After my disastrous FIST score and the slew of practice matches that followed, I find myself back in the apartment, cradling the Mother 3 cartridge in my hands at night. I'm not sure what compelled me to reboot the GameBoy to replay its orchestral music, or to open up Porky's last save file before my brother's demise, but somehow, this feels right. When the screen blacks out yet again for the first time since Christmas, I can't help but brush a thumb against my brother's Masked Man sprite as if he could feel my touch through the screen. As if Claus could comfort me again like he did all those years ago as children. As if Claus could know that I'm alive, that I'm only alive today thanks to him.
As morbid as this save file is, I'm loathe to delete it.
Because this is the closest I've gotten to seeing my brother alive in years.
When I watch his sprite attack me yet again without any hesitation of stopping, a lump rises in my throat. Why were we fighting in the first place? Was I in the wrong? Did he die with any regrets? Did he die knowing that he saved me? I think of my brother's grinning face, then suddenly taste something sour in my mouth. Surely Claus wouldn't have wanted me dead... not if he saved me in the end. Not if he apologized for leaving me behind in the land of the living.
Watching Claus die in my arms for what seems like the hundredth time, I wonder what Claus would've done in my shoes.
The answer is simple.
I want the truth. No matter how painful it is, I deserve to know the full story. Or at the very least, my twin brother deserves me to know. There's no doubt Claus wouldn't want me to live in the past, but how could I let go of my past without KNOWING my past?
Watching Ness sleep in the other twin bed, the answer becomes all too clear. I want to overcome my fears.
...Hasn't it always been the case?
I want to grow stronger.
I want to know my past.
Without second thought, I restart the game.
It's a strange feeling, to know that I'm holding my life in my hands. After selecting the 2nd empty save file, keeping Porky's 1st save file intact, the screen burns impossibly bright before its fluorescent light dies back down into a low hum. Once more, Porky must have thought two steps ahead, because I realize that somehow, he must have tampered with the factory setting.
As I stare in horror at the incomprehensible letters floating across the GameBoy screen, a sudden realization strikes home.
I can't read Japanese.
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~Chapter Thirty~
Returning to My Roots
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Over breakfast, Marth turns the battered GameBoy over in his hands with a frown. When he speaks, I've never noticed how he pronounces his Ls like Rs in a faint inflection of a Japanese accent. "Is this your game? If ROB wasn't able to restore the language settings, I doubt you'll find much luck restoring any saved data along with it." He hands the console back, and I regretfully pocket the GBA.
The restart had even wiped out Porky's save file.
But if there's any consolation, I now know that Porky's hiding something from me. He doesn't want me to regain my memory. He doesn't want me out of the dark. Failing this, I bet he got a kick out of frustrating me yet again.
Luckily, I have a backup plan.
"This game is very personal to you, is it not? Then you probably wouldn't feel very comfortable asking someone else to translate for you as you play-"
I shake my head, and tell him my request.
Clearing all trace of misunderstanding from his face, Marth at the very least, seems taken aback but quickly breaks into smile. "You want me to teach you your mother's native tongue?" Marth's smile, if possible, grows even wider when I nod in affirmation. "Well... Ryuka, I am honored that you would ask me of all people on the roster. My classes start again on the last week of January, but we can work around that schedule, and I can teach you the basics - of course, because you grew up around your mother speaking Japanese, you are probably a passive speaker, so you won't have as much trouble with the intonation. We can count ourselves lucky for that-" Marth catches himself. "Alas, if you wish me to teach you Japanese... then I also wish to ask you a favor in turn. If you agree to it, that is. We can go over your FIST scores early tomorrow morning if you'd like-"
"A favor?"
Still smiling, Marth pats me on the shoulder. "I want you to take the college entrance exam in April." When I hesitate, Marth gives me an understanding look, and rises from the cafeteria table for his match. "-no need to decide now. Take a week to think over it."
So think I do.
Stuck at a forkroad, I debate over my possible options, waking up early in the mornings to catch Marth with any questions about the exam itself. Unfortunately, I'm no Ness, and haggling isn't my strength; Marth remains firm on his conditions, leaving me no choice but to either accept or decline the deal.
Marth's proposal has thrown a wrench in the works.
I'm not sure if I want to attend college.
Despite remembering Ness's complaints about 6th grade, lessons and classes seem like a privilege that I've never had the chance to explore. Education was never an option for me, and college seems even more unfathomable to attain. I can't afford the tuition. I can't afford the fees. This is of course, excluding the fact that I - a person who dropped out of elementary school - could possibly keep up with rest of the class.
Furthermore, I didn't exactly NEED Marth's help to learn Japanese if I so chose to decline his deal. True, Marth was a native speaker, and would probably speed up my learning process, but with the amount of data available on Google these days, I could always search up Hiragana For Dummies on the Internet.
"You? Course you can," Ness encourages, shooting me a look that can be closely summed up to Are you crazy? when I express my doubts. "If you really wanted to, I bet you could ace anything. You're hella smart."
While Ness raises a good point that college isn't mandatory to gain a steady job... I do love to learn.
School isn't for everyone.
But I want to live a life without regrets.
With patrol duty banned, I might as well use that time for other things aside from training.
Even with Porky's debt over my head, even if I end up declining Marth's offer in the end... for once in my life, I want to have the power to choose. So if I do want to learn... if I do want to at least have the option of attending college...
My best bet is to win the full-tuition merit scholarship.
...Which I fear is close to impossible when I ask Marth later in the week.
"Merit scholarships are granted to the top 25 scorers. You have to be in the top 10 to earn the full tuition scholarship, but if you fall within 25, you can get at least half off," Marth offers over his daily breakfast of rice, and across the cafeteria, his Fire Emblem brethren watch me in growing curiosity - no doubt wondering why I've been seeking Marth for the past few mornings. It's the only time I can catch Marth free before his afternoon brawls. "Every year, the exam becomes more and more competitive. Some even devote their entire lives into studying for this moment."
My heart sinks. "How... how high does my score need to be to fit into the top ten?"
"That, I am not sure," Marth says apologetically. "The curve changes every year. But to have a chance in the top ten, I believe you have to score at least 98% on each subsection of the FIST." Catching the expression on my face, Marth grimly sets down his chopsticks. "I won't sugarcoat it, Ryuka. It won't be easy, and while I'll do my best to help you, I will be a tough teacher-"
"Am I dreaming? Marth's TUTORING you FOR FREE?!" Roy crows out, sliding his tray over from the FIRE EMBLEM crowd to join me and nearly startling Cereza out of my hands. With a hiss, Cereza flicks her tail and darts out of the cafeteria, ears flattened in displeasure. Ike silently slides into our table and digs into his third chicken sandwich. "No wonder you've got him so excited, Marth loves to teach, I think he spent all night planning out your entire study schedule until April-"
Marth's face turns red. "Bestill your tongue."
"Marth ranked first in the college entrance exam our year," Ike bluntly says his two cents, and if possible, Marth turns ten shades darker.
"I bet his GPA is still a 4.0 unweighted-"
"He burns through pencils faster than Kirby can swallow down breakfast, lunch, and dinner-"
"He became a TA in Japanese Literature his freshman year-"
"He's never missed a spot on the Honor Roll-"
"That's enough of you two heathens!" Marth bursts out, and snatching up his own breakfast plate, Roy runs away cackling like a kid on sugar.
"Our point is, you can't go wrong with Marth as your tutor," Ike continues as if none of the hullabaloo had happened, slow steady and stubborn as a mule to finish his say. "If you've never gone to school, you'll at least learn to pick up good study habits from him."
"You don't even attend college!"
"I've seen you study before." As if the argument is won, Ike chooses this moment to leave, re-joining an excitedly chattering Roy over by the Fire Emblem crew.
Trying to regain any semblance of our previous conversation, Marth pats me on the back. "Don't be pressured... but I would be happy to be your mentor," he mumbles with the most awkward expression I've ever seen on the Hero King before he leaves to seek his friends.
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~oO0Oo~
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Saturday morning begins with full of surprises.
Looking like he's got no time to lose, Ness hurriedly hugs me goodbye before dashing off to his patrol shift, fast on his feet. He's stacked multiple shifts in one go, thanks to Peach and Luigi bailing, but after snoozing through his alarm, he's five minutes late today. I wave him goodbye as he teleports away in the lobby, burnt toast in hand, his hat askew. I don't know how Ness does it, meeting people, greeting people, helping people with barely a wink of sleep in his arsenal. Aside from Aura training with Lucario on Saturdays and catching up on chores, my weekends are generally free.
When I turn back around, I almost bump into Rosalina coming down the stairs.
"-was thinking to give Daisy my pearls before the wedding so that she'd have a fabulous dowry- oh, Lucas!" Princess Peach twirls around in the middle of her conversation, her parasol open indoors. "Hello dear. Early riser?"
"No, Lucas is a night owl. He has trouble falling asleep, but sleeps soundly when he does," Rosalina speaks matter-of-factly, her voice as serene as her cosmic dress. She blinks, her eyes watching my discomfort in no small curiosity. "Ness is the morning lark. He sleeps well, but wakes easily."
As if startled, Peach glances back at me. "So it is! Well, Lucas," she says warmly, grasping my hands in a very matronly manner. "I want to thank Ness for covering my shifts this month. Luigi's in a bit of a nervous fluster these days, but I'm very sure he feels the same way. After all, Ness taking over patrol duty for Luigi to attend his own wedding was very sweet of him-"
"Luigi's getting married?" I say, surprised. I vaguely recount Ness mumbling how he threw up in Luigi's bathroom with a very shame-faced look on his face, and stifle a grin. No doubt Ness wanted to repay Luigi for the inconvenience. "Er... Congratulations."
Peach winks at me, "Oh, it's a secret. Luigi didn't want to raise a fuss. Private wedding, very low-key, didn't want to draw much attention, but as the maid of honor, I'll be a mushroom's aunt if I didn't make it a big deal! As it stands, I leave today for Mushroom Kingdom for preparations. The wedding is next weekend, and I have only one whole week to plan everything! It's a small party of people, just me, Rosie, Mario, and Yoshi, along with Bowser and his children, but if Master Hand agrees, we'll host a late wedding reception here in the Mansion sometime after Winter Formal. Luigi's let the Twelve know, but since you're probably going to be Ness's Plus One, I'm letting you in on the hush-hush. Has Ness told you about Winter Formal yet?"
I blink. "What about Winter Formal?"
"Oh then nevermind, sweet. Just old lady blather." Peach sighs now, tapping a gloved finger against her face in the perfect figure of a damsel in distress. "We would've wanted Nana there as a bridesmaid, but it didn't seem right to ask the poor girl to miss her birthday party tomorrow, so we've asked Ashley instead. I think it's a good choice. She seems excited over what to wear, Wario is so very proud of her..." Peach trails off into thought. "Rosie, do you think Luigi should invite Wario to the wedding too? I think he should-"
"Luigi should invite whomever he wants at his own wedding," Rosalina answers, always the avid listener, and with a nod of her head, Peach claps her gloved hands together.
"Of course, absolutely! Oh Rosie, I can't wait to show Daisy her new dress, I made sure to ask Toadette to fetch me the best tailor in the kingdom. The wedding veil and the dress are the prettiest shade of lilac anyone's ever seen. Oh oh oh, I really do hope Daisy loves it-"
Taking this as the sign that the conversation is over, I continue heading up the stairs. Popo and Nana's birthday party is tomorrow. Excluding parties, social gatherings, and dances, birthdays stress me out most because I never know what to get people for their birthday. Since Ness already bought his gift for Popo, I might ask Ness to help me go present shopping when he returns tonight.
As if summoned to the spot, the to-be birthday boy catches me by the roof of the stairs.
"Hey," Popo says, now leaning off the railing to face me. "Come have a smoke."
I frown.
"I know you don't, but just come chill with me, will ya? Spare me some pity and give me company. I never get to hang with you, and I see Ness so often that his face is starting to make me sick," Popo moans, not giving me much of a choice because he's dragging me along by the arm to the apartments. "Sides, you owe me after Christmas, don't I deserve a talk with my favorite blond?"
We end up stopping by Room 1001.
Cloud's apartment.
When I duck my head under the doorway, it's rancid with the smell of weed. No doubt we're here as opposed to the Ice Climber's place, because Nana's lectured Popo a million times not to smoke indoors.
No matter what people say about weed and how harmless it is, as a drug runner, I've seen what people can do under its influence. At the very least, while weed is supposedly a smarter choice than alcohol and cigs, I wouldn't trust my decision making skills on any state except sober.
Outside on the balcony, several people have crashed on a cramped assortment of couches and and chairs.
"I forsee... that you'll be as high as a kite," Shulk trails off, pointing a finger up into the ceiling, red-eyed with his pupils bloodshot.
"Sounds about right," Cloud says, flicking his joint aside when he sees me. "Hey, Lucas. Nice recovery yesterday."
Despite winning that match on pure luck, I fluster in embarrassment. My recovery yesterday was shoddy at best. A powerhouse on the battlefield, Cloud's moveset, even nerfed, is both enviable and intimidating. The only other person who has come remotely CLOSE to winning this honor is Bayonetta herself, and even now, her presence in the tourney is still under heavy debate.
To give you a better idea of the fearsome character that is Cloud, this here is a man who was recently banned from future Doubles.
That's the equivalent of a pro-gambler being banned at the casino.
As if catching onto my train of thought, Cloud cracks a smile, all the while resembling a Californian surfer dude. "Don't be so modest, I'm just a fighter like anyone else." Dragging Shulk to his feet by the scruff of his collar, Cloud steps back inside, offering us to walk into the open balcony. "I'm turning in. Popo, your joint's rolled by the flower vase."
With a word of thanks, Popo leads me outside.
Recognizing me from his place on the couch, Ike gives us a vague wave in my direction, only pausing to turn his head and blow smoke off into the sky. "Never pegged you for someone who smokes," Ike now says with a frown, and picking up his own joint, Popo laughs.
"Lucas? Nah bro, he doesn't."
"Good, that's one less pothead in the house." Ike wraps up his joint. "Got a brawl in ten. Popo-"
"I know, man. I told you a billion times, I've stopped hounding after Snake-"
"ROB disagrees."
Popo impatiently flaps a hand to wave away his concerns. "Yeah, yeah, I heard him, and his whole "weed hasn't been proven to be good by holy name of science," fuck that. ROB's only a pack of bolts- he can't even smoke."
Cocking an eyebrow at his tone, Ike slides the balcony door open. "You know I'm okay with the weed. It's the other things that worry me."
Popo gives him a knowing smile. "Dude. Duuude, you're like, almost as bad as Ness when it comes to worrying over shit that doesn't concern you. I gotchu. Thanks for the concern, man."
Ike doesn't look pleased over Popo's conviction, but sensing that trying's moot, ducks his head under the door frame and slides the door to the balcony shut.
With an exasperated sigh, Popo leans against the railing to smoke his joint. From the side, I silently confirm my own suspicions. Popo's eyes don't look the least bit red-rimmed or bloodshot, and the skin around his eyes is subtly lighter.
He's wearing makeup. Definitely contacts.
I try not to breathe in the toxic fumes and instead, watch people and cars dot the highway like ants in a hurry. While I dislike weed, I don't mind other people smoking it, because what other people like to do in their spare time doesn't concern me. It's their life on the line, not mine.
"I'll be honest with you, I didn't expect it to happen. You and Ness."
"Really now," I say, the least bit interested in what he has to say now that I know what he wants.
"I know, color me surprised. But seriously, I was only hoping Ness would at least get a good experience out of it. Dating a good friend. First romances don't usually work out, but hey, I really wanted you two to be happy, and I had enough faith to believe that if you two broke things off, you'd still wish the best for the other. Besides, you shouldn't shit where you eat. Dating coworkers explodes in your face fast." Popo blows some smoke over the railing. "-and that's being generous. At worst, I thought you'd turn Ness down. That you'd reject him, and that he'd move on."
"You seem to know a bit about relationships."
"Me? More like starting them. Keeping them's another thing." Popo smiles widely. "Oh, I'm mostly in for a short fix. One night stands. And I let the girls know. I've had a couple of problems once or twice, where the girl gets too attached to me or vice versa, so I have to turn them down. Nowadays, I'm in for a quick fuck, so I don't fuck the same person twice. Feelings get too damn messy in the workplace-"
"Popo, what do you want from me."
"Hm?"
"You didn't bring me here so that we could chat. You want something from me," I say quietly.
At this, Popo finally looks at me from the railing, and breaks into a soft laugh of relief. "Damn, dude. I forgot you can see through everyone's bullshit. You know, for a guy who wants love but can't learn to love himself... Lucas, you're a walking paradox."
I wait for his response.
Popo flicks the end of his joint. "You know any buddies?"
"Buddies?"
"I heard you were once a drug dealer."
This catches me by surprise. Outside of the Sharks, I doubted anyone here could've known. No one could have, not when I worked under a pseudonym, not when I introduced myself as Claus, not when I made my resignation clear to the Sharks during Ness's quest. To be put bluntly, psychic powers gave me a nice max repel from any unwanted stalkers, and finding a new dealer was much easier for the Sharks to do than track me down and beat me up into pulp. "Ness told you?"
"Nah. Just stuff I've heard from someone else. I have my sources. Doesn't matter anyway, it won't be on your record here you know, City of Second Chances and all," Popo says evasively. "You think it was Ness? Dude even if Ness knew, he'd never tell me."
"It happened in my world. I'm not sure how you figured that out," I say, perplexed and a little flustered.
Popo gives a light-hearted laugh. "Doesn't matter, don't worry about it. Anyways bro... so you WERE a dealer."
"A runner. Did some dealing for about a year. As long as I brought clean stuff, it was the safest job at the time..." I grimace. "-and I was desperate. Most people tend to be nicer if you're a dealer, because you get them their fix, but I didn't like the job. Knowing that I was wrecking lives to save my own isn't something I'm proud of."
"Weren't you afraid that someone'd rat you out?"
"At that age, it's a lot more frightening to imagine your dad being beaten down for not paying his bills." I pause, getting an inkling of where this convo is headed. "Popo, I left the business a long time ago. Even if I want to, which I don't, I don't know the proper people to get you meth."
Popo sighs, collapsing onto the empty couch. "It was worth a shot. Thanks, bro."
He looks so defeated that I don't have the heart to leave him behind. Instead, I end up sitting beside him in the couch, watching the city bustle to life. Somewhere, Ness was busy catching third rate criminals and keeping the peace. "...How long?"
"Meth? About a year. Coke for three. Dabbled in a bit of ecstasy, heroin, and shrooms after starting weed, but not much. Meth is killing me though. Nowadays whenever I'm down, I feel like meth's the only thing there for me. Especially after I got suckered into an elite pedophilia ring a couple years back. It was a family friend. She was thirty-three. I was... thirteen? I think. Can't remember. Anyways, they don't like older kids, so they're letting me go after I turn 18 today. Not that I care." His eyes start to turn glazed, as if Popo is drifting away from reality. "Whoring myself out earned good money. But I kept thinking, better me than Nana. And I was right. She's doing awesome now. 'Cause... you know what happened over winter break?"
At this point, I don't think Popo's even talking to me anymore. He's venting. If I learned anything from being a drug runner, it's that people tend to open up to you about their problems, because they want someone there to hear them out.
I wonder if he's told Nana half the things he's told me today.
So I don't interrupt. I don't speak up. Popo doesn't need me to pity him or tell him what to do. Not when everyone else already does.
I listen.
"Our tribe wants Nana to become the next chieftain. They want to pull her out for a year of training and help the res. The catch is, I can't fight here alone. Master Hand's contract requires both of us to be here." Tilting the joint out of his mouth, Popo releases a slow breath into the air before continuing, sounding harried. "My older sister's got a full life ahead of her. I'm not jealous. I'm really not. She deserves the position. But it kinda made me think about what I was doing with my own life, you know. Nothing. I'm doing nothing with my life, except for drugs, sex, and weed." Popo rolls up his joint tighter as if in self-forgiveness. "Nah, weed and sex are good, I'm just kidding. Everything else though... bro. It's a struggle."
The joint in Popo's fingers sends spirals of smoke dancing into the air as if on its own accord.
Then Popo rises into a long stretch, lightly bumps the end of his joint to the ground, and pockets the extinguished joint.
"I think... I know what I wanna do now. Thanks Lucas, I owe you one." Glancing back at me, Popo slides Cloud's balcony door open and breaks into a slow smirk. "By the way, I know, bro. Don't get me a birthday gift, or I'll send Nana to clobber you over the head. I want you to do something else for me instead..."
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~oO0Oo~
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"Lucas, you are faltering."
When Lucario clips the last sticky flag off my back with his paw - the equivalent of a stock in a brawl - I take off the reflective blindfold with a sour look. "I want to grow stronger."
Finally opening his eyes, Lucario appraises me under a serious gaze. "So you have. I've taught countless pupils, human and pokemon, and few can handle Sir Aaron's training. Yet you are distracted today. Above all, it is easy to abuse psychic powers. Exercise caution first, and compassion second."
I don't disagree. Most people usually don't, not with a Pokemon who's lived a lifespan at least a hundred times my age. Age is no indicator of wisdom, but Lucario bears the weight of a veteran who has had to fight one too many wars.
You don't argue against experience.
So I take in Lucario's words to stretch my sore muscles.
"What troubles you?"
"I want to recall my memories."
Lucario frowns. He sits down next to me, offering me a glass of water which I gratefully take. "If I recall, your memories are lost, not repressed. You cannot regain what is missing," he says frankly, but I catch the hidden empathy in his words.
"Lucario, I don't remember anything about my quest. I've searched up the name of my hometown before, and it doesn't exist. I thought that my brother was alive for years, just missing, but it turns out that he's dead. Now that I'm thinking about it-" I suddenly say, looking up. "My memories over my mom's death always seemed hazy. She died... but I don't think she died in an automobile accident. I once dreamed I was at another grave, and it felt familiar, and I somehow KNEW she was buried there-" Abashed by how long I've run my mouth, I catch myself. "My bad."
Lucario gives a bark of laughter. "The path of a Hero is never easy, and needlessly complicated. Link and his many reincarnations are an example of how chaotic good can be. What does your intuition tell you?"
"I don't think killing my own brother was a heroic deed. In the end, I was the villain, and he was the true hero of my game."
"Did you mean to kill your brother?" When I reluctantly shake my head, Lucario only places a paw on my shoulder. "Lucas, a hero is only human. Moreso, few villains exist for the sake of being evil. But if you do truly understand the value of human life, then I regard you no less than Sir Aaron himself. Why do you live? Because you are a fighter. For what cause do you fight?"
"...To protect the people I care about," I mumble yet again, sinking my head deeper into my hands in growing mortification. As true as Lucario is, you have to admit that if your trump move is named PK LOVE, it can get a little embarrassing at times.
"You underestimate yourself, Lucas. In the heart of all danger, when trouble threatens to swallow up our steps, we fall back on the people who support us. Many seek self-improvement, fewer still pursue it, but you should never forget to credit the people who have led you to where you are. I hope that one day, you DO regain your memories, but for now, treasure the fond times you had with your family, with your father, with your mother, with your brother. Wherever you go, they live on with you."
A little roundabout way of speaking, but I can't help but crack a smile at his advice. "Thanks, Lucario."
"Do not thank me. It is easy for telepaths to get lost in their own thoughts."
"Do you think I should replay my game?"
"I can't answer that for you." Lucario brings his paw up, and it glows with a blue fire. "But take for example, Aura. Aura is the root to all magic across all dimensions. Aura is the color of your magic, and by definition, the color of your soul, Lucas. No two people share the exact same Aura."
"...but there are exceptions," I say, catching onto his hesitation.
"...Yes. I have witnessed such a case before. Once. I met two people with the same aura... one thousand years apart." Lucario pauses. "Lucas, I can't answer whether or not you should replay your game, but I will tell you this: Do not underestimate coincidence. I would not ignore what your senses tell you, but it would be foolish to blindly disregard the intervention of Fate."
With Aura training over and Ness still out on patrol duty, I decide to spend the rest of the Saturday morning investigating some loose ends of my own.
Finding the cluster of naked Sakura trees was easy, but spotting the stone cobbled path was harder. I even tried using my telepathy to scan the area from time to time, but it feels like no one is around in the vicinity. I was so sure it was here too. I almost decide to double around when a familiar voice catches my attention.
"You there, are you lost?"
Carrying a full pail of water in each hand, Alec smiles when I whirl around. "Well, if it isn't my grandson," he says, peering over and raising a hand to correct the horn-rimmed spectacles over his eyes. "Every time I see you, you grow ever the more gallant. Your mother must be so proud of you."
Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I meet his eyes. "I hired a man to be my advisor yesterday. He wrote down his address on his application. He says that he's homeless, and suffers from retroactive amnesia, but apparently lives in the heart of this forest. Do you know him?"
"Who?" Wordlessly, I draw up the complete job application from my bag, and the old man's face brightens up at the wallet photo stapled on the top. "Oh Duster! Ol' Wess said that his homeless bum of a son didn't have a single chance in any job in the market, but ha! I proved him wrong! I told him to apply!" he cackles.
I can barely hope to breathe. "What's... what's the name of your daughter?"
"You don't know the name of your own mother? What has Hinawa taught you all these years," Alec chortles at this, setting down the pails at his side to impatiently reach for my face. "Come closer, sonny." Raising a shaky, wrinkled hand against my face, Alec peers into my eyes through the strong glaze of his glasses. A soft smile stretches across his face. "My vision is failing me these days... but your hair's always been a touch lighter than your twin brother's, Lucas."
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~oO0Oo~
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The next few minutes of the reunion pass in a blur. I've grown up losing half of my family, that I never even considered the possibility that I had other living relatives.
I had a grandfather.
I have a grandfather.
"You've grown into a young man," Alec says, watching me lift the pails of water for him and saying I suppose other praises grandparents say to their children, but I can't help but smile so hard. I don't think I've smiled this hard to anyone in a good week, and I'm almost sure I can keep smiling like this forever. This doesn't seem to bother Alec the slightest. "-ah! You have your mother's smile and your father's eyes. If you keep smiling like that, I'll bake as many dorayaki as you want!"
"You'll go out of business, Alec-"
Alec slaps me in the back. "That's ojiisan to you! I've done well enough in the business before you showed up. The dorayaki stand's very popular. You're lucky it's not open on weekends, or you'd be waiting until dusk in line just to meet me," he chortles, lumbering down the secret cobbled stone path hidden in the patches of dead leaves and snow. "We're not headed there anyway. Come see the village, it's just down in the heart of the woods - careful, watch your step-"
"The village?" I say, now worried.
"Tazmily Village." Alec smiles wistfully. "Over seven years ago, a couple of me and the folks wandered around and somehow found each other in the woods. Almost like Destiny. We don't know how any of us got here, but each person remembered something different about their past, one fellow recognized another fellow until we realized that we knew each other, and we all put the pieces together." A string of warm, unlit lamps bob through the tree branches, and a cluster of cozy log houses pop into view. "We must be refugees from a lost dimension."
"What do you mean?"
Alec waves his hand impatiently to the side. "Lost. Gone. The corners of Smash City are filled with forgotten characters. But whatever disaster happened in our world, we're happy now. It was rough to make a fresh start, but I don't think any of us would have it any other way. The best part is that the village is located near the heart of the city, so it feels more like a nice, safe neighborhood than a village. Convenient, eh? Come come, Lucas, let's show you around-"
Before I can ask him more questions, I hear the sound of a hammer clanking at a nearby blacksmith shop, and his face brightening up once more, Alec points out all the villagers in the area. Some were noticeably absent, having found work elsewhere in the city, but a sizable number remained. Bronson the Blacksmith, Bud and Lou the twin act comedians, Nippolyte the gravedigger, and (coincidentally) a dreamy-eyed girl named Nana who had stayed home sick from school.
"Lighter and his kid must be out. Fuel goes to school in the city now, so Lighter must be out chopping wood to fill his fireplace- yes, I live right here, you can set the pails down inside, the door's unlocked," Alec says when we approach a far-off cottage by the edge of the forest. When he closes the door behind us, we follow a crooked dirt trail down south to a clear meadow next to a field of sunflowers, their stalks shriveled from the winter chill. "And here lies good ol' Scamp. We don't know how his grave ended up here, but it's how we knew this was the right place to settle down. There's another gravestone up further ahead, a pretty one, but no one knows whose it is -"
But I know even before I wade through snow soaked meadow.
I know, because it's the same person I've been thinking about since New Years Eve.
Crouching down to wipe the snow off the gravestone with a finger, I can't help but give a broken laugh that sounds more like choked sob. Of course. Next to the sunflower fields.
She's always right where she loved to be most.
"Hi mom," I say, struggling to keep the tears from leaking with a smile. "I'm home."
.
.
.
~oO0Oo~
.
.
.
I was hesitant to share news of my mother's death when it sobers Alec up, but he pats me on the shoulder and says that he's had a good feeling she's been gone for a while. I'd wanted to keep her death a secret so that he could live without sorrow, but the old man turned surprisingly firm on wheedling the truth out of me. When I tell him the truth, my grandfather doesn't cry.
His shoulders only relax in relief.
"Thank you, Lucas," he says, squeezing me in the hand and watching mom's grave with serious eyes. "I've assumed for a while... but I'm glad to finally gain some closure. Thank you."
Still, the news was hard to tell, especially since I decided not to tell him about Claus's apparent death. Not yet. At least, not until I regain my lost memories and figure out what really happened to him. Besides we have more time to catch up later, I think, as we end up baking Japanese nut bread side-by-side in his cottage.
If it was any consolation, I gained another person in my life who could relate to the ordeal of losing someone precious.
But my visit is cut short when something chirps with a notification. "Scuse me," I mumble, taking the bread out of the oven and reaching into my pocket for my phone. At the same time, several messages bombard my phone in successive pings.
Nuss 4:51PM
Hey Luke
r u free
Lookas 4:52PM
Yeah
what's up?
Nuss 4:52PM
requesting backup
dPatrol shift
2 idiots wreakng havoc dwntown n forcin me to overtime
track me
"Looks like you've got somewhere to be," my grandfather says, his eyes crinkling behind his glasses, and I give him an apologetic wince before fumbling for a pen and paper.
"This... this is my hotline," I say, clumsily teaching Alec how to call someone with his home telephone. Having never touched it before, Alec looks astonished by the contraption as if it's never existed in his own house before. "Call me if you need any help. Even if I can't be there, I know some people who can-"
"They beep," Alec exclaims, trying to push the "Boop-Ons" himself. He laughs when he pushes one. "How cute! When you press the little boop-ons, they make the strangest noise-"
"Buttons, ojiisan. Then you press in my number-"
After a quick test call to my own cell and saving my number as a shortcut, much to Alec's cry of delight (I can hear you across the room! Hello, Lucas! This is... is this Lucas? Ah, you young-uns and your magical self-phoons... I'm growing old. Oh! I can still hear you!), I regretfully hoist up my bag. "I'll visit the village whenever I can," I promise.
"Visit? No Lucas, YOU continue on your quest. Find out why everyone's lost their memory, and see if we can regain it. I don't know how you forgot about me or the village, but tell your father next time to visit," Alec rebukes firmly, watching me struggle to carry all the tasty treats he's stuffed into my bag. "How you two ended up all the way in ONETT of all places is baffling. And loaded with debt too in such a short time! I'll ask Lighter about any open positions and send in a good word for your father. Flint won't have to worry about rent if he lives here. But your old man doesn't have to worry, not when he has a son like you. You do your work well. One day, you'll be rid of the debt. You'll be a celebrity loved by thousands of people."
"Ojiisan, I think you're making this up."
"You work hard. You'll be all right, I know you will," Alec huffs, reaching over to pinch me in the ear. "Don't forget about us, now."
Making a promise to call him on the boop-ons, I journey out of the cherry blossom forest.
Halfway there to Ness's location, Samus calls.
"Lucas," she says, sounding urgent. "We need you on scene. Where are you?"
"Trying," I grunt, struggling over a garden hedge with whatever air is left in my lungs because my Google GPS sucks and told me to take a detour through someone's backyard. "Be there in ten-"
"Are you running on foot?!"
"..." Seeing as I'm trying to breathe, I decline to answer.
"Stay put, Fox is coming to pick you up."
On-Time his middle name, Fox's Arwing materializes overhead with a sonic boom that rattles my head. "Hop on, kiddo. Stop hedging around, we got no time to waste," he orders when I clamber into the copilot seat.
"Are we on a code red?" I gasp when Fox jams the thrusters on full, launching us into the air with so much speed that I can almost feel my skin ripple off my face. "I didn't receive an alarm from Master Hand-"
Fox grimaces. "No, no code red. It's not a DANGEROUS case per se, just highly unusual-"
With a crackle of radio static, Link's face pops up on video. His grim voice filters through the Arwing. "Zelda's here. We'll corner the girl."
"Roger that. Ness is after the guy."
By this point, I'm out of breath, confused out of my wits, and have as many questions as leaves in my hair, but I'm starting to get a good idea of what's going on.
"Got it." Skyscrapers whiz past us - we must be downtown. Skidding down by a 7/11, Fox stops the aircraft to hover over by a sidewalk. "Out!" he snaps, and I've barely cleared the seat before Arwing takes off again, sending trees rustling in its wake.
I pull up the tracker on my phone. Where is- ah, Ness is located right here. Exactly where I'm standing. Great, now my equipment's malfunctioning. I look around for any sign of Ness, but it seems like that too is unnecessary when Ness barges into the scene like the understatement of the century.
Rather, I hear him first before I see him.
"BOOOST!" Ness screams from above me, his eyes wild and the bangs under his cap flying behind him like the hair of Medusa as he plummets like a stone from the sky. From the smoky trail he's leaving behind, Ness must have failed his recovery.
Without question, I slap my hands together in time for Ness's shoes to land right in my open palms in a mimicry of a gymnast flip. Grunting under his weight, I manage not to topple over thanks to my magic, and Ness recovers, double-jumping safely to the ground.
"Thanks," Ness says without a second glance, his eyes already off searching for some figure in the sky before he charges past the 7/11 to intercept his target with a thunderous scowl.
Unfazed by Ness's reaction, the measly 3rd-rate criminal beams with delight upon seeing me–another person who has yet to hear his quip–and finding the uncontrollable urge to introduce himself like all incompetent villains do, belts out his title like a proud wrestling champ. "My name is Gary Stu!" he announces, now flexing his ridiculous biceps and flashing off his Colgate-white pearly teeth in a dazzling smile. "With my infallible charisma, together with my partner in crime, Mary Sue, I willst take over the world by destroying canon pairings with my ultimate SHIP GUN-"
"Alright, that's enough from you, buddy. I'm tired, hungry, soaked to the bone, and NOW on top of that, working overtime because of you," Ness snarls, approaching him. I realize that Ness's clothes are sopping wet as if he landed in a water fountain, and wonder how long Gary's led him around the city in a wild goose chase. "If you're smart and gimme the gun, the police will let you off lightly with a slap on the wrist for disturbing the peace-"
"Away, mongrel! For I am more powerful than thee! OTP BLAST!" Gary Stu cries, whipping around to blast Ness in the face with a huge flurry of hearts. Sputtering and flailing, Ness falls back onto his rear.
"Aha!" Gary Stu finishes triumphantly. "Nowst you will fall in love with any character of my choice-"
...is how far he gets before I twist him over by the wrist, disarm him, and knock him into the ground.
"Next time, spare us the soliloquy," I deadpan, digging my knee into his back until he slumps back against the street in a daze. This gives Ness enough time to come round, staggering over to my side.
"You dope, how many times do I have to tell you. THAT BLAST DOESN'T WORK ON ME BECAUSE I'M ALREADY IN LOVE," Ness says exasperated, sliding on a pair of Chrom's handcuffs onto our miscreant. "Now stop shooting every Mii you see with love beams. We're confiscating the gun, and the police can figure out what they wanna do with you."
"Curses! I have been defeated! Mark my words, my OTP will reign supreme once more-"
"Yeah, yeah. Tell me something new." Glancing at me, Ness breaks into a small grin. "About time. I was wondering when you were gonna haul your lazy ass off the couch."
"I figured these were back into play," I say, flipping the gun over.
"You purposely let him shoot me, didn't you."
I smirk. "I might've."
"You jerk, he could've shot himself with the CLONE ME blast, and then we'd have another batch of bad OCs running around the city. You're lucky he's such a dimwit," Ness grumbles, prodding Gary Stu back up. "Hey, mister. How many of these guns do you own anyway."
Gary Stu refuses to answer. "I am too perfect to be arrested! I will take over the world! MY OTP WILL REIGN SUPREME!"
"Two," I say, the flash of his thought clearer than day. "His partner in crime has the other."
Ness's grin widens down at the sulking criminal. "Perfect. Then we'll take these guns away so you can live your fantasy in peace."
Despite taking Gary Stu down, it takes an extra half hour before the police arrive on scene. In all her grace, Zelda debriefs the police on what happened, we hand over the evidence, and Fox points out several nervous eyewitnesses who were able to support Zelda's words with their testimony. As our names are filed into the police report, Link gives me a small nod next to his fiance, sweaty but relieved, and when the police return the armed goods back to us, we watch the them WEE-OO back into the distance with the weight of two extra Narcissists in their back seats.
"Last time we caught Gary and Mary Stupid, we gave their guns to the police," Ness says after a quick shower, sinking halfway into the couch exhausted out of his mind, and I stuff Gary's SHIP gun back into Ness's bag. Master Hand can figure out what to do with this later. "The police must've let them go with a warning and returned them anyways because the guns were that dumb. Seriously, you have no idea how many bad OCs and Plot Bunnies I had to fight because of this gun. Then Mr. Stupid had the nerve to sicc a Writer's Block on me to increase my lag time for his get-away. Fucking travesty."
"Plot bunnies?" I stifle a laugh.
"Trust me, just be glad that you weren't there. The sudden A/Ns were the worst part, they popped up at random moments-"
A/N: ALL HAIL SHIPPING! GARY STU WILL TAKE OVER THE WORLD ONE DAYYY
Furiously tearing the huge banner off the chapter and stomping on it for good measure, Ness wipes the sweat off his forehead with his arm. "That's the last of that."
Remembering the horde of treasure I was bestowed, I take off my bag. "You want any snacks?" I ask, zipping open my new stash of treats, and sitting up like one of Pavlov's dogs, Ness's eyes go round.
"Holy fuck, where did you get those?"
My grin widens, suddenly proud. "I baked these with my grandfather."
.
.
.
~oO0Oo~
.
.
.
Contrary to all that is possible, time speeds up. Saturday night bumps into Sunday morning, and all too soon, I'm glancing at my shoddily-wrapped present and getting second thoughts about attending the Ice Climbers' party.
Everyone in the Mansion is invited.
Suddenly, I feel sorry for the restaurant that's hosting us. They have no idea what they're getting themselves into. Cramming over half the smashers into one place is like the equivalent of inviting a nuclear bomb to go off in the city.
Watching Shulk scream past us down the stairs in his tux and a cackling Ganondorf in high pursuit, I glance at the limos waiting outside. At the very least, with this many people attending, the odds of Popo planning anything illegal is probably negligible.
Probably.
"...Everyone is going to get shit-faced," Ness says out loud.
"But we don't have to."
With a growing grin as if to agree, Ness tugs me outside into the next limo. Albeit Popo's disastrous decision-making skills, the twins have settled on having designated drivers since alcohol is involved. I wonder how much Master Hand's judgement had been put into play as he too, mutters under his breath at the many Smashers crowding the backyard and wipes the sweat off his "forehead." It's clear that Master Hand is dreading the size of the damage control he'll face tomorrow morning.
"Remember, the paparazzi are on the prowl tonight. Minors, don't drink. Don't do drugs. If a stranger asks to cop a feel, say no. If you need backup, Chrom's on duty tonight, you all know his number-"
"It's okay, Master Hand. Chillax," Popo says, cheerfully walking past him. "Last year, you threw a party for Mario and Peach's engagement in the city. Everyone had a blast!"
"-and we all know how that went," Master Hand mutters, turning more gloomy if possible.
"hAHA! AnOThER pARtY? yOU aRE GeTTiNG sOFT, bROThER!" Crazy cackles, zooming over to give a hefty pat on his brother's back. Master Hand lurches over from the force of the blow. "hOW mANy sMAShERs dO yOU tHinK wILL gEt wAStED ToNiGHT?" He begins counting, pointing at various smashers, and Ness looks visibly offended when Crazy counts him into the total. "-twEnTY-ThREE, hEY brO BrO, sHOUlD I cOUnT PoPO tWiCE? YeAH iM dOInG tHAT-"
"When you return to the Mansion, check in with Tingle at the front desk so he can sign you off the list," Master Hand says to all of us in the guise of a mother hen panicking over her chicks. "Move around in pairs if necessary, don't do anything to tarnish your reputation, and- nevermindthisisaHUGEmistake-"
Once all the Smashers manage to convince Master Hand to stop panicking (a point which Samus made clear when she said that she'd whip us into line if necessary), the limos peal away from the backyard.
"You get drunk ONCE, and no one ever lets you live it down," Ness says somewhat crossly at my side, but when I have to bite the inside of my cheeks not to betray a grin, Ness glances at me and rolls his eyes with a grin of his own. But when I catch a drift of his lingering thoughts, and glance at the other smashers sitting around the limo, I have to mumble a "not here" when Ness's right hand starts to crawl closer to mine on the seat.
No PDA.
This was one of our agreed conditions. The Mansion shelters us, sometimes too much for our own good, but out here, the media is everywhere.
What we have is special.
What we have is nobody's business, but ours alone.
Quietly, Ness retracts his hand. I feel bad when he looks noticeably miserable, but he knows that we can cuddle later in the privacy of our apartment. Just not in plain view of everyone else. Not everyone in Smash City is probably accommodating, and I don't want to ruin Popo's birthday because some jackass in the restaurant decided to poke fun of us for holding hands. This is Popo and Nana's night to shine, not ours.
I slowly reach out to touch Ness's mind as if to make up for the rebuffal, but he withdraws, shielding his thoughts. He's sulking, a lurking discontent shifting in his magic when a musical spark lands on my arm. But after a pause, when he peeks back with a hesitant look on his face to check on me, as if worried that he's upset me somehow, I know that he'll be okay. Neither of us had much time to spend together this week. We'll have to make that up somehow.
I want to make Ness happy. I like Ness happy.
As if sensing my thoughts, Ness gives into a faint smile as he answers Toon Link's question about leaving the birthday gifts in the limo.
The trip doesn't take long. In half an hour, the limos land, and the doors open.
"I wanted KBBQ, but Nana wanted fish, so here we are," Popo says, looking pleased when he spots us dawdling at the entrance.
Stuck in the prime-time of dinner traffic, the Hylian restaurant - Wealth of the Wild - is packed with customers. Occasionally, people gawk from the other tables when we stream in, but the staff is quick, directing us towards a large private room at the back. When the waiters take the remaining drink orders after all the Smashers have seated themselves comfortably on the floor, Ness's phone rings.
Ness groans. "I gotta take this, it's from my mom. Order a soda for me, okay," he says, clapping me in the shoulder before walking outside to take the call. When one of the waiters asks me for my drink, I ask for a coke and water before watching the other Smashers haggle over what to order. Hearing the sudden uproar on the other end of the table, it sounds like Link's sheepish order for raw gourmet meat has attracted attention.
Unsure of what to eat, I end up asking Toon Link on my left for advice. His ears perking up, Toon Link excitedly begins to list off his recommendations. Though I'm open to trying new foods, I scratch anything with snails off the list. I'm tempted to choose between Crab Omelette with Rice and Pumpkin Stew before Popo taps his glass in attention.
"Yo dudes, I'm gonna be honest, I hate long fucking speeches. But sadly, I'm eighteen now. Boring speeches are a part of adulthood. Still, I'll make it worth your while." Popo breaks into a smile. "I'm taking the year off for rehab."
Silence follows his words.
Then everything explodes into sound, Nana looking like she's ready to cry from joy, Link and Shulk roaring at the top of their lungs, Ike catching him in a headlock out of celebration.
"About time you shed your black reputation, Hero," Ganondorf sneers, but his eyes lift up subtly - apparently he too is pleased over Popo's decision.
When the roar dies down, Popo struggles himself out of Ike's headlock with a beam. "Thanks, guys. Anyways, that's that. Now, onto something cooler and more totally awesome. In my culture, we don't really celebrate birthdays - we like to celebrate milestones of our lives. But today, I'm gonna roll out a tradition of my own. Mario and Peach aren't here... which means me and Nana can do anything we want." A disturbing, mischievous glint enters Popo's eyes. "How many of you are under eighteen?"
Nervously glancing at each other, Toon and Mega Man slowly raise their hands. Half a beat later, Villager's hand hits the air.
Red doesn't bother raising his hand.
Drinking my embarrassment away in my cup of water, I'm hoping I can somehow blend into the wall and turn invisible. This is why I never liked parties in the first place.
Everyone laughs.
"Hey Red, you're underage! Raise your hand," Shulk yells.
"Lucas, you can't hide either," Cloud adds.
My stomach sinks. With what seems like a shared sigh, Red and I follow.
"You're all in. How do you become a free man? Simple - By taking part in my contest. No powers, no weapons, no Pokemon. If you lose, you're all paying for my meal."
"And if we win?" Toon says stubbornly, his eyes already lit up for a challenge.
"If you win? Yeah bro, that's what I'm talking about!" Patting Toon in the back, Popo makes a gesture off to the side. "Ike, dude, roll 'em out."
Under the roof of hooting and catcalling, Ike hauls out several striped watermelons from a plastic Costco bag.
"The first person who can crush a watermelon between their thighs wins free dinner from me." Popo's grin turns positively evil. "Under one minute, stat."
[EDIT 10/6/18]: Changed "sofu" to "ojiisan." "Sofu" is a formal term, used to talk ABOUT your own grandfather and is encountered more in Japanese literature. While "ojiisan" is often used by grandsons, "ojiichan" is used with grand-daughters. Thanks, kind reviewer from FF!
Author's Note:
The decision to make Lucas half white/half japanese (happa) was solidified early in this fic, because I wanted Lucas himself to symbolize love across borders. This headcanon is also based on canon interpretation, where Flint is presumed to be based off of American actor Clint Eastwood, and Hinawa has a default Japanese name in the English Translation.
On the other hand, Ness is 100% American boy in this fic. Interestingly, he looks pretty tan in-game, and if you put Ness and Lucas's sprites together, Lucas looks noticeably paler for some reason.
Out of fun, I took a 16personalities test for both Lucas and Ness. Lucas is an INFJ - The Advocate. Ness is an ESFP - The Entertainer. Even tho MyersBriggs is a load of crap, I think this matches their personalities pretty well in this AU.
*Lucario is from the canon movie, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, in which Lucario once had trainer named Sir Aaron.
*Mother 3 has yet to be localized in the US (as of now). Therefore, any genuine copies (aside from the English fan translation by Tomato and other fan translations) are in Japanese.
*In Mother 3, Lucas's battle sound is a steel guitar/keytar. Simple, clean, and straightforward. I think this makes an excellent personality contrast to Ness's signature move - PK Rockin' - which flashes like an epileptic light show and gives off more of an electric guitar vibe.
*Fuel, Lighter, and the people Alec introduce Lucas to are all canon names of the Mother 3 villagers.
*Despite popular misconception, most drug dealers DON'T approach people to initiate transaction. People seek out drug dealers themselves.
*As of mid-April 2018, weed has been neither proven to be medically beneficial or malicious by the scientific community. However, getting moderately high is said to have varying effects: some users feel more paranoid under influence, while others feel more relaxed. Moreover, joints and edibles (e.g. weed brownies) are more highly-concentrated than other outlets, and not recommended for first-time weed users. However, weed may disrupt brain development before the brain stops growing (~until 25ish years old). TLDR; treat weed like any other drug- if you smoke, smoke responsibly.
*The name of the Hylian restaurant is a play on the game, Breath of the Wild. Any food on the menu or mentioned by Lucas are real food that can be cooked in-game.
*The scoring on the FIST is loosely based on the Korean College Entrance Exam, where you have to score at least ~97% on each subsection to have a fighting chance at admission at top colleges. This means you can only afford to miss at most one question on each subsection. In this fic, Smash Uni rewards high scorers with merit scholarships, which means that people are selected based on their academic performance.