Happy Halloween everyone! This oneshot isn't Halloween based but still. Oh and I didn't proofread this chapter so hopefully my grammar checks got everything. But yeah, Happy Spooky Day!
A tragedy struck the Smash Mansion. Missing items. Someone is going around taking various items from the fighters. And this calls for one man to find them. His name...is Joker or Ren...or Akira...it's kinda just whatever he wants to be named at the time. He set up a little booth in the main living room of the mansion. He sat there, next to his assistant, Isabelle. Joker laid back and adjusted his glasses as he looked at the first case. This case was given to him by Little Mac. He lost his beloved boxing gloves.
"Anything?" Isabelle asked him. Joker shook his head.
"Not yet. I have no clue who would steal a pair of boxing gloves. Makes no sense."
"Well, might as well start somewhere and maybe we'll find something along the way," Isabelle shrugged. Joker closed his eyes as he thought about it.
"Yeah, you're right. Let's go talk to Mac himself." Joker stood up and led Isabelle through the mansion to find Little Mac in his room. Seeing him without his boxing gloves was very weird to Joker. He cleared his throat. "Hello there, Mac. You gave me the case of your missing gloves?"
"Yes. I don't know what happened to them. They just suddenly...vanished," Little Mac said as he sat on his bed, with a very depressed face.
"Hmm, you make any enemies in the mansion?" Isabelle asked.
"I don't think so? I mean, I've beaten a few people in the tournaments, but I don't think I have enemies."
"Can we search the room?" Little Mac nodded and the two detectives walked in and scanned the room on a base level. They didn't see anything that stuck out to them so they went to start searching more in-depth. Joker looked through the dressers, under the bed, and various other places but nothing really stuck out.
Isabelle sat back and sighed. However, when she was sitting down, she noticed a weird bump in the flooring she was sitting on. She sat up and looked down at the bump. "Hey, Joker?" she spoke up. Joker walked over to her and looked down at the bump. He knelt down and started feeling it as he looked up at Little Mac.
"What're you hiding here, Mac?"
"I...nothing, I don't think. I do have a tendency to sleepwalk." Joker brought out his dagger and started to cut around the carpeted ground. He lifted the carpet that covered the bump to see a strange box. Little Mac walked over. "The hell is that?" Joker grabbed the box before twisting it around, analyzing how it looked. On the front of the box. The box was very plain, just a black box. However, it was obvious it had the ability to be opened. Joker did just that and found a small rolled-up piece of paper. He took it out and unraveled it.
The great detective. Looking for some pathetic boxing gloves? You're getting weirder and weirder by the day. But, that's not what matters, Ren. I'm going to have fun watching you scramble to find me. And don't get your gloves dirty while doing it. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
"What weirdo would write 'hahahahahaha' in a letter?" Little Mac asked. Joker pocketed the piece of paper.
"Not sure. But it's a clue, I'm going to keep it. And you...just sit down tight, and maybe get used to being without gloves, people think you're weird for always wearing them."
"No, they don't...right?" Little Mac looked down to the always nice Isabelle, who simply nodded her head. "Aww really?"
"Come on, back to the stand." Isabelle nodded and followed Joker back to their stand in the living room. Joker rolled out the piece of paper and read through it countless times. Isabelle was looking over pictures of Little Mac taken during the tournament, seeing if she could spot anyone in the background.
While Joker was reading through the note for about the 69th time, he saw someone step in front of him. He looked up to see Min Min...without her mask. "Hi there...I hear this is the Lost and Found?"
"Yes. What do you need?" Joker asked as he put the note in his desk drawer. Isabelle also ran over to his side.
"Well, you see, I can control my arms very easily."
"Right."
"But I can only control them because of my mask. If I don't have it my arms get...like this." Joker stood up and saw Min Min's arms laying on the ground, the springs having fully extended. "I lose control of the springs. So I can't do anything."
"Didn't you say there's a way you can turn your arms back into regular arms?" Isabelle asked as she tilted her head.
"There is, but I can't do it without my mask. My mask allows me to turn off and on the springs, and until I get that, I won't have access to them." Joker leaned back.
"Another missing item. First Mac, now you."
"My mask is my power. I have a fight soon, so please find it." Joker stood up and bowed his head.
"I promise I'll find it."
"You really mean business, Joker," Isabelle's soft voice said from next to him.
"I'm not a fan of things being stolen." Joker stood up straight and looked at Min Min. "Where was the last time you remember having the mask?"
"In the training room." Joker looked down at Isabelle before the both of them ran off toward the training room. The room looked pretty normal. The walls were in the grid design. It was pretty big, and it had a few platforms at the back of the room. The room was very basic, but that made the one thing that stuck out, REALLY stuck out. Joker walked over to a random barrel. He broke the barrel and something fell out of it. It was a card. He picked the card up and saw it had writing on it, made in weird text that made each letter look to be from a different magazine.
Oooo, you found 2 of these? Look at you. Just as good as I remember. But don't be so cocky. There are 2 more. If you can find them, and then guess who it is I am, then you can get the items back. Now, tell poor Min Min, that masks are a powerful thing, and one shouldn't be so cocky with theirs.
Joker groaned loudly. "This is insanely annoying." Isabelle nodded.
"If the card said there's going to be two more, then we should expect-"
"Joker?" a soft voice said from behind Joker and Isabelle. It was Lucas.
"Oh, Lucas, what is it? Missing an item?"
"Not me, no..." Lucas said. He looked nervous, and just plain on edge. Joker put a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Whatever it is, I can help." Lucas let out a soft sigh.
"It's Ness...his bat is missing."
"His bat?"
"Yeah. He and I were out in the field playing a friendly game of throw ball and hit ball with bat, a creative name I know, when we needed a nice hydration break and when we went back...his bat was missing."
"It's a bat, why not buy a new one?" Isabelle asked.
"That bat is special to him. It was given to him by his dad. He cares for it more than you may think, he can't just buy a new one." Joker massaged Lucas's shoulder to calm him down, knowing he was quick to tears, and by the look in his eyes, he was close to it.
"It's ok, Lucas. Let us handle it. Just try to calm down, calm Ness down, we'll get it done, ok?" Lucas rubbed his eyes before nodding.
"I'll try."
"Good. Have I ever let you down?" Lucas chuckled a bit.
"You have, once, when you lost to Villager in the tournament." Joker stood up straight and crossed his arms.
"Hey, don't hold that against me. Villager is frightening, I was scared that if I hit him he'd come into my room and chop my head off with that ax of his." Lucas shrugged.
"Sounds just like excuses." He walked to the exit of the room. "See ya later, Loser." Lucas laughed as he left the room, leaving Joker to sigh happily.
"You two are close?" Isabelle asked.
"Yeah, since I came into the mansion." He turned around and read the card again. He handed the card to Isabelle. "Can you take this back to the desk? I'll head to the field." Isabelle grabbed the card with a nod before running off. Joker ran through the mansion to make it out to the back and to the field. Ness constantly hounded the Hands to add in a Baseball field in the enormous field that had already existed. Sometimes the mansion has sports nights, which Joker always loved. All that time in the Batting Cages back in Jongen-Jaya paid off. The field seemed pretty average. Nothing was sticking out, nothing was out of place, except, that was the exact thing that stuck out. Ness and Lucas were just here. They never left the Baseball field clean after using it. There were bound to be some Baseballs all over the field, some messed up ground that the boys messed up with their feet skidding against it, among other things. This field was cleaned up by a man who cared for cleanliness, or at the very least, the appearance of being clean.
Joker entered the stands that the batters would be in and just as he thought, everything on the field that would be dirty and misplaced, was in there, thrown to the side to keep the ruse of it being clean. On one of the balls was some writing. He grabbed it and read what was on it.
Nothing is better than being clean. But I am sure, now that you're reading this, you know it's not really clean. You know everything that seems clean, has its dirty side. You, of all people, know that. You used to change people's hearts. That...is pretty dirty of you, Ren. But you're almost there. Almost all the way to home base. Find me. You always seem to do that.
Joker moved the ball around in his hand. He was thinking, thinking hard. He was putting all of the pieces together in his head. When an image pops up in his head. He looked down at the ball and smirked. "You better not..." He rushed out of the stands and back into the mansion and specifically to his desk. There was Min Min. "Hey, Min MIn, you see Isabelle here?" She shook her head.
"Someone came and took her, but left that note," she motioned her head toward the note on Joker's desk. This note wasn't a note. It was a calling card. He picked it up with another smirk. He let out a sigh.
"I knew it."
Congratulations, Ren. You did it. You found all of the pieces to the puzzle. I'm sure you know who I am now. Come and get me. If you know who I am, you'll know where I'll be.
The calling card was the exact design he and the Phantom Thieves used back in the day. He put the card down and looked at Min Min. "Don't worry about your tournament, you'll be getting your mask soon." Joker ran through the mansion and exited it. The city of Ultimatum was huge. Normally it would be difficult to find someone in such a large city. But he knew exactly where to find this one person. At least he would hope, after all, they were friends, even if the other person had difficulty with accepting it.
Joker stopped right in front of a small business that, despite its size, was pretty popular. The business was named Cafe Leblanc. He opened the door and saw his father, Sojiro Sakura. He wasn't his real father, but he looked at him as that. Sojiro looked at Joker and smiled. "Ren, welcome, haven't seen you in a while." Morgana was on the ground, licking milk out of a bowl. Joker crouched down and petted him. He just loved hearing the apprehensive purrs come from him. He was still denying he was a cat despite fully being so now. "Ren..." Sojiro's voice came up. Joker stood up and looked at him. He was pointing at a man on the stool at the counter. The man's clothes were instantly recognizable. He walked over and took the stool right next to him.
Sojiro gave him some coffee. Ren looked at the liquid inside it and smirked. "Hello there, Akechi." He drank some of the coffee.
"Mr. Smarty pants found me, huh?" Akechi softly said.
"That I did." Akechi turned his head toward him.
"You were always so smart. It's...infuriating, you know that?"
"Oh, I do. I very much do." Akechi looked forward and at Sojiro.
"Boss, give me what he's having." Sojiro started making the coffee and when it was done he handed it to Akechi.
"You're always copying me."
"You're the one who copied me."
"How can I copy something that has yet to happen?" Akechi stayed silent as he drank some of the coffee. Ren chuckled to himself before drinking some himself. "Boss, know how to make pancakes?" Akechi slammed his fist into the counter.
"Damn it, Ren, you're pushing it."
"What, you love Pancakes," Joker fakes confusion. Akechi sighed before sipping some more coffee.
"I hate you." Joker playfully rolled his eyes as he finished his drink. He stood up and adjusted his glove.
"Where's the stuff?"
"Upstairs. Hurry up." Joker patted Akechi's back before heading up to his old living space. And, boom, he gets bombarded by hugs but the rest of the Phantom Thieves. He couldn't help but laugh it off before the hug broke up.
"Dude, the hell took you so long?" Ryuji asked as his arm was around Joker's neck.
"You know Akechi loves talking his mouth off." Joker looked around the room and saw the stuff that was taken, all of it, even Isabelle was there. Although, she didn't look kidnapped. She was chilling on his old bed eating as if it was any old day. "You guys were in on this?"
"You don't see us as often anymore, we miss you," Makoto shrugged.
"We're friends, Ren, we want to see you," Ann said.
"Yes, indeed. I miss my friend, he makes for quite the inspiration," Yusuke said.
"Shut up, Inari," Futaba spat.
"How unbelievably rude of you." Joker couldn't help but laugh. He did not have enough time with his old friends. Smash kept him busy with the tournaments and with his new friends.
"All in all, Ren, we want to see you more often. We really do miss you...even Akechi," Haru softly said.
"Especially Akechi," Makoto corrected.
"I could tell. He was wasting all of his good material on me instantly," Joker chuckled.
"He's running out of snark," Futaba added. Joker smiled to himself.
"Well, how about this? I'll return the items, then we can go out. The Phantom Thieves can be reformed."
"Hell yeah, The Phantom Thieves are back in business baby!" Joker chuckled before walking forward and grabbing the other items. He decided to leave Isabelle there because she looked to be having a fun and relaxing time. He smiled at his friends before heading downstairs. He looked at Akechi, who was simply drinking coffee still. He left the building when he failed to hear the door close. He turned around.
"Akechi."
"Ren..."
"What do you want?"
"You're one of the 'strongest' fighters in the tournament, apparently at least. I still think you suck ass."
"Ok ok, get on with it." Akechi stayed silent for a bit before taking off his glove. He tossed it forward and it hit Joker in the face.
"I'm sure you know what this means." Joker grabbed the glove before smiling.
"That I do."
"Now I may be rusty, but I swear if you go easy on me, I'm killing you."
"Duly noted." Joker put the glove in his pocket. He saw that Akechi had a small smirk growing on his face. Akechi felt the smirk growing before turning around.
"Now leave, I don't want to see your face anymore." Joker chuckled some more before turning around.
"I'll be seeing you around, Akechi." He walked off as Akechi entered the cafe. Joker knew Akechi enjoyed being around him. It was obvious by any onlooker. It was even obvious by blind people, and they are...well, blind. He was probably the one to find out Joker had the task of finding objects and giving them to their owners. Akechi was smart. He was most definitely the creator of all those different versions of calling cards and set up the whole thing. And that was why Joker enjoyed his time with the self-imposed detective prince. No matter what Akechi may say, he too felt the same for Joker. They were, and always will be, friends.
When one is lost, the other will find.
For those who don't know, I'm currently working on a pretty major story, so this upcoming thing is a trailer, of sorts, for the project.
Trailer song: Stand with me - Nerdout
In the initial build-up of the song it first shows a pretty rundown house. The door then opens up and shows Lucas, yawning, with his rope snake around his neck also yawning. Lucas looks at his rope snake and smiles before the snake jumps and enters Lucas's wrist and he walks off. The scene ends with Lucas closing the door on the camera.
I've been making my way: It shows Lucas walking through the Wrecked Village with a bright expression on his face.
I've been lost among the faces: It then cuts after the last scene to show Lucas walking alongside the Sharp River in The Lake Shore, with his reflection showing in the river itself. Right before the cut to the next scene, a small splotch of red in the water appears in the corner of the scene.
Some day we'll all be found: It shows Lucas looking around, confusing, in The Lake Shore Paradise.
So many hearts out of place: While in The Lake Shore Paradise, Lucas brings out a map of the area and scans the map with a confused face, trying to find where he was going.
So many different places: It then cuts to show Lucas's bright blue eyes. In the reflection of his eyes has various locations quickly cut to be shown. Those locations being, Spiral Mountain, Altea Castle, Inkopolis, Magicant, Colony 9, Bubblegloop Swamp, Shadow Moses Factory, Dracula's Castle, Deep Forest, Hyrule, and ending with Zelda's Castle.
But where do I go now: Lucas rolls up the map and the camera cuts to black as he turns away.
Yeah!: Within the black two lines cross, making the iconic smash logo, however, it's not in the shape of a ball, it's simply the lines crossing, dividing the screen in the way the Smash logo does.
Another day between my conscience: On the last word it shows Lucas, who looks like he normally looks in the story, appears in the top left corner of the divided screen. His face was also a mix of happiness and worry.
And Courage: Another Lucas appears in the top right of the divided screen. However, this Lucas has bright and glowing violet eyes, along with a stoic looking face.
The battle of light: A third Lucas appears in the bottom left of the divided screen. This Lucas seems happier than the others.
And Dark: A fourth Lucas appears in the bottom right of the divided screen. This Lucas is the most different. His hair was black, his eyes and mouth were a glowing, bright, blood red. His outfit was also darker and he had gloves on. Parts of Lucas's skin were torn off and replaced with what seemed to be a pulsating darkness.
Another day that we're fighting for so much more: On the words "Another day" a circle forms in the cross-section of the logo. It expands and shows an all-dark room. A spark shows flying around. It then shows Lucas trying to catch the spark. On the word "more" he catches the spark.
We're just searching for a spark: Lucas turns his hand around and opens the palm to look at the spark, before it flies off into the screen, turning it pure white.
In the small lyric-less section the white quickly turns into a forest setting
Our demons and darkness await us: On the word "Demons" it shows Bowser jumping down. On the word "Darkness" it shows Ganondorf jumping next to Bowser from the left side of the screen. On the word "Await" it shows Ridley jumping next to Bowser from the right side of the screen.
While all of our fears try to change us: It pans over to show Lucas, cowering in fear against a tree, with tears in his eyes.
But I won't forget where I came from: On the words "But I" it shows a hand in the foreground of the shot of Lucas cowering. Lucas slowly looks up and sees that it's Ness. On the words "Came from" it shows Ness smirking.
Mind's made up: It shows Ness bringing out his bat and his face getting serious.
There's no time to turn back: It shows Ness running forward, toward the tree villains.
Will you stand with me: On the word "Me" it shows Ness hitting Bowser with the bat, but also that it doesn't hurt him too much.
Will you stand with me. Will you stand with me: It shows the three of them beating Ness. A claw swipe from Ridley. A shoulder bash into a kick from Ganondorf. And ending with a drop kick from Bowser. Ness gets launched into the tree right next to Lucas.
Will you stand with me: It shows Lucas crawling over to Ness's body, holding him up slightly with a hand on his heart. Lucas looks at the three villains and his worried and scared expression gets replaced by an angered one, with his eyes and nose even twitching a bit.
In the slight time between verses, it cuts to showing Lucas's hand on Ness's heart. On the beat drop, Lucas clenches his hand into a fist.
My eyes open but tired: It shows Lucas walking out of a cave, with the camera still being in said cave. Lucas yawns.
I've seen the destination: Lucas walks to the edge of the Ocean's Plateau.
I'm digging in my chest: Ness walks over to his side and hands him a telescope.
So many worlds under fire: Lucas uses the telescope to see Galleom destroying Port of Badon and Onett.
Their flames across the nations: Lucas lowers the telescope and looks at Ness. Both of them nod in understandment.
But I'm in this till the end: The both of them jump off the cliff and at the word "end" it goes into slow-mo.
Following fate, that's my only direction: It shows Ness and Lucas, from behind, walking through Onett, with signs of wreckage.
This battle of light and dark: It shows the two of them from the front this time. On the word "Light" it only shows Ness's face, and on the word "Dark" it shows Lucas's face.
In between the verse both Ness and Lucas bring out their weapons, Ness's bat and Lucas's stick.
Another day we're fighting for so much more: The two of them run forward, needing to dodge some attacks from Galleom. On the word "More" Lucas tosses up his rather sharp stick.
We're just searching for a spark: It shows Ness getting his bat ready and on the word "Searching" Ness hits the stick and it flies forward and stabs into Galleom's face on the word "Spark".
Our demons and darkness await us: It shows Lucas with the red eyes and mouth and the darker overall appearance. On the word "Await" he extends his arms as if to welcome someone.
While all of our fears try to change us: It pans to show Ness and Lucas holding hands. On the word "Change" the two of them clench the other's hand.
But I won't forget: It shows a hand on Lucas's shoulder. He looks over and sees some people, those being Cloud, Lucina, Dark Samus, and Pichu on Lucina's shoulder.
Where I came from: Lucas looks over to the other side, next to Ness, and sees Joker, Sora, and Morgana.
Minds made up: It shows Lucas's face smiling.
There's no time to turn back: Ness and Lucas let go of each other and pull out their weapons.
Will you stand with me: It zooms out to show the full group, and on the beat drop the group all run forward to fight.
Will you stand with me? Will you stand with me? Will you stand with me: This is a pretty decent fighting scene. It shows each of the group getting a hit on the darker Lucas. Ness gets a very good bat swing to the head. Lucas gets a headbutt before a slash at the cheek with his stick. Dark Samus latches Lucas up in her grapple beam and tosses him up to have Lucina, who's blade was electrified by Pichu's electricity, strike him downard and in range for a charge shot from Dark Samus. Lucas gets launched into a Sonic Blade from both Cloud and Sora. Morgana and Joker were able to unleash their Personas to do Eiga and Garu respectively. The fighting ends with Pichu's skull bash launching him far.
In the small build up, the darker Lucas stands up with a twitchy face and an angered expression.
Will you stand with me: The darker Lucas extends his arms and everyone by Lucas freezes in place directly on the beat drop
Will you stand with me: The darker Lucas rushes forward and on the word "Me" his eyes shine and it quickly shows that Lucas's eyes are shaky and pure black.
Will you stand with me. Will you stand with me: Lucas finds himself in a dark area, nothing but black is around him.
My demons and darkness await us: On the words "demons" it shows Ness hanging from a noose. On "darkness" it shows the rest of his group hanging on nooses. And finally, on the word "await" it shows his family hanging from a noose.
While all of our fears try to change us: It shows Lucas backing up in fear and sorrow, his eyes watery and shaky.
But I won't forget where I came from: Lucas looks down and sees a sprout in the ground. He crouches down and touches it, and on the word "came from" the sprout instantly grows to be a Sunflower.
Minds made up: His face goes from sadness and fear to determination.
There's no time to turn back: The darkness of the area instantly grows to be a sunflower field.
Will you stand with me: It shows that Lucas's eyes changed from being all black to being all way. Soon enough, his pupils return and on the beat drop he slams his head into the darker Lucas, launching him away and unfreezing everyone.
Will you stand with me? Will you stand with me: Lucas is the main brute this time, rushing forward and slamming his head into the darker Lucas once more before swiping at his feet allowing Ness to slam the bat into his gut making him hit the ground, but not exactly be knocked out.
Will you stand with me: Lucas clenches his fist and soon enough the Smash logo appears on his hand, being very bright. He extends his hand high into the air and the Smash logo shines brightly, turning the screen pure white.