Author's Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Bros or any of the characters involved in it. I am earning no profit from this story, other than the enjoyment of writing it and sharing it with others! I hope you all enjoy reading it!

The rest of the day was kind of boring. Cloud got to ride around on Link's motorcycle some more, but his mind was elsewhere. In three days, they were going to attack Master Hand and Crazy Hand. But in two, they had to break into their office. Zelda, Robin, and Shulk spent the entire day discussing the details of the raid. Young Link, Pit, Palutena, and Toon Link drifted in and out of the room all day, offering ideas or just listening in. It had been decided that Cloud could not listen. They weren't sure how far Sephiroth would go to stop them, so it would be best if the finer details of this plan weren't so easily discoverable. Link kindly stayed with Cloud all day, not ever asking to go upstairs and see his girlfriend or talk about the raid. But it was still kind of frustrating.

The next day was much the same. The raid was tomorrow. Cloud and Young Link played a lot of darts. Link spent the day with Zelda. They both seemed so happy together. How did they feel about going home, where they could never see each other again? The prospect of leaving the mansion was no doubt a bittersweet one for them. But Zelda worked tirelessly to ensure that the raid would go smoothly anyway. Because while she had reservations about leaving, literally nobody else did. She had people counting on her.

Nervous muttering occupied a lot of conversations that day. The plan to raid had not been kept secret. Sheik was somehow involved, Cloud was guessing, and she had told Samus. Samus had told Fox, who'd told Snake, who'd told Ken and from there the news kind of got everywhere. Not everybody knew exactly what was going to happen. Only that the trio of planners was intending to break in the next day and steal something. Even Sephiroth seemed interested in the news. He came downstairs and had a conversation with Ganondorf for a few minutes. Cloud ignored him, promising himself that he couldn't possibly ruin this. Cloud didn't know what was going on, which meant that Sephiroth didn't either. Nobody else could be so totally controlled by the one-winged angel. Cloud was not involved in this plan. It would be fine.

The day of the raid arrived. The raiders turned out to be Palutena, Shulk, and Sheik. Cloud only figured it out because those three were not present at breakfast. They'd left before most people had gotten up, apparently.

For those three, no doubt the day was incredibly tense and dangerous. For everyone else, it was a very long and very boring waiting game. Young Link was nervous. Cloud could tell just by looking at him. He kept drumming his fingers on the table, his eyes drifting to the long hallway leading to the office, the two robots tending to it powered down for now. Pit was also remarkably anxious about his goddess. His wings fluttered constantly while he ate breakfast. After the meal he stood around the main room for a while, staring down the hallway, every once in a while jumping a few times in the air and then lighting his wings up with Palutena's power of flight, as though just making sure that he could.

Those two were definitely not the only ones who were stressed. Zelda was too. Link worried with her. Toon Link clung to Robin all morning, the tactician patiently explaining all the precautions they'd taken and how unlikely it was that this would go wrong.

"But what if Master Hand comes back?" Toon Link asked.

"Shulk could have a vision."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Palutena can sense magic. She'll know they're coming back a few seconds before they arrive."

What if? What if? What if? The question of the day, it seemed. Toon Link drove it into the ground. Falco and Snake had an intense discussion revolving around it. Bowser and his kids talked about it. What if this? What if that? Everyone was nervous.

Cloud didn't want to sit around all day. His Limit would break if he did. None of his friends were doing anything. Young Link had taken to firing arrows into the dart board. Pit was busily eating an entire pizza by himself. Zelda was now with Toon Link, absently watching as he built and rebuilt a tower of blocks. Link was sitting with her, the Master Sword drawn and resting in his lap, his eyes trained on the hallway. Robin was speaking with Chrom and Lucina.

"Hey, Cloud!" Fox called. "You in for a game of poker?"

Cloud shrugged. He hated poker now. But he wouldn't be focusing on anything he chose to do today, so it wouldn't be so bad. He took a seat at the table, grabbed some chips, and let Fox deal him a hand. They played up in the main room today, versus down in the bar. Nobody wanted to miss anything that happened out here.

Sephiroth was still here too. He was sitting in the corner of the room, still reading. He seemed obsessed with reading. Cloud had never known that about him. Maybe before they'd both lost their minds, Sephiroth had spent a lot of time reading. It was weird to think of him as anything but Jenova's loyal son and a destroyer of worlds, but at one point in time he had just been a SOLDIER 1st Class working for Shinra. Cloud had barely known him then.

Cloud shook his head. That was a long time ago. Surely, Sephiroth now was always aiming to play some kind of game. But for the moment, he seemed content to just read. His eyes drifted to the hallway door every once in a while, but other than that he feigned disinterest. Cloud resolved to ignore him unless he actually started causing a problem.

Cloud focused on his cards now. They were terrible. His luck didn't improve much the rest of the game. It wasn't much fun. Nobody was talking. They all had their eyes on the hallway.

Hours passed. Cloud wondered how long it could possibly take to find what they needed. What exactly were they grabbing from there again? The orbs, obviously. Hopefully their equipment. How long could it take to find that? A long time, evidently. Long enough for Cloud to gradually lose all his chips. Long enough for Pit to eat three entire pizzas. Long enough for Young Link to destroy the dart board entirely, now firing upon the broken shafts of his old arrows instead of a proper target. Long enough for Toon Link to give up block-building and sit in Zelda's lap. A long time.

Lunch came and went. No fight was announced. Which reassured Cloud somewhat. Their timing was correct. But then it was back to anxiously waiting. Cloud just went and watched Young Link fire his arrows now.

Dinnertime. Nobody ate. Nobody was hungry. Not even Pit, though he looked like he wanted to throw up. Young Link gave up firing arrows and sat at the dining table, pushing his food away. Cloud went and sat with Link. The hero didn't say a word. He hadn't all day. He'd just sat and stared down the hallway, his muscles taught, his sword drawn. He was wary. And he wasn't going to be taken by surprise if things went wrong.

Finally, just as Zelda was trying to goad Toon Link into going to bed, footsteps could be heard running down the hallway. Every head turned to stare. Shulk emerged first, followed by Sheik and then Palutena. The visionary was holding a cloth bag. His inventory bag, most likely. Which meant they had at least some of the fighters' equipment.

"We've got them!" Shulk declared to everyone in the room. "Follow me to my room."

He led an excited line of fighters up the stairs to his room. Sephiroth remained downstairs. Cloud watched him warily. He had been strangely inactive today. The one-winged angel knew what was going to happen now, surely. The attack on Master Hand was imminent. If Cloud and his allies succeeded in destroying the glove...they were going to kill Sephiroth again. Surely he knew that.

"Your optimism is foolish," Sephiroth told Cloud as he approached the staircase last. He looked up from his book. "You know you cannot win without my assistance."

"Zelda told me they have a plan," Cloud replied evenly. "We've found a way around that."

"You don't know what it is."

"Only so you don't."

Sephiroth shrugged. "Fair enough. But I must admit I'm looking forward to watching you all lose tomorrow."

"Are you really okay with staying here for the rest of eternity? With no rights, no freedom, nothing?"

"Oh, Cloud. It's so much better than being dead."

Cloud turned on his heel and walked upstairs. He didn't need to be listening to this. His friends had a plan. They promised him that. He trusted them. Everything would be fine.

Cloud walked upstairs to Shulk's room. Most other people had left the line now and returned to their own rooms. Evidently the orbs had been explained at some other time. Perhaps while Cloud was being tortured. He wasn't worried about it. Cloud's close friends were still milling about Shulk's room, talking amongst themselves.

"Here," Shulk said, offering Cloud one of the fabled orbs. It was exactly as Link had described it; a glowing, rainbow sphere adorned with the crest of the mansion. Cloud took it in his hands and could almost feel the power trapped within this tangible object. It vibrated slightly in his palms, and it was noticeably warm. "And take this too," Shulk said, holding out Cloud's inventory bag. "Get a look at what's inside." Cloud opened it, peering in with mild interest. Probably nothing interesting. He'd emptied it out after his first adventure. No reason to be-

Materia. Cloud almost grinned. His materia were resting at the bottom of the bag. He picked one of them up, rolling the smooth gem between his fingers reverently. He hadn't used magic in so long. He pushed the materia into one of the slots on his bangles that had been empty for nearly three years. Its power flooded through him. It was nothing compared to the power spheres, but it was something he'd been without for far too long.

He clenched his gloved hand, pulling at his magic power, then opened his fist and letting a flame sit on his open palm. Shulk's lips parted in surprise. "Woah."

"Glad to have these back," Cloud said, extinguishing the flame and pulling the materia out of his bangle again. He'd equip all of it right before the fight. If he walked around with the noticeable gems in his blade and bangles now, no doubt the robots would notice. And then everything they'd worked for would be for nothing. Cloud could wait just a little longer to equip all of it once more.

"Forget that," Young Link said, digging his arm through his own inventory bag. He pulled out a wooden mask with blank eyes and red and blue war paint adorning its cheeks and forehead. "Look what I've got."

"The Fierce Deity's Mask," Zelda said, smiling.

Young Link nodded. "That's right! This thing makes your strength look like a joke, Cloud."

"We'll happily take another god on our side," Palutena replied.

"I really think this is going to work," Robin said.

The others nodded. Hope was strong in the mansion tonight. It was a good feeling. Cloud glanced into his inventory bag again, beholding the familiar sparkle of materia that he'd been without for so long now. Within the mansion, he wasn't thought of as a magic wielder. And while his magical talent wasn't much compared to some people he'd met, it was at least existent. But Master Hand had decided he couldn't use magic. Well, enough of Master Hand's decisions. Starting tomorrow, Cloud was getting his life and his free will back.

"I'm tired," Toon Link yawned.

"Then let's go on to bed," Zelda decided, taking his hand.

"I shall accompany you," Link volunteered. More likely, he just wanted to speak with Zelda. But nobody pointed that out. They just nodded, letting the three Hylians leave.

"We should all try to rest," Robin said. "It would be in our best interest to have a lot of energy tomorrow."

"Right," Palutena agreed. "Come on, Pit. Let's head on to bed."

Pit followed his goddess out the door. Cloud wondered if Palutena was going to admonish him for how much he ate today. Not like it mattered. Pit was an immortal angel. It didn't affect him that much if he ate way too much.

The others excused themselves to go to bed. Cloud paused in the doorway. "You really have a plan for Sephiroth?" he asked Shulk.

"We do," Shulk promised. "Zelda filled me in. This is going to work, Cloud."

Cloud nodded slowly.

"I haven't had any visions of it failing but that one. We've got the orbs. We've got our equipment. You can do magic again! These are the best odds we've ever had."

"But if this doesn't work-"

"It will, Cloud. Please, you have to believe that."

Cloud sighed. "Fine. It will work." No time for anxiety now. They were so close. And the seer was right. Cloud just had to shake his nerves. Going to bed would be a good start. He walked to his room, changed his clothes, and got in bed.

Cloud woke up the next morning to someone knocking at his door. He pulled himself out of bed and checked his clock. It was early. Were they going to do this early? Nobody had told him. Probably so that Sephiroth wouldn't know again. But still, being so out of the loop was irritating.

Nonetheless, Cloud opened his door, smoothing his hair with his hands as he did so. Link was standing there, the Slate in his hands. "Good morning," the knight greeted him.

"Uh, hi. Need something?"

Link nodded. "I was thinking. You don't wear armor."

"No, I don't."

"I have some to offer you. Just in case."

"...You don't either, Link." And the hero didn't have Jenova's regeneration. This wasn't just about armor. Something was up.

Link sighed. He looked up at Cloud. "I need you to wear something different today. Zelda told me to lie, but I am simply not good at it."

"What? Why?"

"That I cannot tell you."

Cloud crossed his arms over his chest. Something to do with Sephiroth. But why in the world would he need to change his clothes? How was that going to help them?

"Just do it," Link said, shoving the Slate into Cloud's hands. "Pick any set you like out of there. So long as it isn't black."

"I don't get it."

"And I cannot explain. Do it, please. I am begging you."

"Is your stuff really going to fit me?" Cloud asked shrewdly. The height difference between the Hylian and the ex-mercenary was staggering. How could anything that Link wore possibly fit Cloud?

"The Slate takes care of it," Link explained impatiently. "I bought all of these outfits from local stores. Did you really think that they make entire suits of armor for someone as short as I?" He swiped through the screen, gesturing to a traditional knight in shining armor's getup. The kid had a point. Nobody would make armor for someone who was less than five feet tall, unless it was a special order. But if Link had just rolled up and bought this stuff from a store, then the Slate really had to be something special. Cloud could accept that.

So he went through everything Link had, trying to find something that didn't look totally stupid. He was not going to wear a full suit of armor. He didn't need it. Not to mention that would just steal from his mobility, which was much more important to him than defense. And nothing black either, for some reason.

"Do hurry," Link said, his tone suggesting he was on edge. "We have a schedule to keep."

"Do we?" Cloud muttered. Nobody told him anything. They couldn't, and he knew that. But it was frustrating all the same. When were they going to attack? Should he bring his equipment? Keep a sword on his back this morning? He just didn't know.

But for now, he could start with obliging Link's request. His ultimate conclusion was that Hylian attire was just weird. Link had everything from what looked like a glowing bucket hat to a skintight stealth suit to literally some animal's skull. And of course the woman's outfit that he'd personally shown Cloud a few months ago. But nothing Cloud really wanted to wear. Even so, he made his decision, resolving to just wear the most normal-looking thing he could find; a red tunic with a leather shoulder pauldron, a pair of light brown leather pants, and darker brown boots. He showed Link which one he wanted, and the hero nodded.

Link tapped at the screen some more, selecting those three articles of clothing, and pressing one final button. The Slate flashed another screen at Link, and the hero narrowed his eyes. "Er, I cannot read this," he said, handing it off to Cloud. "I have never shared clothes before."

Cloud took the Slate from him and read the displayed message. 'Resize the selected clothes for user4?' it asked, with an option to press 'yes' or 'no.' "User4?" Cloud repeated. "Who would that be?"

"You."

"Just because I'm in the room?"

"You have used it," Link answered. "Remember? When I taught you before I challenged Ganondorf in poker?"

"So?"

"It registers you as a user. At least, that is what my Zelda has told me. She is one, I am one, and now you are one."

"Who's the third?"

"Unimportant right now," Link said tersely. "Just finish this immediate task. Perhaps once we accomplish our mission today we can discuss the Slate in more detail."

Cloud nodded, somewhat amused by being told off by the polite hero. But Link did have a point. They had more pressing matters to attend to than the knight's strange device. So Cloud turned his attention back to the Slate. He pressed yes on the resize option, and then startled as the Slate shot out a green line of light that examined him from head to toe, flashing up and down his entire body two or three times.

"Now it knows how tall you are," Link explained.

Cloud relaxed hesitantly.

Once it was done scanning its new user, the Slate began spitting out the clothes that Cloud had requested. Just like with the motorcycle, blue lines of light were emitted from the screen, gradually becoming recognizable silhouettes. Once they were mostly filled in, the lights began to solidify into cloth and leather, quickly forming the tunic, pants, and boots.

Link nodded, satisfied, and took the Slate back from Cloud. "There you are. Change, and then come down to breakfast."

"What then?"

"More information will be provided as the plan continues." With that, Link turned around and walked downstairs, leaving Cloud still terribly confused. But he didn't want to argue with the Hylian, who no doubt knew every little detail of the plan they were slowly enacting, and so he turned back to his new clothes and hurriedly put them on. Unsurprisingly, they fit perfectly.

Cloud and everyone were so close to getting out now. One last battle against Master Hand. Sephiroth would fall shortly thereafter. For now, Cloud just had to trust his friends. They had a plan. It had been concocted by a masterful tactician, a wise princess, and a literal seer. Nothing would go wrong this time. They had every advantage they possibly could. This time, Cloud felt confident. This time, they were breaking free.