Palutena teleported him away in a flash of light.
Moments later, Ness took one look at his mostly-empty plate and shrugged. "You know what, this stuff is great, but I think I'm full. Go ahead and give Kirby the rest. See ya!" He waved and ran out the door before Lucas knew it.
...Now only the two of them remained.
He stopped eating and looked at the wall, fidgeting and twirling his fork. She stared down the room's local elephant with her one visible blue eye.
"...Lucas. You don't have to tell me any more than you want to. But the more you tell me, the more I can help you."
"..."
"If you don't want to talk, I can. I've experienced many things in my long life, so perhaps some of them could help you. You can ask me anything you want. Is that alright?"
He nodded. She waited patiently as he cleared his throat, then held his chin thinking of what to ask. He tried to look her in the eye, but ended up staring at the silver crown resting on her head instead.
"Uh...the crown, how did you get it? You're an astronaut, not a queen, right?"
"It was a gift from my parents, like my father's telescope. However, I gave up any right to rule long ago when I fled my world to space. I abandoned my royal status once I became a guardian of the stars, which left the burden of inheritance to my dear brother Shimeji..." She sighed.
"So you are royalty? Where are you from? And hold on, that name sounds familiar..."
Rosalina smiled.
"My full name is Princess Rosalina Toadstool."
"EHHHH?!"
His jaw dropped. If she was related to Peach, that made her a princess of the same kingdom. However...
"So you're related to Peach? Wait a second...Peach told me the Mushroom Kingdom was founded around a thousand years ago, and you're about that old! So how are you still the princess if you're about as old as the kingdom itself?" He scratched his head, more than a little confused.
"It's simple: My parents were the first king and queen, and Mother gave birth to me a year after founding the kingdom. Shimeji was born a year later, and he eventually became the second king. Peach is one of his descendants."
That made Rosalina Peach's great-great-great...very great aunt. Lucas stared blankly in awe. Her hair was a lighter shade of blonde than Peach, but they had the same blue eyes. Both of them were rather tall, although Rosalina was even taller. Their faces looked similar too. The differences were there, but there was definitely a family resemblance.
While he stared at her, Rosalina looked out the window with nostalgia.
"That world is my home, and I still visit it once every century. They even made a holiday for every time the Comet Observatory passes by the planet. They call it the Star Festival because of the Star Bits that rain down from space. It's quite the celebration! You should have seen the last one, if only it hadn't been interrupted."
"If it's so nice, why don't you visit more often? That's a really long time..."
"As much as I would like to stay longer, I have a duty to all the stars, not only my homeworld. Besides..." She trailed off and sighed. "Immortality is both a blessing and a curse."
Then it hit him.
"Your dad and brother weren't immortal like you, were they? You outlived them both...I'm so sorry!" He started shaking and found it difficult to swallow.
She looked back at him with a sad smile. "Please don't apologize. I've had a very, very long time to come to terms with it. I know it may not seem like it at first, but it does get better." She paused. "...Besides, I've had just as many happy experiences over all these years, trying new things and meeting new people. Like you!"
"M-me? I'm not that special..." He trailed off. Nothing could replace a lost parent or sibling, let alone both. Certainly not someone like him. "Sorry, I've lost my appetite. I'd better go." He got out of his seat and hurried to the doorway.
"Wait!" Lucas froze in his tracks a step away from the outside. "You're free to leave if you want. But if you wish to know more about my life or anything else, there are books about it in the library."
"Okay...thanks."
He ran out the door.
The ballroom music came back in full volume while the crackling fireplace faded away. While no one was looking, he wiped his eyes. The library was right across from this kitchen with a bridge connecting the two, so he jumped down to that, then reached the ground in another jump. Taking a peek around the corner, he walked into the building, hoping no one was there.
Someone was there. A familiar red Luma floating near the bookshelves glanced his way with black beady eyes.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing here? It isn't story time."
"Uh...wait, if I can't, then why are you here?"
"Easy. I'm the librarian. What, you thought I just floated around this place for no reason?"
"Oh...but if this is a library, why can't I read books? It's not like I'm gonna steal them..."
"...Fine, but you better not. I've got my eye on you! Whenever someone thinks they're Mama's favorite, they think they can get away with anything." He rolled his eyes. "So, what's it gonna be?"
Silence filled the air as Lucas looked among the bookshelves. Real silence; the library was totally insulated from the music.
"Um, where are the ones about Rosalina?"
First Red pointed to the one on the chair. "There's the storybook, but you already heard that one..." He held his nonexistent chin. "Another popular one is the one about her latest adventure where Mario helped her get the Power Stars back. Here, gimme a sec." He floated over to one of the higher shelves and struggled to pull out a book with his stubby limbs. The cover had a picture of a familiar plumber flying through space and the title 'Super Mario Galaxy'. It was much thicker than the storybook. "It's pretty long, so don't expect to read it all in one go. A lot of the other Lumas like it, but I think it's heavily exaggerated. Still, I guess it'll keep you busy for a while." He held it out in front of Lucas, clearly struggling to carry it. How cute. "Well? Don't keep me waiting!"
He took it off his hands. "Ok, ok, I'll read it. Thanks." He took a seat on the rocking chair after moving the other book elsewhere. Red floated away while Lucas opened the book and started reading.
It started with a page. A page turned into a chapter. A chapter turned into more chapters. He turned one page after another of the riveting tale of Mario's adventure to save the scattered Stars, the universe, and as always, the princess.
The minutes turned to hours, he lost track of time, and his eyelids drooped...
He leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes. Maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt.
It was not a nap.
It was well past midnight by surface time when Rosalina walked into the library and found Lucas sleeping on her chair with a book left open on the floor. She walked over and leaned down to pick it up when she heard something.
He shifted in discomfort in his seat, shivering, even though it wasn't very cold. He mumbled in his sleep unintelligibly as sweat poured down his face.
Rosalina's one visible eye widened. She made the book close and magically fly back into its proper spot with one hand, and with the other, she conjured a blue blanket with a pattern of yellow stars with black dotted eyes.. She draped it over his shoulders carefully to warm him up but not wake him. She gently stroked his messy blonde hair.
Slowly, he stopped shaking and relaxed, no longer in a cold sweat. He stopped mumbling. She let go of his hair and wrapped the blanket a little more snugly around him as it started to loosen.
"Sweet dreams."
She spoke softly to not wake him and left with a smile at his now peaceful sleep.
The crackling of a fireplace roused Lucas from his slumber. He blinked in confusion taking in his surroundings. Bookshelves, a dark red carpet, the chair he sat on...why was he waking up here? And he felt warm, what was with this blanket? This was the library...so he'd fallen asleep reading. He facepalmed at repeating the previous night's mistake.
That didn't explain the blanket. He held it up and squinted; that unknown but soft fabric of a light blue color with a pattern of cutesy stars wasn't familiar at all. If it wasn't his, and he hadn't borrowed it, then...
He dropped it in shock and cringed back into his seat. He wasn't sure whether to be flattered or embarrassed that someone had draped this over him in his sleep. Whether it was a Luma, another fighter, or Rosalina who found him here, it was awfully kind of them, but humiliating for him.
He sighed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, then got out of the chair. He could find out who it was later. He had a busy day coming up and a match to prepare for.
He couldn't lose to the king of pigs again.
Later that day...
Link prepared to defeat the king of pigs again. A hexagonal explosion launched a Sandbag his way. He spun with his blade like a hurricane that tore into it and blew it skyward. At the peak of its ascent, a glowing kick sent it crashing into one of the padded walls of the white cubical room.
The kick came from a boy with blonde hair like himself who floated down to the floor of square tiles and breathed heavily, wiping sweat off his brow.
"That'll, huff, have to do for now..."
"'That'll have to do'?" Link gave him a cheeky grin. "Come on, that was great and you know it. Just do that again and those two won't stand a chance!"
Lucas rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Thanks, but it won't be that easy...you know how tough Ganondorf is, and we barely know anything about Reflet. Who knows what tricks she's got up those sleeves?"
Link shrugged. "Only one way to find out." He paused for a moment, sheathing his sword with his left hand then holding his chin in thought. "Hmm...hey, if you're so worried, how about we go looking for advice on how to beat Ganondorf? Back home, old man Sturgeon always said to go around and ask others for tips. He didn't want me to be a 'hooligan' like his brother Orca. If you ask me though, the sword training helped way more than reading some books."
Lucas tilted his head in confusion. "Don't you know the most about Ganondorf already? You fought him, after all..."
"Yeah, but not this Ganondorf. He's from another timeline, remember?"
Lucas laughed nervously, scratching his head. "Sorry, it's been a while. So then, the one we should ask is..." His face turned pale as a sheet. "Zelda."
"Huh?" Link raised an eyebrow for a second. "What's wrong with talking to Zelda?" Then he remembered and winced in sympathy. "Oh...right, she looks like your mom. You know, you don't have to talk to her if you don't w-"
"No, no, it's fine. I can't avoid her forever. Besides, my secret's out anyways..." His head drooped in shame. "I'm such an idiot! I let her get under my skin, and now everyone knows! If they didn't think I was a crybaby before, they do now..."
"Come on, don't feel too bad! I know I'd be mad if anyone made fun of Grandma. I doubt they all think that, and if they do, they're wrong."
Lucas looked off to the side where a metallic door stood as the only exit to this sterile training room. That look was answer enough. Link gave him a pat on the shoulder.
"I'm sure people will understand. You're not the only one who's lost a parent, after all..." Link sighed. His grandma had raised him and Aryll for a reason. Mom and Dad sailed out on a boat when he was six and promised they'd come back safely in no time.
They lied.
"Sorry to remind you..."
"No, it's fine...I'm fine. We've been over this: it was a long time ago, so I don't even remember them that well. Besides, I was the one trying to cheer you up!" He chuckled at the irony, then glanced at the door's window. "Now come on, let's not keep those guys waiting forever."
Lucas nodded, and the two of them made their way out. The metal door opened on its own to reveal the ones waiting on them were Lucario and a stranger: a muscular man with black hair who wore a red headband and a white martial arts gi which was rough around the shoulders as if the sleeves had been torn off. He lacked shoes. He stared at their sweaty faces for a few moments.
"I would have liked the room sooner, but you trained well. Most children wouldn't take a tournament seriously."
"Thanks, Mr..."
"Ryu." Ryu and Lucario stepped aside to let the two of them pass, then walked through the door themselves. It closed behind them.
Now they stood in a large rectangular room with multiple similar doors lining the walls in front and behind them. Various chairs, couches, desks, screens, and even vending machines were scattered about: it was called a waiting room for a reason.
Lucas looked to the nearest door. "Maybe she's in one of the other training rooms?"
"Maybe. You check that side, I'll check this side." Lucas nodded, and they walked down each side of the room while glancing at the windows. Ryu and Lucario shot energy balls at each other in the room they came from, making a muffled explosion. Behind the next window a fitness trainer held a yoga pose in front of Mario, Kirby, and the other Link who tried to imitate it. Link chuckled at his older counterpart falling over. The third room had some kid in blue futuristic armor reminiscient of Samus who blasted targets with energy blasts from his arm cannon. He kept on looking, but none of the rooms had Zelda.
The two of them met up at the end of the hallway, Lucas looking to him expectantly.
"Did you find her?"
He shook his head. Lucas sighed.
"Guess we'll have to go to the castle after all..." He looked around the room, then back to Link nervously. "Uh...you do remember how PK Teleport works, right?"
Link nodded after a few moments. It had been a while, but such a thing as crossing the fabric of spacetime and giving physics the middle finger was hard to forget.
"Ok, good. Just follow me while I run."
He did so. Link ran behind Lucas who sprinted in a circle. Blue sparks flew from a mysterious force that accelerated them in a path spiraling further outwards. Link's mouth went agape when they nearly slammed into the wall...
And dashed right into a blue portal. It closed behind them, leaving only scorch marks on the floor for an exasperated Mii to walk in and see.
The two of them burst from another portal and skidded across paved bricks of a road, where Lucas managed to stop his momentum. Link did not.
"Gyah!" He crashed into Lucas from behind which sent them both rolling painfully until they were sprawled out on the ground, groaning in pain.
"Sorry, I forgot it went that fast..." Link apologized through gritted teeth.
"It's ok, I'm fine. Even I mess up the teleporting sometimes!" By the time Link's vision stopped spinning, Lucas had already picked himself off of him and offered a hand. A green light washed over him and dulled the minor pain.
"I swear to Nayru, you're way too forgiving..."
Link took it somewhat awkwardly since he was left-handed. As he got to his feet, a sound made his pointy ears perk up. Behind him a wooden drawbridge lowered over a deep moat, providing a path to the huge castle nearby complete with stone walls and numerous towers. The sun shone down on various banners billowing in the wind. Even with the slight nausea of warping, it was still a great view.
"So, anyways, here we are! We'd better get looking." Lucas nodded, and the two of them walked over to the thankfully already open doorway.
Behind it was a large hall with a red carpet across a black and white checkerboard pattern floor. Elaborately designed windows and paintings lined the marble walls which were broken up by various side paths. The ceiling was high enough that pillars supported both it and elevated walkways on either side of the room to lead to the rooms on the second floor. On the opposite end of the room from the entrance stood a doorway while near it two stairways led up to the second floor on either side. There was also a sculpture with the circular Smash symbol serving as the base while above it two accurately-sized Hands held a giant Smash Ball between them.
To his left Lucas looked in awe. "Wow, I forgot how fancy this place is!"
Link shrugged and put his hands behind his head. "Castles are overrated. If I wanted this much open space, I'd just go outside." His thoughts wandered to the possibility he might be spending considerable time in castles someday, but his growling stomach derailed that train of thought. "You know what? Let's search the dining hall first."
Lucas let him lead the way as they wandered off on one of the side paths, eventually walking into another, not quite as large room. Two chandeliers and a fireplace lit the area, which contained several circular tables with the Smash symbol engraved on them. One of them was occupied by three fighters, one blue-haired while the other two had white hair.
"Hey, has anyone here seen Zelda?"
All of them turned to Lucas and Link at once, making the former nearly shrink behind him. It was Chrom, Robin, and Corrin, all of them taking a break from eating...pizza of all things.
Robin set down a slice to stare with curiosity. "Now this is interesting. Just what are the chances I'd run into my counterpart's opponents of all people? The odds must be astro-"
Chrom shot him a glare. "Robin, that's not what he asked. I swear, you're nothing like the tactician I know!"
"Is that so? Are you sure you're not looking at her through rose-tinted glasse-"
"She's in the garden." Corrin took a sip from her drink and got a stare from Robin. "Go left in that hallway, take the first right, and you'll see a greenhouse three doors down."
Chrom turned to them. "Why do you want to talk to her, anyways?"
"Oh, nothing much, just looking for some advice. She's supposed to be blessed with wisdom, you know."
"So you're making a strategy...I can respect that. You're definitely going to need one." Robin then narrowed his eyebrows. "I bet you're thinking of asking me for tips next, aren't you? As much as I'd like to, I'm afraid I can't help you against my alternate self. Her weaknesses are also my weaknesses." He paused. "...Not that I have any, of course."
Link rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, mister. Come on Lucas, let's get going."
As they walked off, the others continued to talk.
"Just when was it that you became so stuck up?"
Robin smirked. "Who knows? It might have been when I killed Gangrel, or perhaps it was when I overthrew the Valmese Empire. Or was it when I changed the future and defeated Grima? But Reflet did all of those as well..." His smirk disappeared. "It could be that our timelines diverged long ago, during all the years I can't remember..." Robin sighed.
Lucas stopped in his tracks for some reason. At least, until Link gestured him to follow along. However, when they were almost out of sight, Corrin spoke to them.
"Reflet's better at magic, so attack her up clos-"
"Don't tell them that!" Robin and Chrom complained simultaneously, causing Link and Lucas to hurry off.
Following Corrin's directions, they made their way through the castle hallways and to their destination. A beautiful garden with all sorts of plants, flowers, and bushes, and a glass roof allowing sunlight to filter through. Just as Corrin said, Zelda was in the garden watering some flowers.
The blonde Zelda.
Link facepalmed. "Crap, I should've been more specific..."
"More specific about what? I'm afraid I didn't hear you earlier."
She turned to look at him with those ocean-blue eyes. She wore her usual tiara on her head of blonde hair, and looking at her face made Link's own face redden. She looked so much like Tetra. A grown up, gorgeous version of Tetra, although she lacked the tan. But right now, she had that same smile.
"Did you get all that? Or would you like to hear what I said aga-"
"N-no! I did get all that, and I don't need to hear it again!" He averted his gaze to one of the bushes instead. "Uh, right, so...I was asking around, trying to ask people where you were, but I meant the other you! You know what I mean, the brunette, the one from the other timeline. So I should've been more specific...but I messed up."
"We all make mistakes, Link. Some worse than others..." She paused and looked away. "Wisdom lies not in never making mistakes, but never repeating them."
"Whoa...that's kinda deep." Lucas finally spoke up. "But do you know where the other Zelda is?"
Zelda put down the watering can and closed her eyes in concentration. "The last place I saw her was in the library. If you've forgotten where it is, turn right down that hallway, then left, then right, then you'll see it on your left."
"Ok, thanks for the help!"
They started to walk off, but just before they left, she spoke again.
"You're looking for advice on fighting Ganondorf, aren't you?" They both stopped in their tracks and turned in surprise. "I can't say I envy you two...that man is truly blessed with Din's power. So if you wish to defeat him and Reflet, don't rush in and do anything foolish. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear."
"Huh, that's also kinda deep. But thanks again!" Lucas and Link then waved goodbye and walked off through the castle hallways once more. They passed by more walls, doorways, and even a few paintings before finally reaching their destination past an already open doorway.
They stepped into two stories worth of stories. Various bookshelves, desks, chairs, records, and a dusty aroma filled this tall archive room. A few computer terminals stuck out like a sore thumb. Only the sound of flipping pages reached Link's pointy ears, coming from a desk near the corner. There the brunette queen peered into a book and took no notice of their presence even as Link stepped closer and closer. He frowned; was he so beneath her royal highness's notice?
He got out his Hookshot and grappled to the top of the bookshelf in front of her where he smiled and waved with his free hand.
"Oiiiiii!"
She screamed and leaned back so far to see him her chair toppled over, making the book fall on her face when she landed on the floor. The title read "Hyrule's History for Dummies".
"What was that for?!" Lucas's face was aghast as he rushed to help her up on instinct. A sweat drop dropped from Link's face to the floor.
"Sorry, I didn't think she'd fall over!" He adjusted the Hookshot's chain to lower himself to the ground carefully to not knock over any more books. Down there, Zelda groaned and got back to her feet with the help of Lucas who healed her then floated the chair and book back into place with telekinesis.
"You had better be..." She rubbed her aching head and turned to Lucas. "You, on the other hand, have my thanks." He backed away the moment she looked at him, his face paling.
"What is it? You look like you've seen a ghost. Now that I think about it, you hardly looked at me in the last tournament...did I do something to offend you?"
"N-no, nothing like that! You've been nice and all, it's just..." His face fell, and an awkward silence filled the air. Finally, he struggled to look her in the eye and sighed.
"It's my mom. You look a lot like her, so..."
"Oh."
The room went silent again.
"I'm terribly sorry...to lose your mother at such a young age must have been awful."
"D-don't be sorry, it's not your fault you look like her! And I'm fine, really. It was a while ago, and I don't want everyone to look at me like I'm made of glass..."
"I'm not saying this out of pity: I understand what you've been through." She paused. "You might have forgotten my story after all this time, but I lost my parents when the Twili usurper, Zant, invaded Hyrule at Ganondorf's command."
"That's terrible..." Lucas's eyes widened in surprise unlike Link.
"Yes, it was. Yet as much as I hated him, for a time I hated myself more. For failing to stop him, for relying on Link and Midna to avenge them for me, and for letting Hyrule suffer under Ganondorf's rule for so long." She looked at Lucas, who shrunk back once again. "You must be wondering why I'm saying all of this. It's because when I saw you in the last tournament, you often had that same look in your eyes. I don't know how your mother died, and I won't ask...but whatever happened, please don't hate yourself for it. We all receive more than enough negativity from the outside world as it is, so adding more to that isn't very wise."
Lucas didn't answer, he only stared at and seemingly through the floor, hiding his shaky hands in his pockets.
Finally, Link broke the silence.
"Thanks, but we came here looking for advice on something else. Someone else. We've gotta fight Ganondorf and his teammate, and I figured you know him best."
Zelda picked up her book again and looked between the two of them with uncertainty.
"Then you figured well. I will help, if only for Lucas's sake and to see Ganondorf lose."
"Hey!" Link puffed his cheeks, then slumped his shoulders. "I guess I deserved that..."
"Yes, you did. But I'm willing to forgive and forget. Consider this my peace offering; it has some useful information." She handed the book over to Link, who held it up a little too dramatically for a moment like he'd pulled it from a chest.
Lucas's eyes lit up seeing the title. "I've got a copy of this too!" He held out his hands until Link generously handed it over. He looked at the current page. Something about the Master Sword that he found himself muttering out loud. "Forged by the goddess Hylia and tempered by three sacred flames, the Blade of Evil's Bane seals the darkness and repels all evil it touches. The spirit within, Fi, allows only the chosen hero to pull the blade from its pedestal and wield its true power. None with an evil heart may so much as grasp its handle without suffering burning pain...hey Link, your sword is pretty cool!" Obviously, the last part was not part of the book.
Link smirked. "No need to remind me. The sword is Ganondorf's weakness, so I'm the one who should fight him...but what else do we do?"
"Try turning to page one hundred thirty-five."
Lucas raised an eyebrow but did as she asked. His mouth went agape, it was the exact page detailing the incarnation of Ganondorf during the Era of Twilight. Link peered over his shoulder as he read through line after line. He skimmed through the historical information and got to the section on his combat skills. His strengths were many, including raising undead and demonic minions, levitation, throwing energy balls, possession, summoning weapons or his horse, coating his fists or feet in dark energy, transforming into the Demon King 'Ganon'...the list went on. Even without magic he was incredibly strong and nearly invincible with the Triforce of Power. His weaknesses were few: being weak to the light and the Master Sword, and not being very fast.
"You might also want to know that the glowing scar on his chest is a weak point."
Link rolled his eyes. "What, do you think I'm a moron?"
"I think you're a child. You certainly act like one."
"Well excuuuse me, Princess!"
"It's 'Excuse me, Queen', now. I had my coronation shortly after the third tournament."
Link just crossed his arms and stared in annoyance.
"Come on, please don't fight! I know she didn't put it very nicely, but I'm sure she meant well. And she's right, we are just kids..." He looked to Link again.
"So we'd better make a plan."
Rain poured down from the dark clouds that obscured the light of the moon and stars.
Link would know, because he was above them.
The Korok Leaf stayed firm in his grip as he glided through the air on strong winds that nearly blew his green cap off. He weaved through a small gap in the clouds to not get utterly drenched, the leaf becoming a makeshift umbrella afterwards. Below them a set of floating islands grew larger in view. Ancient architecture decaying with moss, stone columns with extending platforms, and a rocky cave connecting the large upper island with the cramped lower one...
Yep, this was Hyrule Temple all right.
The ground crept closer and closer. He moved his hands on each end of the leaf to adjust his path through the sky and aimed for a platform near the center supported by fancy pillars. The downpour, the wind in his face and the rumbling of the clouds couldn't quite drown out the a twitching left glove's erratic voice amplified by an oversized mic to reach all the cameras and screens floating on futuristic vehicles in the air outside the arena's boundaries.
"Ladies and germs, we've got a spectacular showdown for you tonight! A clash of combatants! A duel of density! What's that, you thought I meant 'destiny'? DID I STUTTER?"
Only a few dozen feet left.
"I didn't think so!"
Link dropped the leaf and let it blow away in the storm. The ground that once crept now raced upwards. In a blur he pulled and lit a bomb, then hurled it down. It exploded making a smoke cloud that obscured him hitting the ground with a roll. He unsheathed his sword and spun in one clean motion that blew away the smoke. On cue, Lucas leaped out of a blue portal and slid across the ground stopping next to him. A spotlight shone on them.
"But speaking of destiny, our first team is right on time! These two boys from islands in the middle of nowhere went on perilous adventures to pulverize pernicious pigs! They are the Boy from Nowhere, Lucas, and Hyrule's Wind-Waking Warrior, Link! Give it up for BLUE TEAM!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Link struck a pose, then waved to his fans until the spotlight moved to the other side of the stage making Lucas sigh in relief.
It stopped near a pillar on the other half of the upper island which was separated from theirs by a drop leading to that diagonal rocky corridor bridging the upper and lower areas. A giant of a man in heavy armor stepped forth from an ominous black portal onto that mossy ground. To his right, an elaborate magic circle glowed and warped in a white-haired woman of a much more normal height in a black cloak that covered her head from the downpour. She wielded a magic staff, but quickly swapped it out for a tome.
"And in the other corner, our second team's reputation precedes them! Their morality may differ, but both of them hail from harsh deserts and became infamous for their genius strategies that shock friend and foe alike, and for being host to a terrible dark power! They are the Tactician Magician, Reflet, and the King of Darkness, Ganondorf! Let's hear it for RED TEAM!"
Both cheers and boos filled the air this time.
Ganondorf took the crowd's disapproval in stride as the spotlight vanished. He leered up at Link with a grin and unsheathed an ornate white blade he coated in a dark purple glow...then sheathed it once more and put his fist and palm together instead. Link scowled at the clear insult and raised his own sword while taking out his shield.
Lucas's concerned voice echoed in his head. "Don't fall for it, he's baiting you! Remember what we planned!"
"Yeah, I know, don't worry. We'll teach Ganondork a lesson he'll never forget!"
They were not the only ones who came prepared. "Ganondorf, remember what we planned. Don't underestimate them just because they're kids." Link almost missed Reflet's voice amidst the heavy rain. Once again he was thankful for his cap.
"You do not order me, wench. I will play along with your schemes as I see fit."
"Gods, you're the worst teammate I've ever had...ugh, fine. Do what you want, just don't blame me if you screw it up."
Their two foes turned away from each other with a scoff and looked up to them, Ganondorf in anticipation while Reflet's expression was hidden by her hood.
"Place your bets before it's too late, folks! Will Team L take the W? Or will our two chessmasters clear the board? Find out in THREE..." He counted down on his middle three giant fingers.
"TWO..." Link got into a fighting stance and Lucas brandished his stick, his anxious sweat masked by the rain soaking his head.
"ONE..." Reflet's tome floated magically, its pages fluttering to a chosen spell. Ganondorf's legs tensed, ready to charge. Both sides stared each other down, anticipating the impending clash...
"ZERO POINT FIVE..." Crazy Hand wagged his index finger while the rest of his fist closed. Link's eye twitched, but he shook his head and tensed up again, ready to fight. The Triforce of Courage glowed gold on the back of his left hand.
"ZERO POINT TWENTY-FIVE..."
"Ok, come on! This is getting ridicu-"
"GO!"
CRASH!
Thunder boomed through the area. The flash of lightning illuminated Ganondorf's sinister smile, Reflet's frown, and Lucas's wide eyes.
The battle began.