Chapter's namesake - Beating Heart by Ellie Goulding

Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within

Chapter 3 - Beating Heart

Lucina slowly opened her eyes. Her senses were still a bit distorted, but she could barely make out the fact that she was in an ambulance, as she felt the stretcher she was strapped to rattle every once in a while as the ambulance drove to the hospital. She could also faintly hear the sound of sirens. The anesthetic being administered to her by the intravenous tubes helped to numb the pain from her injured leg. Her vision was still blurry; however, she was able to faintly see Shulk out of the corner of her eye. She slowly turned her head to face him.

"Shulk..." she faintly whispered, her mouth covered by a small, transparent oxygen mask, her breath making condensation form on the mask's inside.

You decided to stay with me on the way...? She wanted to say, but was too weak to. Just so I wouldn't be alone? You're too kind, Shulk...

Walking slowly over to Lucina, Shulk put his hand on her forehead and said, "Don't worry, Lucina. You're going to be fine. For now...just rest, and within a few days you will be able to recover..."

Upon hearing those words, Lucina slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning...

"Mmm...how long have I been sleeping?" Captain Falcon murmured groggily as the bright sunlight shone through the curtains. He climbed out of bed, clad only in his dark blue, silky pajama pants, and opened the curtains. Judging by how bright it was outside, it had to have been quite late in the morning.

"Damn... Did I really sleep this late?" he said. Remembering what happened the night before, he thought, it's ironic...the other night I couldn't sleep very well cause I was worried, and this morning, I guess I didn't want anything to do but to just sleep in...

He turned around and looked at himself in the mirror. His short, jet black hair was a mess, and his bluish-green eyes looked tired. Almost as if by instinct, he traced the scar on his left eyebrow with with his left hand. Scar aside, he had a face many women would call handsome. His physique was certainly something, as well: his muscular biceps; chiseled, hairless chest and abs; and toned thighs were all a result of his personal training for racing and fighting.

In spite of all this, he believed he couldn't show his true self like this to anyone, either from the world he came from or in Smash City. The reason behind this was that wherever he went, danger would follow. He remembered the incident that gave him his scar, as well as the many times he went out of his way to protect his friends from harm, including a woman he had feelings for; unfortunately, that relationship was short-lived. He thought that perhaps that was for the best if it meant she wouldn't be in harm's way.

He looked at his reflection and said, "It's not every day I get to look at myself in the mirror like this...I sometimes wonder if the person staring back at me really is me..." He shook his head. "Come on, Captain Falcon. Stop with that angsty pseudo-philosophical bullcrap," he berated himself.

Almost immediately afterward, the smartphone on his dresser began to ring. The ringtone was that of a codec call; it was then that he recognized who was calling. He picked up the phone.

"Snake?"

"You didn't message me last night...though I guess with what happened, I don't blame you."

"...You saw?" Falcon asked, with a trace of anxiety in his voice.

"Well...the cameras stopped rolling after Charizard hurt that girl, but...yeah."

"I see..." Falcon sighed.

"Is something the matter?" Snake asked.

"Well..." Falcon began, "Last night...I actually was able to help her. I lifted that rock off of her, with some help...she's in the hospital right now. However, Shulk rode the ambulance with her on the way to the hospital...I felt I shouldn't be with her on the way there."

"You know what I think?" Snake replied. "I think that she would appreciate you going to see her regardless of whatever happened in the past. Which, if you're going to see her, I suggest you get going soon. Do you know what time it is...?"

Looking at the smartphone's screen, Falcon caught a glimpse of the time displayed there. "Crap, it's almost 11 AM! I didn't think I'd have slept that late!" he shouted, hanging up the call. Immediately after, he got ready to go, starting with a cold shower, and brushing up before he put on all his clothes.

"I really hate cold showers..." he muttered under his breath after putting his clothes on. Looking at his uncovered face in the mirror once more, he sighed, and then put his helmet on.

"I guess I'd better get going, then..."

The elevator ride down was a solitary one at first. The Captain leaned against the wall in the back, looking up for the whole time until the doors opened again. He looked at Robin, standing on the other side of the doors.

"Robin..."

"Good morning, Captain," Robin replied, his voice sounding monotone as he entered the elevator. The two stayed silent for a while after the elevator continued its descent, then Robin said, "I take it you're going to see Lucina?"

"Huh?" Captain Falcon was surprised by Robin's question at first, but then replied, "Yeah...are you?"

Robin sighed, and replied, "I feel I should make it up to her for what happened last night." He turned away, a melancholy expression on his face. "You saw what happened...I was a coward. I panicked. I knew I couldn't do anything to help."

"Come on...don't beat yourself up like that," Falcon said, in an attempt to console him.

"I really admire you for the fact that, in spite of what happened in the past, you immediately came running to her aid," Robin replied.

"I..." Falcon was at a loss of words to reply to Robin. After a while, he said, "I just...couldn't leave her like that. I always believed you don't need a particular reason to help anyone in need..."

Was that really it, though? He thought. Was there more to it than that...?

"Falcon?" Robin asked, noticing the Captain lost in thought.

"It's nothing," Falcon replied.

The two arrived at the lobby, and took a taxi to Smash City's hospital a few blocks away. As they entered, Robin walked up to the receptionist's desk and asked, "Where is Lucina's room?"

"She's staying in room 317. She's had a lot of visitors today," the receptionist replied.

"I see. Thank you," Robin replied. Turning to the Captain, he said, "I guess we're going to the third floor."

As the two arrived on the third floor, they noticed Lucina's room had some visitors. "Is that...?" Robin peered through the window and saw Chrom embracing his daughter tightly. In the room with him were his wife, Robyn, and their son and Lucina's younger brother, Morgan.

"Chrom's there..." Robin said to the Captain. "Do you still want to...?" He trailed off, knowing how the Captain must have felt in regards to his past with Chrom.

"I guess I'll wait until they leave..." Falcon said, walking down the hall and taking a turn to the right. Robin stayed there until Chrom and his family left, overhearing their conversations.

"Lucina...I'm so glad you're alright...!"

"Father...I'm sorry to make you worry."

"Get better soon, Sis!"

"Heehee...thanks, Morgan."

...

"Hey! Captain!" Shulk called out to Captain Falcon as Falcon walked down the hallway.

"Oh...hey, Shulk," the Captain said, stopping in his tracks.

Shulk walked over to him. "Did you come to see Lucina?"

"Yeah..." Falcon replied. "But her family is visiting her right now and I don't want to interrupt that moment."

"I see..." Shulk said. "I stayed with Lucina overnight. I will admit I fell asleep after she was taken in for an operation on her leg, but the next morning, Dr. Mario told me that she'll be keeping the cast on for a day and a half, and will then undergo some training to try to get up and walking again."

"That's good..." Falcon answered, with a sigh of relief.

"Yeah," Shulk said. "I was worried since this situation reminded me of what happened with Fiora..."

"You mentioned that name before," Falcon inquired. "What exactly happened?"

Shulk sighed, and said, "One day, when my hometown was attacked by Mechon, Fiora tried to fend them off, but was stabbed in the abdomen by Metal Face." His face looked anguished as he continued, "I think the worst thing about it was that, at the time, I saw a vision of it happening, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't prevent it..."

The Captain sighed. "I guess I can almost understand how Robin felt that time..."

"Yeah..." Shulk said. "As for Fiora, I thought for sure I'd lost her then, but later on, I found her again. The Machina of Mechonis had given her cybernetic enhancements and in essence saved her life. I'm thankful she's okay for now, but still..."

"I understand," Falcon said.

"Well, I'd better head home," Shulk announced. "It's been a really long several hours."

"Okay, see you later," Falcon replied. Shulk waved to Falcon as he walked toward the elevator.

Seeing that Chrom and his wife and son left Lucina's room, Falcon walked over to her room to check on her and Robin, who were having a conversation. Stopping a short distance from the door, he began to listen in on their conversation.

"Are you doing okay, Lucina?" Robin asked.

"I've been fine," Lucina replied. "Before my family showed up, I got a lot of visitors. Zelda came in to check on me, and I also received a lot of gifts from everyone. Ryu even gave me a letter wishing me a speedy recovery, and that he looks forward to sparring against me under better circumstances someday." She looked out the window for a moment, and said, "And of course, Shulk was with me on the ride here..."

"Lucina...I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I was a coward...I - "

"No...it's fine," Lucina consoled him. "I know the situation was tough...I'm just glad that you still came. I'm glad that no one left me when I needed them the most."

"Lucina..." Robin murmured.

"I think that...once I recover, I'm going to try to train to become even stronger so that nothing like this has to happen again." Lucina paused for a moment, and continued, "For the past few days up until the tournament, I had a nightmare..."

Robin was curious at that statement. "What kind of nightmare?"

Sighing, Lucina began, "I dreamt...that I was in a predicament much like what actually happened. I was horribly injured, and no one came to help me, they all just looked on...well, no one except one person. I couldn't tell who that person was in the dream, but something about them seemed...familiar."

"...I see," Robin said.

"Which," Lucina continued, "I still wonder who it was that saved me that day..."

When Captain Falcon heard those words, he slowly backed away from Lucina's hospital room.

Why am I such a hypocrite? Robin says he was a coward for not being able to help Lucina...but I'm even more cowardly than he is right now, he thought. For now...I think it's best she try to recover without knowing that I helped save her that day. He went home to his flat in Smash Tower for the day.

"Well, if you ever find out who that person is, tell them I am beyond grateful," Robin said.

"Of course," Lucina replied with a hopeful smile. After Robin left, however, Lucina's smile sank and became a worried frown.

I'm sorry, Robin...you're a dear friend, but I hate having to hide my true feelings from you...from everyone that came to visit. She looked out the window. I just don't want you to worry any more than you are right now.

As she drifted off to sleep, these last few thoughts floated into her mind:

I don't want you to think of me as the weakling I really am...

Two days later...

The day had come for Lucina to try to get back on her feet again after the cast came off. Wearing the customary hospital gown and fuzzy slippers, she was brought on wheelchair by her mother to a room with a walkway and two handlebars on each side.

"Lucina," Ryu said, standing on the other end of the walkway. "Are you ready?"

"Yes...I think so," Lucina said.

"Alright," Ryu replied. "Just remember: don't rush yourself. Take as much time as you need to get used to walking again."

"Okay," Lucina said, grabbing the handlebars and slowly hoisting herself up, placing most of the force to push herself up on her good leg.

"Good," Ryu encouraged. "Now just take one step after the other. Just go easy."

"Alright..." Lucina said, stepping forward with her good leg first. "So far, so good," she mumbled. However, things didn't go so well when she tried to step forward with the recovering leg; the minute she stepped on the ground again with that leg, sharp pain shot up that leg, causing her to collapse to the floor.

"Arrrrrgh...!" she cried out in agony.

"Lucina...!" Robyn cried, running to her aid. "Are you alright?"

"...it's nothing, mom," Lucina replied, groaning slightly. "Could you bring the wheelchair here so I can try to start over?"

"Okay," Robyn replied. She brought her daughter back to the starting point, where she managed to make three steps before collapsing in pain again.

Noticing Captain Falcon watching Lucina try to get back on her feet from the windows outside the room and then walking away, Ryu said, "At the same time, you shouldn't overexert yourself. If you need to take a break, feel free to do so. If you come back later, Ms. Trainer will be here to help you." By "Ms. Trainer", Ryu was referring to Wii Fit Trainer. Ryu then said, "I actually need to take care of something. I will check in later, though."

Ryu stepped outside as Wii Fit Trainer took over for him. Walking over to the Captain, he asked, "Is something the matter, Captain?"

"It's nothing," Falcon replied. "Since I helped her that day, I just wanted to check in to see how she was recovering."

"That's a very noble thing to do," Ryu said. "I take it you haven't actually spoken to her yet, though...?"

"Not really..." Falcon lamented.

"I see..." Ryu answered. "I think you should talk to her when she's resting after her training for the day, though."

"Sounds like a good idea," Falcon concurred. "What were you discussing with Master Hand?"

"Ah, that," Ryu remarked, remembering what he told Falcon that night. "After the championship was called off, Master Hand and I decided to encourage the other Smashers to bring their friends over from their own world and undergo testing to become newcomers to the Smash tournament. Some veterans from the past may give this a shot, as well, and we may even consider new faces from other worlds too."

"Interesting..."

"Of course," Ryu continued, "There might be some that...may not make it."

"...Snake?" Falcon asked. "You think he might not make it back?"

"...Possibly," Ryu said sadly. "His circumstances may be harder than anyone else's right now."

"I understand..."

Later that day, Lucina was resting in her room. It was then that Captain Falcon finally decided to pay her a visit.

He walked into the room. There were a lot of gifts around the room that Lucina received from various Smashers: a large plush Nopon from Shulk, a bouquet from her family, "Get Well Soon" balloons from Pit and Dark Pit, a box of chocolates from Zelda, and a potted plant from Robin, as well as several cards from various people, Roy and Ryu included.

I couldn't bring her any gifts...Falcon thought. But I figure my presence here will be enough. He walked over to Lucina, fast asleep in her hospital bed. Her face looked very peaceful. Sitting in the chair close to the bed, he whispered, "I hope you'll recover soon. You're a fighter, I know you can do this." Standing up slowly, he continued, "It's the least I can do to make things up to you..."

I can't help but relate to you right you...I was in a similar situation myself, once.

He began to walk toward the door when Lucina slowly awoke with a moan. She opened her eyes and saw him walking to the door. "Captain...?" she asked.

Surprised, he turned around. "You're awake..." Walking toward her again, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm slowly doing better," Lucina said.

"That's wonderful," Falcon replied, looking out the window.

Lucina suddenly asked, "Were you...the one that saved me?"

"Ah..." Falcon faintly gasped under his breath. He said after catching his breath, "Yes...I was. Ike, Mewtwo and Ryu helped."

"I...see..." Lucina mumbled. "If I may ask...why?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you save me...? Me, of all people?" she asked.

"I..." The Captain paused for a moment, and continued, "Do I need a reason? It's always been my belief that...you don't need a reason to help people..."

"It's because I was weak, wasn't it?!" Lucina blurted out, her tone sounding somewhat confrontational and tense.

"What...? I - no..." Falcon was at a loss for words.

"Is that it? That no one believes I'm strong enough? First, I let that happen to my father, and then what happened recently to me..." Lucina looked down, the sorrow becoming apparent in her voice and expression. "I've been putting on a show this whole time to everyone who visited...even Shulk...even Robin...even my family. I'm a hypocrite. I'm pathetic..."

"Lucina, you idiot..." Falcon whispered.

"Huh?" Lucina gasped. What happened next was something she never expected.

He took her in his arms and embraced her tightly. She was caught completely off guard, but what was perhaps even more surprising was the fact that she enjoyed being held in his strong arms, feeling the gentle warmth of his embrace, his hand gently touching the back of her head.

"Don't you get it, Lucina?" he said, his voice sounding very worried, but at the same time somewhat comforting. "Everyone is worried about you...they see you trying to carry more than you can handle. They all care about you deeply...and...so do I."

"Ah?!" Lucina felt tears begin to well up in her eyes.

"What happened to you isn't your fault at all! Circumstances that are out of our control get the best of each of us all the time...please...I ask of you...don't take it out on yourself..."

"I...I..." Lucina was trembling, teardrops falling from her eyes, the anguish engulfing her like a tidal wave.

"Don't be afraid to let it out..." he whispered to her. "You're not weak...I assure you."

"U...uuuu..." Lucina couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She wrapped her arms around him, pressed her face to his chest, and wept, her sobs wracking her body.

"It's alright...it's alright..."

The few minutes Lucina spent sobbing in the Captain's arms felt like an eternity, but after a while, she calmed down. "Thanks..." She said. "I think I feel a bit better."

"I'm glad," the Captain said, releasing her from his embrace. Feeling somewhat flustered, he looked away and said, "I'm sorry if I got too...carried away."

"No," Lucina answered him, shaking her head. "It's fine. And..." She looked to the side briefly. "Robin told me to thank the person who saved me for him, so...he says he's beyond grateful for what you did."

"No problem. Even in spite of what happened between us before... I just couldn't leave anyone in need." He began to walk to the door. "I'd better head home, it's getting late. I hope your recovery goes well."

"Thank you..."

The next day, Lucina successfully got the hang of walking again, and was released from the hospital. Zelda picked her up and took her home.

That evening, everyone was gathered in the meeting hall in Smash Tower's lobby, where Ryu made the announcements he told Falcon about at the hospital. They also had a toast to celebrate Lucina's recovery.

However, later that night...

In the dead of night, as Zelda and all the other Smashers were fast asleep, Lucina slowly walked to the door to the apartment she shared with Zelda, fully clothed in her everyday gear. She briefly looked back at her sleeping roommate solemnly.

"I'm sorry, everyone..."

The next morning...

Falcon was sleeping soundly in his bed when his phone began to ring. It was only 8:35 AM this time. "Snake...?" he murmured. After coming back to his senses, he noticed the ringtone was different; it was that of a catchy guitar melody. He recognized that as Shulk's ringtone.

Picking up the phone, he answered, "Shulk? What's the matter?"

"It's terrible, Captain!" Shulk said on the other end of the line. "Lucina's gone missing!"

"What!?"

Couple clarifications. Yes, Falcon has "You Will Know Our Names" as the ringtone when Shulk calls, and a codec call noise when Snake calls.

About Robyn's appearance in this chapter: she and male Robin are in no way related. I guess in the Smash universe, both Robins know Chrom. Robin is Chrom's trusted comrade (and one of Lucina's friends as well), while Robyn is Chrom's wife and the mother of Lucina (and her little brother, male!Morgan). Just...don't overthink it too much.

As for Falcon's appearance... I know his appearance in the F-Zero anime, that he has brown hair and brown eyes. But the anime is considered not canon to the games and I'm not going with that anyway. At the end of the story mode of F-Zero GX, Falcon removes his helmet and walks off, and even though it's only a view from the back, he has short, somewhat messy jet black hair. Fanarts on Pixiv depict his eyes as a bluish-green, so I'm going with those qualities for his appearance. He also has a scar above his left eye, around his left eyebrow, like the anime incarnation, cause iirc that's where he was injured and Blood Falcon was cloned from? I don't wanna go too much into depth explaining is too complicated

The "woman" referred to near the beginning that Falcon had feelings for is indeed Jody Summer. Before you say anything, I know that Falcon and Jody are siblings in the GP Legend anime. However, as I mentioned at the beginning, it's not canon and I'm not going with that storyline. The Falcon in GPL is a man named Andrew Summer, the one I'm going with here is "canon" CF from F-Zero X and GX, aka Douglas Jay Falcon.

And Ryu was referring to the ballot in a non-fourth-wall-breaking way. Just guess who I want in, lol (hint: who Shulk was talking about)

As for Snake, I encourage you all to read my Snake-centric fic, "The Last Train Home", it goes a bit more in depth on his chances in returning. Don't get me wrong, I definitely want him to come back, but it's not looking so good at this point...:c